How much does it cost to host a house party?

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You're probably here because you're wondering how much does it cost to throw a house party. It can be low cost if you need it to be. Here are some considerations:

Party theme

A party can have no theme; this wouldn't add costs. You can also have the theme based around people bringing certain alcohol. Such themes can be no to low extra costs.

Costume themes can be fairly low-cost, especially if you already have the costumes or can easily make them.

If you want to put up special decorations for the theme or rent equipment this could add to the cost of the party.

Invitations

You can invite people on Facebook or by text if you want to do it on a budget.

Paper invitations wouldn't cost a lot if you want to put the time in.

My neice combined the two methods above. She made an invitation on paper then took a photo and sending it to her friends/family on Facebook.

Food and drink

The cheapest option would be to tell people to bring their own food and drink. This is commonly known as B.Y.O.

You can put a spin on B.Y.O and have people bring a bottle of wine and have a "wine tasting". You can do similar with beer and Tequila.

Buying food in bulk could be good value if you're able to shop around.

Some stores may have discounted alcohol. Again shopping around could be worthwhile or waiting for the right discount. Waiting could be a great option if your party isn't spontaneous.

If you're buying alcohol then the cost could be $60-$200.

Offering soft drinks too could lower your alcohol costs.

Of course if you're having a fancy dinner party, you may want to spend more on food.

People

Inviting a small amount of responsible people could make it less likely there's damage to your property. The amount of people doesn't have to be small as long as people will be responsible. You don't want people falling over and breaking things.

Valuables and locking rooms

You may want to put valuables in a safe place and/or lock rooms people don't need to go into. This can prevent damage and ensure things don't go missing.

Decorations

If you have Christmas lights you put them up as decorations. Balloons can also be fairly cheap.

Entertainment

Entertainment can be free or low cost unless you're hiring a band or other act. You can see three types of entertainment below.

Music

These days you or someone else can build a playlist on Spotify or YouTube. Ad-free listening could cost $20 per month. Someone you know could already have an ad free account.

Many people say that time is money. You can look for an existing playlist if you don't want to build one yourself.

If you want a DJ instead that could cost you $200. Bands could cost $200-$500.

Games

You can play many games with plastic cups and a ball. Poker can be played with a deck of cards.

Spin the bottle can be played with an empty bottle. You don't need anything to play "Truth Or Dare" or "Never Have I Ever".

Movies, sports and Karaoke

If you have a Netflix or Hulu subscription you can watch a movie. You can also watch movies and music videos on YouTube. If people at your party love sports and there's a game on perhaps you can watch that.

Karaoke with Stingstar is an option too if you have (or can borrow) a gaming console.

Cleaning products and covers

You may need cleaning products for before and after the party. This shouldn't cost much.

Furniture covers might be useful too. You can get a cover for a couch for around $30. A regular sheet may also work and may be a good option for Toga parties.

Time

Time is money to many people. However you're probably planning your party in your spare time. It can talke a few hours to plan a party unless you're just texting friends and grabbing a few drinks.

You can save time in various ways such as ordering fast food instead of cooking and sending Facebook invites instead of paper ones.

If you don't have time you can pay a party planner or share the responsibility with a friend.

Sober attendees/driver

You may want to have a sober attendee at your party to help watch over it. A friend may do it for free but you can also pay someone.

Paying someone to drop people off might be a good idea. In most cases people will rely on taxis and Uber

Babysitting

If you have children you may have to pay a babysitter. This could be $12-$17 per hour depending on where you live.

A responsible family member or friend may be able to do this for free. You could also just buy them some flowers, chocolate etc.

Can you bring in money from a house party to recoup costs?

In most places you cannot legally charge for alcohol but it may be legal for guests to donate. Another possibly would be to charge people for song requests.

You should probably check what your local laws are first.

In some cases you can make money throwing a house party. However perhaps it'd be better to aim to just making back some of the money you've spent on the party. Click the link for more information.

Other stuff

You may want to buy party hats and undoubtedly there's other stuff we're forgetting.

Thanks for reading

Hopefully we have given you tips to have a house party without breaking the bank!