Welcome back LOJ readers! (again, trying out new greetings…bear with me guys). In case you missed it LOJ stands for Life of Jojo. Also still working on building this brand (definitely not as easy at it looks). Anyways, enough about that, you guys came here to get information on how to host New Year’s Eve on a budget and I gotta say I think I curated a great list where you’ll look boujee without the price tag (humble brag).

So let’s get started!

Arrival & Food

• Have guests arrive between 8pm and 9pm. This way they will have already eaten dinner and you will not incur the cost of buying a lot of food.
• Create a menu of snacks, finger foods, and appetizers that you feel comfortable serving. Cant go wrong with a cheese board and cupcakes! Make sure to disclose the menu to guests and tell them they are welcome to bring anything else. Most guests will not show up empty handed and you will find yourself with a lot more food than you thought.
• Create a menu for drinks. Trader Joe’s has amazing wine for less than $5! you can stick to beer and wine or you can make a signature cocktail in batch style and tell guests the rest is BYOB. Make sure to pick up a Cava or Prosecco because they are much cheaper than champagne to serve when the ball drops.

Decorations & Entertainment

• Head over to your local dollar store to stock up on NYE party supplies. A cute idea would be to get little decorations such as glitter circles or different shapes to spread over the counters and tables for added glamour.
• If you have games to play such as cards, cards against humanity, etc. definitely pull those out. Do NOT buy games just for this party, that is an added cost. Instead look online for fun games guests can play like “would you rather”, “2 truths and a lie”, etc.
• Make sure to create an NYE playlist ahead of time. If you do not have Spotify or Apple music, I believe Youtube has awesome playlists nowadays that you could put on. Make sure to take song requests throughout the party!

Extra Tips

• Host with a friend so you can split the cost. You’ll also have a definite person to help with clean up.
• Do NOT buy a new outfit. Sometimes you can save money on hosting but blow the money you saved on a new outfit. Get creative with what is in your wardrobe. Can’t go wrong with neutrals even in the Holidays.
• Limit the guest list if you have to. Less people, less cost.

And that’s all I got guys. I really hope these tips help you out if and when you decide to host because let’s face it, NYE at bars gets expensive and old after a while.