Hosting A Memorial Day BBQ Without Breaking The Bank

memorial day bbqThe kick off to summer barbecues is just around the corner with Memorial Day on May 27, 2013. While hosting a BBQ for friends and family can be a great way to spend a summer evening, the costs can quickly add up. Here are some of Money MindEd’s favorite tips and tricks to help cut down your summer spending and have a budget friendly BBQ.

Prioritize: The first step to planning your Memorial Day BBQ is to budget and prioritize. There are many different costs to hosting a barbecue and it is important to first decide where you want to save and where you are willing to spend.

Make It A Potluck: In order to cut down your BBQ costs consider preparing the main courses and asking guests to bring a side dish. This will make things easier on you as a host and also provide a great variety of food for everyone!

Shop The Ads: Before shopping for your Memorial Day BBQ check your local ads to see which stores are offering good sales on summer BBQ items. The meat, whether hamburgers, hot dogs or steak, is usually the most expensive part of the meal so shop around before hand to see who has the best deal.

Do It Yourself: Instead of spending money on store bought pasta salads, fruit, and dessert save money by making these simple side dishes yourself. You can find great recipes for summer pasta salads, fruit salads, and desserts on packages and online.

Be Resourceful: When it comes to decorating for your Memorial Day BBQ use your resources to save money on decorations. String some holiday lights and place a couple candles around your patio to add to the ambiance. You can also find many festive decorations at your local dollar store!