How to Have a Super Bowl Party Without Spending a Ton

Super Bowl Sunday is one of the biggest sporting events of the year. For football fans, it’s practically a national holiday. Even if you’re not a sports enthusiast, you might still gather around the TV for the musical performances, commercials and snacks. 

But throwing a big Super Bowl party can get expensive, fast. Instead of breaking the bank with a massive cook-out and a brand-new TV, follow these tips to throw a great party on a budget.

Identify your spending limit

Don’t let excitement over the game tempt you to spend with abandon. Before you start throwing money at an epic party, look at your finances to see how much cash you have available. Even if it’s not much, you can still put together a fun party.

To get the most out of your budget, make a list of all the things you might spend money on for the big game. They may include: 

• Snacks, entrees and dessert.
• Beer, alcohol and mixers, ice and nonalcoholic beverages.
• Plates, cups, utensils and napkins.
• Game-related apparel and merchandise.
• Decorations 
• A new television
• Betting

Once you have your list, put the items in order of priority. If money is tight, some purchases might not make the cut, or you’ll need to opt for budget-friendly alternatives.

Have a potluck

Hosting a potluck not only saves you money on food and beverages, but it also saves you time on cooking and washing countless dishes. Potlucks also give your visitors a chance to bring food they like, so you don’t have to worry about pleasing picky eaters or keeping track of various food restrictions. 

If you have more than enough guests to cover the food, you might ask some people to pick up other items, like utensils, trash bags or ice.

BYOB

A bring your own bottle (BYOB) party is another way to save money and add variety to your party menu. With BYOB, your guests supply their own alcoholic beverages. As a host, this will not only save you money but also add a mix of drink options to the party. If you want to make sure there’s variety, you might ask some guests to bring beer and others to bring wine or alcohol.

Skip the new TV

Sure, you want to have a dazzling big screen TV that guests can easily see from anywhere in the room. However, there’s no need to splurge on such a pricey item for just a few hours of entertainment. Chances are your current TV is more than sufficient for watching the game.

If you’re really concerned about everyone being able to see the action, consider bringing in TVs from your other rooms in the house or borrowing one from a friend or family member.

Be careful with food delivery

If you don’t want to spend the energy and time cooking, ordering out is an obvious alternative. But with the fees and tips that come along with delivery, the bill can add up fast.

If you do plan to order food, be mindful of the full price versus the quantity. If you want to feed more mouths with a low bill, look for vendors who don’t charge for delivery. Pizza is usually a good bet, but fast food and other chain restaurants might be just as cost effective. You can also check to see if your credit card comes with discounts for certain restaurants or gives you a complimentary use of a food delivery service.

Regardless of what your guests eat and drink, remember they’re coming to enjoy the game and each others’ company. In other words, there’s no need to turn a fun, one-day event into months of paying off debt and stressing about your finances. 

By STEVE NITZ

About the Author Steve Nitz is a consultant at Logical Media Group, a full-service digital marketing agency based in Chicago.