This is not what I consider frugal – this is a cheapskate party all dressed up with a better name. Bring a dish that can be made for $5 or less? Ok. It can be done but even if you have a pot luck, what if you just made a dish and didn’t think about what went into it, because you were, after all going to a party. Considering that you are not taking lobster rolls or caviar on toast points, who cares if the dish was less than $5 or not. The decorations for the party – “reuse tissue instead of having latex balloons”? I haven’t had balloons at a party in ages. Flowers, or even potted plants can be used as a centerpiece and will cost very little.

Entertaining on a budget can be done. When I was a child, my grandmother would often have luncheons for her friends. The menu depended on what was on sale and what was in season. She didn’t worry about a theme and would use flowers from her garden for a centerpiece.

Hosting a so-called “frugal party” seems to be a bit over the top for my tastes and I know about getting the most out of a dollar. Another suggestion about bringing your own cups and partyware is just tacky. Having a pot-luck is cool, where everyone pitches in but making people bring their own cups and utensils is like having a brown bag lunch or bring your own picnic. Brown bagging and bringing your own are great concepts and if you are doing that, then let people know and they can decide how they will handle their own food. If you want to have a party but can’t afford decorations, you could always look at what you can repurpose in your own home for decorations.

Getting together with friends is great, especially now that the weather is getting warmer. There are times when you want to just not worry about all the planning and hassles of a big party.  Tell friends where you are meeting, and to bring their own. If people are supposed to bring enough to share, then make sure that each person would spend about the same amount so it will be fair.