Ask anyone what they remember about their prom. You’ll hear stories of fun with friends, or maybe some unexpected event that either ruined the night or made the night extra special, or how they just went by themselves, danced with everyone else’s date and had the time of their lives. You won’t hear them respond with how much attending prom cost, or what they did to save money on prom.
Spending lots of money on prom is almost expected, and hard to avoid. After paying for the prom dress and shoes, hairstyles and makeup, flowers and accessories, never mind tickets, tuxedos, dinner and transportation, costs can add up quickly. Average spending is expected to increase to $1,900.00 in 2014. With prom memories all about the experience and not the planning, spend less and focus on enjoying your future prom memories. Save that dough for college!
Here are some ways you can save money on prom:
The Prom Dress
Girls tend to spend more on prom than boys do. The cost of a prom dress is a big reason why. Dresses can cost from $100 to $400 or more. Ways to save on this cost include shopping brides maid dresses in local bridal boutiques, shopping online with Amazon or eBay, or scouring consignment and ‘last chance’ stores for frugal fashion finds. Sewing a simple dress using beautiful fabric lets you create a unique look that fits you perfectly. Let Pinterest inspire you. You can create your own look without breaking the bank.
The Pre-Prom dinner
Kids can easily contribute to their own dinner costs. Plan your prom dinner carefully: Set your budget before you go, check their online menu ahead of time, decide what you’ll order that’s within your budget, and confirm with the restaurant, before you get there, what their policy is for gratuities if you are dining with a large party. Don’t get caught trying to figure these things out when the bill arrives. As an alternative to the dinner out, parents can also get together and host a dinner party for their kids, then enjoy dinner themselves after seeing their prom-goers off for their big evening.
Extra Prom Expenses
Flowers are nice, but going without won’t ruin the evening. Agree to skip these ahead of the big night. Professional makeup can be a big bump to the final total. If you know someone with makeup skills, have the girls get together for a makeup party before the dance. Planning on formal prom pictures? These are not necessary with high quality cameras in everyone’s pocket. The kids can pose in a garden area or park before the dance for beautiful pictures that won’t cost a thing.