8 Ways to Boost Your Wedding Budget
One of the most challenging things about planning a wedding is the budget. Trying to stick to a dollar amount can sometimes be enough to make your hair turn gray. From the guest list to the dress and décor, you could easily spend thousands of dollars without a second thought. To give your wedding budget a boost, the best thing you can do is start saving from the moment you get engaged until the day of the wedding. Below are some ways to cut back right away:
1. Eat In More
Whether it’s grabbing a bite to eat for lunch with coworkers or going out for a nice dinner for two, the amount you spend on eating out can really add up. If you want to add several hundred dollars to your wedding budget, the best thing you can do is eat in more. Start getting creative with easy recipes and eat out just a little less.
2. At Home Date Nights
Date nights are extremely important to building a relationship, so we wouldn’t say cut it out altogether. However, going out on a weekly basis to a new bar, restaurant, or movie theater can start to add up. There are plenty of creative ways to spend date night that don’t require a lot of money. For example, hosting a date night at home. Have some friends over, cook a nice meal, and watch a movie together or play games for a creative yet affordable night in the house.
3. Ditch the Cable
If you’re spending upwards of $100 a month for cable and internet services, it’s time to cut the cord. There are too many affordable options out there that you could be taking advantage of and many of them will cut your bill in half. For instance, most satellite TV service providers offer bundles for less than $100 a month. Check online for the best prices on satellite TV.
4. Collect Pennies
Instead of using plastic to make your purchases, start using cash. When you use cash you get change back. Take this change and place it in a piggy bank for safe keeping. Once you’re ready to start planning your wedding, you should have a few hundred dollars to add to the budget.
5. Ask for Cash
When special occasions come up, like the holidays or your birthday, instead of gift cards or various products you’re used to getting, ask for cash. You can take those cash gifts and place it into a savings account to collect interest until you need the funds for your wedding.
6. Take One Less Trip
If you and your significant other like getting away from time to time, you may want to cut back just a bit. Even taking one less trip for the year could save you a few hundred dollars. There are plenty of great “staycation” ideas you can try so that you don’t get bored with being in the house.
7. Stay with Mom and Dad
If you have the privilege to do so, you may want to try moving in with mom and dad for a while. Staying in their basement or spare room for a few months won’t kill you, but it will boost your wedding budget. You can take the income you were using to pay rent and other bills to use towards the wedding.
8. Share a Vehicle
There is no need to have two car payments right away. So if you have one operable vehicle and compatible schedules, why not share the car? Think of all the money you’ll be saving. That’s one less car payment, lowered insurance costs and a lot less gas.
This is just a few ways to start increasing your wedding budget. At this rate, you should certainly have a several hundred if not thousands of dollars saved up for the big day. Once it’s time to start planning, the best way to get the most out of your budget is to be mindful of your spending. Cut back on things that are not as important and splurge on the things that mean most to you.