With the weather warming up, many of us love having our friends and loved ones over for BBQ and outdoor parties.  This year is looking to be a little bit different though. That’s why we decided to talk about some money saving tips for a low key BBQ. For some areas, staying at home is staying, and for others, they are moving back to eased up social distancing (groups of 10 or less, etc), so whether you are having a neighborhood BBQ (with everyone grilling at their own home, social distancing of course) or with just your immediate family and a couple extras, there are some tips that you can follow to save money.

If you are looking for ideas on how to have a successful cookout, here are some money saving tips for a low key BBQ that will help you!

Money Saving Tips for a Low Key BBQ

Cook easy foods

C’mon, y’all. As much as a grilled steak makes our mouths water, it’s not necessary for a delicious meal. You can make burgers, hot dogs or chicken legs taste pretty amazing too! One look at the meat department will prove to you that these foods are way cheaper! In fact, I recently stocked up on chicken legs for just $0.69 per pound.

Don’t decorate

No need to decorate to have a great BBQ. It’s simply not necessary to have a wonderful time!

Look for coupons

While coupons aren’t exactly the same as they used to be, coupons are still great to use! You can still save a signficant amount of money by using them. Also, make sure to check out your club card or rewards account at your local store so that you can add any digital coupons that may be available.

Skip the Soda

Soda is extremely expensive and honestly, not very good for you. Why not skip it? You can swap it out for tasty and refreshing infused water.

Oh my goodness, I am so very ready to start firing up our grill more often, aren’t you?  Just me? We have had one BBQ so far this season and I would be happy literally having them every weekend.  I love the friends and family aspect, I love the yummy food and I just love being outside in the warm weather.  How about you?

I don’t love though that BBQ celebrations can get super spendy if you aren’t careful. It doesn’t have to be that way though, so don’t stress it too much.

Here are 5 tips to throw a great BBQ on a budget:

Stick with the Basic

Yes, you want to have yummy food, but that doesn’t mean that you have to have expensive, fancy foods.  Chicken legs, burgers and hot dogs are always favorites at our BBQs. Don’t forget to use coupons when you are out shopping for your food too!  I always like to recommend checking the meat markdown section for killer deals too, especially if you are shopping the day of your BBQ.

Have a PotLuck

Let your guests know that they are more than welcome to bring a side dish, drink or dessert.  The more food the better, right? Oh and trust me, most people like to contribute to the meal.  The more food that others bring, the less food you have to buy. Bigtime savings!

Lots of Ice

Let your guests bring their own drinks if you want, but make sure that you have lots of ice on hand!  You need to keep your guests cool in the heat if you want everyone having a good time, right? Ice is cheap, so this one won’t break the bank.

Skip the Decor

Literally, you don’t need to decorate at all.  Like at all. If it is just a friendly get together with friends and family, they aren’t going to care that you didn’t decorate all fancy for them. I typically just make sure that I have napkins on hand, a disposable tablecloth for the food table and for evening BBQ, I break out the Citronella torches, to combat the mosquitos.

Don’t forget Dessert

You can’t forget dessert!  If you are on a really tight budget, buy a bucket of cheap ice cream or maybe even some fudge bars or other cheap treat.  Or, like mentioned above, accept the offer of dessert from your guests

How do you keep your BBQ budget under control?