You’ve just spent a fortune on moving, but that doesn’t mean you want to give up on hosting a housewarming party to celebrate your new home. But is it possible to do it without breaking the bank? You bet it is! If you’re looking for housewarming party ideas on a budget, look no further.

Here are 5 tips for pulling it off:

Use a free site to design your invitations
In this day and age, there is absolutely no need for paper invitations. Instead, use a free design site (Canva.com is a good one) to create beautiful invitations, then send them out. A Facebook event can be equally as effective, as long as the people you plan on inviting are on Facebook.
And if you haven’t yet told all your friends the big news, an invitation to a housewarming party is a good way to let people know you’ve moved.
Skip the formal dinner
Housewarming parties are known for being informal, so you don’t need to plana 7-course meal. To plan a housewarming party menu on a budget, there are two main routes you can go when keeping it informal: Potluck/BYOB or super-simple foods.
If you make the party potluck/BYOB, make it bold on the invitations/Facebook event, and ask everyone to sign up to bring something. You’ll still need to prepare a few dishes, but at least the entire financial burden won’t be on you. If you don’t feel comfortable with a potluck or asking guests to bring their own alcohol, stick with a super-simple menu. Finger foods, dips, and desserts tend to be less expensive than entrees, can be easy to prepare (think chips and salsa—a favorite for everyone!), and they can also be made to look fancy with the right cupcake holders, toothpicks, etc. from the Dollar store. Which brings us to the next point:
The Dollar Store is your best friend
When planning a housewarming party, there’s absolutely no need to buy brand-name cake platters, plastic goods, decanters, etc. The Dollar Store is any town will undoubtedly contain a trove of party accessories that you can get at the right price.
Forget the decorations
If you’re looking for housewarming party decor ideas on a budget, we say just forget it. Why? Because unlike birthday parties or New Year’s parties, a housewarming party is a time to showcase your brand new, gorgeous house, and the walls and furniture are all the decorations you need. People will enjoy seeing the house and what you’ve done with it; they definitely won’t notice a lack of streamers.
Don’t invite the whole neighborhood
While it may be tempting to invite as many people as you can, it you’re trying to host a housewarming party on a budget it’s better to limit your guest list to close friends, family, and people who you don’t know so well but feel like they have potential to become good friends. You don’t need to invite your mailman or all the parents of the PTA. Just invite those you feel close to or that you’d like to get to know better.

Is a Housewarming Party worth the effort?

Planning a housewarming party on a budget means you need to be pretty resourceful and creative, and though it may take some time and thought, the results can certainly be worth it! When the planning gets tough, just keep in mind that a housewarming party is a great way to celebrate your move, and it will also hopefully be the beginning of many new and fulfilling friendships in your new home.