Free Event-Planning Tools: DIY Party Tips

With seven party planners in three states, organizing an August baby shower for my youngest sister has been a challenge. Fortunately, we've found a practical to-do list at www.babyshower101.

With this planning tool, we have time to delegate chores and to shop around for the best prices. That strategy applies to other seasonal, daily or milestone events including vacation planning, back-to-school shopping and emergency preparations. There are several checklists online and on paper. Here are a few tips for using no-cost or low-cost event-planning lists.

• Check your PC. Excellent planning tools may be right under your fingertips. For example, my laptop is programmed with Microsoft's "Task Launcher." This program has templates for different projects, such as "plan a vacation" and "prepare for the holidays." Each project has a preset checklist that can be tailored for your event. My favorite feature is the deadline option that links a specific chore to a built-in calendar, which generates periodic reminders of deadlines and appointments.

• Avoid the soft sell: Many Web sites and blogs offer great to-do lists for college planning, spring cleaning and retirement planning. Search engines also provide links to checklists or to-do lists for different activities, events or functions. Some planning tools, however, include pitches for fee-based products and services. I stick to the free material.

• Pick up time management tips: At mindtools.com there are great techniques for managing time and setting goals. The site, like other Web sites, also offers a free blank template for creating to-do lists and a system for establishing priorities.

• Go old school: Seasonal to-do lists are standard features in many consumer magazines and newspapers. And of course, pen, paper and a traditional calendar are low-tech tools for creating a checklist and a timeline.

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Sharon is the author of the Frugal Duchess: How to Live Well and Save Money -- a coming of age memoir about money -- and a contributing writer in Wise Bread's 10,0001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget.

Big Party; Small Budget: A Frugal Event Planning Guide: Pt. 1

How do you plan a big party for a milestone event without breaking the bank? That's the key question in my house as we plan a Bar Mitzvah celebration for my middle son. The goal: a frugal, but elegant party.

Here's our to-do list:

1. DIY invitations. We saved $250 to $500 by making our own invitations and the product looked really elegant. I wrote about our invitations in this post: DIY Invitations: Bar Mitzvahs, Weddings & Other Formal Parties.

2. Location, Location, Location: Traditional catering halls can cost thousands of dollars for a wedding or other formal celebrations, including family reunions, milestone anniversaries, Sweet Sixteens, Quince parties, and Bar Mitzvahs. But unusual party sites offer several perks: 1) affordable rates, 2) lower food bills -- alternative sites often let you bring DIY food or hire an off-site restaurant or food service caterer and 3) an exotic site.

Here's my list of non-standard party locations:

• Community Gardens: Many public gardens and community centers have beautiful party rooms, conference rooms and banquet halls that are ideal and very affordable. These sites are ideal for formal parties. For my oldest son, we held a Bar Mitzvah celebration at Miami Beach Botanical Gardens, which was beautiful, affordable and elegant. The party room and the public garden provided a wonderful backdrop for our event.



• Nightclubs: Many clubs are dark and empty during the day and early evening hours. Nightclubs are often available to rent for a low cost during off hours.



• Office Buildings: Many office buildings have beautiful public spaces, including rooftop gardens, party-friendly lobbies and other areas that are perfect for large gatherings. Surprisingly, some of these locations are available for rent.



• Condo/Apartment Buildings: Many large residential buildings and planned communities have large party rooms that are available for a bargain rate. Our upcoming celebration, for example, will take place in a beautiful banquet hall in a waterfront residential building.



• Churches and Synagogues: Many churches, synagogues and mosques, etc. have large community halls, banquet rooms and multi-purpose fellowship halls that are ideal for parties.

3. Pick Your Time: To save money, but still have an elegant party, we carefully select party hours. For instance, I prefer the gallery-night party style, which consists of elegant desserts, finger food, coffee, tea and assorted drinks. Bottom Line: It's everything but the big-ticket meal. This party style works best when delivered after 8:00 pm. At that hour, no one expects a meal and the desserts are a real treat. It's very affordable to arrange tables and trays of elegant desserts that look real sweet. An elegant coffee bar adds an extra touch. A morning brunch is also a money-saving option that enables us to deliver an affordable meal without the high cost of a standard meal. For my oldest son, we had a Sunday brunch with salads, bagels, beautiful desserts, and other treats. The garden setting was beautiful, the meal was elegant and the party was a success.

Next installment: Decorations, Flowers & More.

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