Survive the wedding season on a budget
Posted
Apr 15 2008, 02:43 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Just because you've received invitations to eight spring and summer weddings doesn't mean you have to go to all of them. And you aren't obligated to spend as much as those couples did for your wedding.
Aryn of Sound Money Matters offers 10 tips for choosing how to honor the bride and groom without overextending your budget. Her advice is very practical and also holds true to the sentiment that these events shouldn't be just about the money.
Wear the same outfit to every wedding. Honestly, no one will care.
Shop the registry early before the lower-cost gifts disappear. Combine a few simple registry gifts into one gift rather than veering from the list. "Trust me, if they didn't register for the $50 10-glass set, they don't want it," Aryn writes.
Regift good stuff, not the junk that no one will want. Aryn is also a fan of gift cards and cash.
Also, if the wedding is in a great location, consider turning the trip into your annual vacation.
No matter what, don't feel pressured to spend more than you can afford. "Don't fall into the 'they came to ours' trap. Your situation is not their situation," she writes. "Unless it's your sister, brother, parent, child or best friend, you don't have to go."
Also, she writes, "If all you can afford is a card and a promise to make them dinner (and admire the pictures) after they honeymoon, they'll appreciate it," Aryn says. (If you missed the link above, click here to read her post.)
