Give your child a dream prom on a budget
Prom season is just around the corner, which means you may be spending money on a tux, flowers and a limo, among other things. The cost of prom can be expensive, and if you're on a tight budget you may be worried you won't be able to give your child the prom of his or her dreams. The following tips can help you provide your kid with a great prom while sticking to your budget:
Search for local beauty schools to do hair
If you have a daughter, one of your biggest expenses will be hair and makeup. If you go to a salon, this can cost you upwards of $100. According to Kiplinger, you may be able to save by finding a beauty school in your area, as they'll often provide you with the same service at a much more affordable price. You may also be able to find step-by-step guides from prom hair and makeup on websites such as Pinterest and YouTube so you don't have to spend a dime.
Borrow a dress
Another costly prom expenses is a dress. If you don't want to spend a couple hundred dollars, Valpak recommends borrowing a dress from a friend or family member. This tip is especially useful if you have an older daughter who already went to the prom. By borrowing a dress, you can potentially save $200-$500 on prom expenses, as dresses bought at a store are often extremely expensive.
Share a limo
Getting a limo for just your child and his or her date may be appealing, but you can save a lot of money by "carpooling" in a limo to prom. You should recommend that your son or daughter find a group of friends who are all going to prom to share a big limo with for transportation. If you have a cool sports car in the family, like a convertible, you may want to offer that as an alternative to a limo. Your son or daughter can show up to prom in style while you save money at the same time.
Skip the professional photographer
If you want to cut down on prom expenses, you may want to take your own pictures. Professionals may do a better job, but you can take your own photos and get high quality prints on websites such as Snapfish or Shutterfly.