Top Tips for Minimising Event Expenses

Organising an event on a budget and not sure where to begin? Fortunately there are plenty of ways you can cut costs by being smart – it’s all in the planning:

1. Consider free venues

The most expensive cost when organising an event is usually the venue hire itself. Free outdoor spaces such as communal grounds and parks are often forgotten or discarded as viable venue options when planning an event but these alternatives can actually enhance the overall experience for guests to enjoy and remember. If you can find a suitable free-of-charge venue, your event bill is instantly halved!

2. Look for a sponsor

Many local businesses will happily sponsor your event in return for free advertising. It’s a win-win solution for all parties concerned because you save money and the sponsor(s) can promote their business(es) to all your event guests in the hope of attracting new clients.

3. Charge guests

While charging guests may not be the most popular method of reducing event costs, it’s surprising how much a small entry fee quickly adds up. Additional revenue can also be recovered by charging guests for useful facilities during your event such as secure lockers if your venue offers such services.

4. Don’t provide free food

Just because you’re hosting an event doesn’t mean you need to be responsible for feeding guests. As the old saying goes, “there’s no such thing as a free lunch”, and most guests will understand this. It’s generally acceptable to charge guests for food and drink so why offer these luxuries for free? Another approach would be to invite guests to bring and share their own food.

5. Recruit volunteers

People passionate about an event you are organising will usually be more than happy to volunteer their services free-of-charge. Cutting the wage bill will significantly reduce your overall event costs and will ultimately result in you having volunteers who really care about the event’s success rather than a team of paid workers who can’t wait to get home!

We hope these simple tips are useful and help inspire fresh ideas in your event planning.