IT’S IN THE DETAILS The little things add up. Encourage the kids to decorate each other’s cars and carpool instead of renting a limo (especially if the venue requires paying for parking). Suggest a movie night, bonfire, or late-night breakfast at your house for a safe, cheap “after party” post-game or post-dance. Emphasize that it’s about the fun and memories they’ll make with their friends, not about the fancy designer labels. Plan ahead to avoid last-minute splurges. You can even make a Trader Joe’s flower run and help your teen create their own corsage or bouquet. You can also throw a flower arranging party so all their friends can help each other. Between the float decorating, costume wearing, and formalwear buying (not to mention if your teen is on homecoming court), there’s no question that homecoming will eat your wallet if you let it. But by being proactive and getting creative, your teen’s homecoming week can be memorable and fun while still being affordable. Make sure to snap photos of them each theme day so you can show your friends all your creative hard work! (Phew!)
teen). You can save money by using a free location, though: Parks, gardens, and well-manicured (or decorated) backyards make great free backdrops. There are a few ways to navigate the hefty price of homecoming dance photos: • Talk to parents in other friend groups and see if you can split the photographer’s fee with them. Typically, the photographer has a time range and a certain number of photos they will take and edit, so see if both groups want to take photos at the same location and just take turns, going halfsies. • Bring your own camera or borrow one from a friend. You might can even loan one from your public library. • Talk to the other parents in your teen’s friend group and see if any are photographers who would want to take and share pictures of the group. (My sister’s benefitted from a parent photographer before!) • Try to find a budding photographer. Let’s be real: This isn’t their wedding, the pictures don’t have to be immaculate. Their prices will be cheaper, and you’ll probably get more bang for your buck. HOST A POTLUCK DINNER
While sure, it’s fun for teens to go out to eat before the dance, it will be loads easier and more affordable to have everyone bring a dish and have a potluck dinner at the house or a picnic spot before heading to the dance floor. If you’re feeling lazy, just order a couple of pizzas (which are also perfect for taking to a scenic overlook—very “Instagrammable”). If your teen really wants to eat out, make reservations at a budget-friendly restaurant like a diner or pizza joint. THE GET-READY GAME PLAN For girls, getting ready can be the most fun part of HOCO (and often the most stressful, if we’re being honest). There are three routes you can take to save money: First, you can check the nearby beauty schools for a discounted rate to get her hair and makeup done. Second, you can throw a “get-ready party” at your house before pictures and have all the girls do each other’s hair and makeup. (Everyone can bring their favorite “tool” and supplies so the girls have lots to choose from!) Third, your teen can do it herself. If this is the plan, make sure to practice ahead of time so she knows what hairstyle she’s going to do and how to style it (thank you, YouTube tutorials!).
NOLAFAMILY.COM | SEPTEMBER 2025 17
Made with FlippingBook Digital Publishing Software