By Jasmin Brown - BDO Debt Solutions

Using a Budget to Survive Wedding Season

Jun 15, 2023 | 7:57 PM

“The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Pattison Media and this site.”

Wedding season is back for another year. While wedding season can be very fun, it can also be very expensive. I always say that your budget is your most important money management tool. It can also help you to survive wedding season. Your budget will help you to determine what you actually have to spend, especially if you have more than one wedding to attend. And luckily, there are some things that you can do to save money this wedding season.

Plan Ahead

You will want to start by determining how many weddings you will be a part of or have been invited to, and also consider where they will be held. Once you have that figured out, consider all of the types of expenses that will be associated with each wedding. Some examples are:

· Gifts (maybe shower and wedding)

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· Outfits

· Travel

· Accommodations

Skipping a dinner or a night out on the town now, may free up money in your budget for the wedding festivities. The reality is, depending on how many invites you have, you may also have to politely decline some invitations. For example, it may simply just cost too much to attend a destination wedding. You want to stay within your budget when it comes to weddings. It is not worth it to put yourself in a difficult financial situation for wedding season.

Gifts

When it comes to gifts, expensive is not the criteria to cling to. Gift registries often have smaller less expensive items to choose from. You are also not required to stick to the registry, you can be creative:

· Consider the bride and groom’s hobbies – is there something unique and thoughtful that you can get them?

· Consider your own abilities – is there a service that you can offer? Or something that you can make?

· Consider joining up with friends to purchase a bigger ticket item.

Outfits

You can also be creative when it comes to what to wear. Some tips for saving on your outfit are:

· Take an inventory of what you already have in your closet.

· Swap an outfit with a friend.

· Don’t be afraid to wear the same thing twice.

· If you are going to buy new, buy something basic that you can change up with shoes or jewellery and wear often.

Travel & Accommodations

The cost of attending goes up if you have to go out of town, but there are things you can do to cut back on costs:

· Carpool with friends.

· Weigh your options – it can sometimes be cheaper to fly.

· Share a hotel room with a friend or rent a house with a bigger group.

· Pack your own lunch for the road, or go to the supermarket to avoid eating out.

Going to a wedding should not cause you financial stress. Planning ahead and creating a budget will give you more control and help you save money. It is important to be honest with yourself about how much you can really afford to spend, and unfortunately, you may not be able to do everything. Being unable to attend, may be an indication that you are in financial difficulty, and that it could be time to reach out for help.

If you are having trouble making ends meet each month, finding the right debt solution can help. Visit the BDO Debt Solutions website for more information about bankruptcy, or call 1 855 BDO DEBT to book a free, no obligation consultation.

Jasmin Brown is a Senior Vice President overseeing the insolvency practice in Saskatchewan. She is committed to providing creative and practical debt solutions with empathy, understanding and professionalism to help people overcome their financial difficulties.