Babies and Weddings: How to Not Go Broke (or Crazy)

As a Millennial in my late twenties, baby and wedding craziness is well underway, and I’m no stranger to the chaos! Last summer, I had six weddings. Thankfully, not all were for my friends, so I wasn’t completely broke at the end. This year, two of my best friends are pregnant, and my brother is engaged. I wanted to share some tips that I developed (or stole from some friends) to keep things kosher, and keep my head above water:

1. Plan, and Plan Again: A prelude to some of the bullets below - make sure you PLAN. Plan travel, hotels, gifts, rides, etc. as far in advance as you can, to make sure all of the expenses don’t start adding up to more than you can handle.

2. Know your Budget: A friend of mine once mentioned that she has an auto transfer to a “Wedding” checking account. I don’t indulge in this practice, but I do put a good chunk of change aside monthly for these sorts of activities. I call it my “Vaca, Fun, Rainy Day” fund - it is there when you need it, and can be invested if you don’t. Win win - never show up empty handed, and be generous if you’re able. No one likes to be cheap - and that is coming from someone who is fairly cheap! I also live by the rule of: if you’re a plus one, you don’t need to bring a gift - your date should be factoring that into the equation. As my married friends have told me, you can’t really “cover” your plate, so just be thoughtful. Do some googling if you want exact figures as I don’t feel comfortable sharing my 'rules'. I do think it is important to understand, and factor in, how long you’ve been friends (or family), and if you were given a plus one.

3. Shop the Sale, and DIY: As I mentioned in a few other posts, I’m also about the sale shopping, and purchasing gifts for later. Same applies for these scenarios folks. Not only will you be happy the weekend of when you can reach in quickly and grab the gift and card, you’ll also be able to expand the almighty dollar. Even better, you can budget a little bit more easily as you can spread out your expenses as long as you need.

4. Be Practical: Drive or Fly? Hotel or Couch surf? These are the questions you should be asking yourself. While I didn’t love driving to Nashville for 12 hours on the way there and 15 hours on the way back (thank you MDW traffic), we did save almost $800 dollars. Similarly, I would have loved to stay in a hotel all three nights, but crashing at a friends place is the next best thing (and makes the trip more of a vacation instead of strictly a wedding weekend). Your friends know the city far better than you, so can recommend great restaurants, cheap activities, and the like. Plus, free breakfast and water! Maybe if you’re lucky you’ll even get a few extra free meals. And no chance for bed bugs - not that I’m staying in those types of hotels, but let’s be honest, not all hotels are sparingly clean like your besties guest room.

My college besties - two of the five are pregnant!

5. Cut Corners: Lately, as I have time, I’ve been hand painting (water color) cards for birthdays, weddings, showers, and the like. It's a great way to get out some creative energy, relax, and pass the time while watching some #Bravo reality shows.

Happy Showering, and Celebrating!

Until Next Time,

AA

Note: The ideas above are strictly my own, and should not be taken as any sort of financial or investment advice. I am not a licensed financial planner, and these ideas do not guarantee any sort of return (or loss) in today's marketplace. Thank you!