My Frugal Barbecue: 2-1/2 weeks away! Where did the time go?

My husband and I are having a July 4th Barbecue this year.  My goal is to throw the whole shabang for about fifty adult guests and twenty children for no more than $125.  Read about it here.  Follow along and see how my frugal barbecue planning evolves.

I know I promised some regular posts on my July 4th barbecue planning and budgeting, but as it happens, life rushed in, and I haven't had a minute to plan anything.  Now, with July 4th only 2-1/2 weeks away, I'm getting really nervous!

So, about a week ago, I basically laid out my budget line items for the barbecue, and sadly, I was already $10 over budget in my planning! That means that either $125 was too ambitiously low or some things will have to go.

Some things will have to go.  To be honest, they've already gone.  Here's my barbecue spreadsheet.

One of my best money-savers for this barbecue is going shopping in my own stashes. While you pay up front for stockpiling on a sale, you certainly reap the benefits on the back end, since I've already accounted for stockpiled  items in previous monthly budgets.

I had originally thought that I would pick up some cheesy but fun red/white/blue decorating items from Oriental Trading, but going through my stash, there really is no need (but is it ever about "need?"), so I'm zeroing out that line item from my budget.  I already have some flags that I bought for $0.39 and $0.79 at a King Soopers promotion, some flag toothpicks that I'll use for the cut fruit, and an actual R/W/B banner (think "used-car lot") that I picked up off the clearance pile at Joann's in the dead of winter, for $0.25.  I don't want to overkill with the patriotic decor, just have enough to be kitschy, fun and traditional. (Nothing like this, though.)

Turns out I've got 8 solid navy and red plastic tablecloths, all bought from clearance baskets at Joanne's and Michaels for less than $0.50 each, and 8 is way more than I need, so that line item is coming off my budget.

In terms of paper plates and cups, though, I'll need more.  I have about 20 red plates left from last year and about 20 red cups, and that just won't cut it.  I am swimming in R/W/B napkins though.

I'm wondering if it would work for me to use my regular heavy duty plain white Chinet-like paper plates that I get in bulk from Costco, since I've got the colored tablecloths and kitschy napkins.  Hmm. Good idea!  I've got a ton of those white plates stockpiled on my "Costco shelf" in the garage and they are supercheap but still look nice.  I'll still need to pick up a pack of 100 red or navy dessert plates and some cups, but I can find those inexpensively enough.

I've already got a ton of 2 liter bottles of soda that I bought either on promotion (all cost less than $0.50) or with free product coupons.  Some aren't brands that we like (Dr. Pepper Ten or Diet Pepsi, ich), but other people like them and they'll work.  Thanks to that recent "Battle for Everything" game promotion, I used a ton of coupons stacked with sales, we are stocked to the hilt on Coke, Diet Coke, and Coke Zero and all the bottles and 12-packs ranged from $0.70 to free.  To be fair (since I bought the soda with the barbecue in mind), I'll tag on an extra $5 for this budget line item.

I'm starting to wonder about the veggie dogs that I was going to buy.  We do have a few vegan and vegetarian friends, but I need to find out if they will be around for the barbecue, because those items are pretty pricey.

The costliest line items so far are the hamburger meat, the chicken and the hot dogs.  Recently, a new kosher co-op started in Denver, and I'm going to be able to get a 10 lb. package of ground beef for $4.25 per lb.   By adding some flour, eggs, spices, etc. to the ground beef, I'm able to get 8 hamburgers out of a pound, so I'll use about 5 lbs. of ground beef. So many people are off red meat these days, so I don't think I'm under-estimating here.

This past Friday, I stumbled across this sale on Empire Organic Chicken breasts at the Denver Target:

Those are one-pound packages that you're looking at, on a special clearance for $4.99 per lb.  With the $2 instant coupon, they came to $2.99/lb.  I confess, I bought them out.  I had planned on spending $3.99/lb on regular kosher chicken breasts at King Soopers, but this deal certainly beat that.  We are going to have some delicious chicken skewers this year.

I'm not going to do any better in Denver on the chicken and turkey hot dogs for $2.50 for a pack of 8.  <Sigh.>  Some things, you're just stuck with.  (I remember buying these at Brach's in Long Island for a dollar a package.)

King Soopers periodically has their (kosher pareve) 8-count packages of hot dog and hamburger buns on sale for $1 (they generally they go for $1.50 or $2, still inexpensive), but I can't stand the taste of frozen bread and I won't subject my guests to it, so I won't be buying these in advance.  Whatever they cost on July 3rd is what I'll be paying.  Nothing like fresh bread.

Remember those bamboo skewers I ordered from Amazon, that I told you about back here?  Well, somehow my order got messed up and they never arrived.  Amazon's excellent customer service immediately refunded my $3.20.  Happily, the price is now reduced to $2.50 and I just re-ordered them.

I'm starting to panic a little about dessert, as baking is never my strong point.  Here's a picture of last year's barbecue Flag Cake.  It's a Duncan Hines chocolate cake, topped with Duncan Hines pareve white frosting, blueberries and strawberries.  I know, not too original.  Should I do the same thing?  Anyone have any better ideas?  I need something simple that can be prepared in advance.  I've been looking at some Martha Stewart 4th of July desserts, and I feel very overwhelmed.  I'll never be the frugal Martha Stewart.

Finally, at the bottom of my barbecue box, I had stashed a package of a dozen votive candles that I got on clearance at Target about a year ago for $2.  I'm thinking of doing a little patriotic crafts project with them.  Heh heh.  Stay tuned.

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