How to Have the Perfect BBQ and Save Some Cash

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Grill, Baby! Grill!

Barbeque season is upon us again! With Memorial Day coming up next week, families from coast to coast are cleaning up yards, breaking out the coolers, setting up the grills and getting prepared for an entire summer full of good, ole’ fashioned, home cooking.

Yes, it’s time to start preparing yourself and your family for the inevitable seasonal expenses that go along with hosting some friends and family at your barbeque party. If you’ve ever thrown a barbeque before, you know that the cost can quickly rise if you don’t take some proactive measures to keep the damage to your wallet at a minimum. A ton of people eating a ton of food automatically is automatically a recipe for financial strain, but (of course) there are a few ways out there to throw the perfect “Q” at a price that works for you. Here are a few of the biggies….

1. Go with chicken instead of beef. Most of the time, beef is going to cost you nearly twice as much per pound than chicken. By cutting the beef out of your barbeque budget and sticking with the dark chicken meat like legs and thighs, you may be able to cut your food budget in half. If you do feel it necessary to have some steak at the party, though, be sure to buy it in bulk, as everything is cheaper when you buy it that way.

2. Skimp on the drinks. Instead of buying soda for the kids and wine or hard alcohol for the adults, try going with the from-concentrate frozen juices or some powdered lemonade mix for the kids, and go with a cheaper beer alternative for the adults.

3. Have a side-dish pot luck. Ask each family or group of people attending your barbeque to bring a side-dish. Most people are more than willing to do their part for the party, and some people are downright thrilled to whip something up.

4. Build your own barbeque pit. This is the ultimate money saving barbeque idea if you’re willing to put in the effort. You can find numerous step-by-step guides to building your own backyard pit online, but all you really need is a shovel, a bunch of bricks, and some steel grating. It’s money-saving and it looks great!

That’s all I’ve got for right now, folks! Let me know what you think, if you’ve got any other great ideas, or you just want to share some of your great barbeque stories from the past. See you later!

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Creative Commons Photo by Mess of Pottage