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Naturally, cooking for a crowd will cost you a bit of money, so it's important that you start out with a firm look at your budget — the expense can spiral out of control if you're not careful. As such, you need to know how to get a handle on your budget.
Gaining the overall perspective
It's settled: You're the one making the meal for the crowd. You breathe deeply and take it all in. But then comes the time to start planning. Ask yourself the following questions:
- How much can you spend? You have to make that decision before you can go any further. In your head you may be thinking "leg of lamb with rosemary potatoes," but your budget may be more along the lines of barbecued brisket and baked beans.
- What are the age group and gender of the guests you'll be cooking for? If you're the designated cook for your son's high school graduation party, you should keep in mind that teenagers, both girls and boys, can eat, eat, and eat some more. However, if you're cooking for 20 tots for your 4-year-old's birthday party, you can bank on the fact that they aren't going to eat as much, and the menu can be simple.
 | - What items can you borrow? Borrowing items (cookware, serving platters, tablecloths, and so on) can save you a lot of money. For example, if you're hosting a semiformal wedding reception for 25 people with an upscale buffet served on fine china, you'll certainly save money if you can borrow the dishes rather than rent them.
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- What are you responsible for cooking? Are you cooking the appetizers, dessert, and everything in between? Or are you cooking only the main course?
Before you start planning your budget, it's important to get a firm idea of the event in mind. Think about the kind of event you're hosting, and carefully estimate how many people are likely to attend.
Planning your budget
Planning a budget doesn't have an exact formula because a number of factors come into play. This list of issues and ideas, however, can help you get a firm handle on what you can spend. Remember that your budget should be a relatively firm guideline for how much money you spend — not necessarily 100 percent set in stone. The idea is to come up with a budget that helps you have a great event without maxing out your credit cards. Keep these issues in mind:
- Before you start planning anything, think about your bottom line. Are you trying to have a backyard get-together for $100, or are you cooking for a wedding reception, where the bride and groom have given you $800 to work with? Try to find a reasonable bottom line and work from there. Don't start with what you'd ideally prefer and then see what happens with your budget — you won't like the results. Rather, start with a reasonable budget and work backwards.
- Plan the event according to your budget, not the other way around. You need to pair the event with what you can afford. In many cases, you won't have quite as much disposable money as you'd like. For example, say you're cooking Thanksgiving dinner for a crowd of 20. You want something really elegant, but your budget won't allow you to prepare everything you want. Instead of overspending, find ways to compromise. You may spend more on the entree and try to find a few less expensive side dishes and appetizers to make up the difference. Remember, you can cook great food without breaking the bank, so think about how you can find a win-win resolution with what you want and what your budget will allow.
- Borrow what you can. You may need extra plates, tables, chairs, glasses, cooking tools, and such items. Borrow, borrow, borrow. Don't waste your budget on items that you'll rarely use and can borrow from friends and family. Nothing is wrong with getting some help and borrowing things you need instead of buying them.
 | - Watch out for budget creep. As you plan, think about everything you need to buy so that your needs and budget are accurate.
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- Be reasonable and flexible. You may try to tackle the world with the best crowd meal ever, but be reasonable about what you can spend and what you can prepare.
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