Budget Buster - Bachelorette Trip

So, it's summer. Wedding Season. Dog Ate my Finances recently posted about the expenses of being a bridesmaid, and I am dealing with the same issue right now. As luck would have it, my Sister is getting hitched. And I have been honored to be chosen as her Maid of Honor.

Now, as you know, it is traditional for brides and their bachelorettes to celebrate the bride's waning days of singledom with a night of debauchery known as a Bachelorette Party. Think tacky t-shirts and wedding veils and a night of dive bar-hopping. Sounds good to me.

Alas, Sister is not the tacky type. Think Charlotte from Sex and the City. Yup. That's Sister to a tee.

So, we decided instead of the traditional plastic cup and tiara affair to embark on a Bachelorette Trip. I won't tell you where we're going but Puff Daddy hangs out there.

I've known this has been coming for a while, but frankly just haven't had the means to budget for it. My parents told me they wanted to help out, which is great, but we haven't discussed particulars yet. So I am leaving town tomorrow with around $280 not already budgeted for. I need to pay:

$225 - hotel

$42 - transportation

$40 - chip in gas money

$50 - approximate fancy dinner + 1/5 Sister's Share

$25 - casual dinner + 1/5 Sister's Share

$20 - Pancake Breakfast + 1/5 Sister's Share

$50 - Alcohol

________

$452 - projected Weekend costs

And THEN, there are the things I have already paid for, including:

Walmart

$5 - Light Up Novelty Rings

$14 - T-Shirt Transfer Paper for craft Project

Party Store

$3 - Bachelorette Party Banner

$3 - Pin the Bowtie on the Bachelor Game

$4.50 - Pink whistles on a chain

Discount Store (from last pay period)

$20 - 5 tote Bags for craft project

$5 - 5 handheld fans

$10 - 5 Pink beach mats

Spencer's Gifts

$13 - Novelty Veil

$4 - Novelty Shot Glasses

_________

Total of Crap Bought for Weekend = 62.50

Grand Total of Weekend (Projected) = 514.50

Now, even though it looks like I have purchased a LOT of crap, I found a couple of ways to save. One is, I made really nice tote bags for all the girls (except me because I actually forgot to count myself, darn!) that look sorta like these:

Except, instead of paying $37 + $7 in personalization costs from theknot.com, I was able to find inexpensive tote bags for $4 each at a discount store. Then I made a design on the computer and printed it out on t-shirt transfer paper. They look pretty great if I do say so myself!

So, alas, I am hoping everything will work out. Her other friends make considerably more than me so maybe they will chip in more for alcohol, dinner, etc, but I can't really count on it. I am looking forward to a fun (if expensive) weekend!