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Step 1
Shop early, way early
If you can buy supplies a year before, after the previous graduation season, you can get supplies such as napkins, favors and paper plates at rock bottom prices. This way works if you are very organized and know roughly how much you need of whatever you are buying or if you are the kind that won’t mind mix and matching your supplies nearer the time as you may not get a full set of everything you need from the clearance rack. -
Step 2
Shop online
eBay has a vast supply of graduation supplies and if you shop well in advance you can get some great bargains. Check the sellers rating and feedback to make sure you are dealing with a reliable seller. Oriental Trading Company is a great online site to buy bulk graduation party supplies at a discounted rate. When buying in bulk, do your homework to ensure it really is a good deal. Also be sure that you are not buying way more than you will actually need, then it’s not such a bargain after all. Be sure to calculate the ‘price by piece’ to know exactly how much each item will cost, so that you can comparison shop.Compare several sites to get the best deals as prices range enormously from one site to another. -
Step 3
Buying party food
Plan your party menu well ahead of time and scan your store flyers weeks ahead of time so that you can purchase non perishable party food with coupons and discounts well in advance. Make sure you have somewhere to store the food if you are buying a large amount. Condiments, chips, nuts and other non perishables like this can be bought and stored way ahead of time. -
Step 4
In your town
Visit large discount party stores such as Party City, they carry a huge stock of graduation party supplies at very cheap prices. Your local craft store also, will have graduation supplies, make sure before you go you clip your coupons for discounts. We get coupons every week in our Sunday newspaper for Michaels the craft store, so look out for those and similar stores coupons, it makes a difference! If you don’t buy a newspaper, ask friends or family if you can have ones that they may just throw in the trash. -
Step 5
Ask around
Family, friends, moms at school or other people you know, may have graduation party supplies left over from a previous year and have supplies sitting in storage somewhere. Ask if you can borrow, buy cheaply or trade favors such as babysitting for their use. If you know others who are planning a graduation party, you could go in together and purchase bulk items between you, get the bulk discount and have enough supplies for both parties.
