Proms 2009: You can have fun and stay on a budget

Prom provides a lifetime of memories for high school students. For that reason alone, it’s worth the cost. But in an economic recession, teens — and their parents — may want to consider options for upscale, moderate and on-a-budget proms.

Many will go all-out, even with prom tickets costing as much as $75 per person.

“Kids nowadays are not very thrifty. The sky’s the limit,” said Sprayberry High prom sponsor Christine Robinson, who is a math teacher at the east Cobb County school.

Many others, however, will take a close look at the bottom line.

To help, here are a few ways to make an inexpensive yet memorable prom:

GOWNS

• Try eBay for dresses. If you find a style you like and are afraid to buy it online, go to a nearby store first and try on a similar style dress by the same designer. You can find a wide range of styles, from vintage 80’s dresses at $31 to new with tags at $350.

• Atlanta.craigslist.org for local finds: A beaded mahogany number in Canton was recently listed for $60.

• Make your own prom dress – very “Pretty in Pink.” The average homemade prom dress costs less than $50. Check out patterns at simplicity.com

• And don’t forget to check upscale resale stores for nearly new gowns.

ACCESSORIES

• Borrow vintage jewelry from your mom or friends’ mom.

• Buy a vintage clutch.

• Check out the heels at your local discount shoe store. You’ll only wear them once anyway and they’ll be kicked off by the last song.

DINING OUT

• Don’t fret about the dinner. As long as it’s a cool atmosphere there’s no need to spend big bucks to impress your date.

• Order appetizers at your favorite swanky restaurant instead of entrees.

• Make dinner for your date (or better yet, ask mom or dad to cook!)

• Check out upscale cheaper options, such as Flip Burger Boutique where you feel chi-chi, but the average price of a very swanky burger is $7.

• Go to www.restaurant.com where you can buy $25 gift certificates for a wide range of local restaurants at discounts. Make sure to read the fine print though because some restaurants require a certain amount to be purchased or only honor the cards Sunday through Thursday.

• A number of proms include heavy appetizers and/or dessert, so you could skip the restaurant.

GETTING THERE

• For transportation, of course your cheapest option is your own wheels (or dad’s if it’s nicer.)

• For groups, a party bus can run between $75 and $100 per person. These buses attract big groups of kids who want to dance and party to and from the prom. The Fur Bus is booked through March 14 and its largest 30-passenger buses are sold out for the next two months. Allyson Greenfield, who runs operations at the company, said they still have smaller buses available.

• Limos can be a little cheaper at $50 per person.