PROM ON A BUDGET

Are affording prom festivities stressing you out? With college costs looming, it's difficult to justify all that expense for just one night of fun. So what's a girl to do? Myjellybean.com offers tips for easing the financial burden of living it up on your big prom night.

Dinner

Forget those fancy restaurants that are way too expensive. A lot of prom groups are opting for fun over fancy. Meet up at someone’s house and hold a dinner party. Try hitting a hopping pizza parlor or feast on sushi at your local Japanese restaurant. Sometimes it’s a lot more fun to be all dressed up in a casual, fun restaurant rather than a stuffy, uptight one that you would never normally go to. If it's just you and your guy, consider a romantic picnic in the park or at the beach. Just remember not to spill anything on your prom dress!

Limousine

Limos can be a lot of fun, but you end up paying for the entire evening, when you may only be using the car for an hour or so. How about hiring a taxi instead? Or making your big brother chauffeur you around town? A lot of couples and small groups are carpooling to prom and skipping the chauffeured experience altogether. If you can't do without the limo, split the cost by sharing your ride with a group of friends or a few couples.

Dress

Why buy, when you can borrow? Call around to family members and your family's circle of friends to see if anyone has a dress, shoes, accessories and/or jewelry that they'd be willing to lend you for a night. If you do borrow things, promise you'll take extra-good care of them. Etiquette says that any clothes you borrow, you should have dry cleaned before returning them to their rightful owner.

Another budget-savvy dress option is to go vintage. Second-hand clothing shops and thrift stores have great deals on styles from decades past, which will have you looking hip and creative at prom. These shops are also great for unique accessories such as purses, shoes and wraps. You can find these stores in the Yellow Pages under Clothes-Used and Clothes-Vintage and also under Thrift Shops. (Don't forget to "shop" in your own home... with vintage being the biggest craze, you might find a dress in your mom’s closet or even your grandmother’s attic!)

If you need to hit the stores, shop discount stores such as Ross, TJ Maxx, and Marshall's. These stores have reasonable prices not only on dresses but also on shoes and accessories, and the styles are usually very up-to-date.

Jewelry

Look for bargain priced accessories at retailers like H&M, or hit the vintage and thrift shops to find inexpensive, one-of-a-kind pieces. Or, visit a local craft or beading store and get the supplies to make your own necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings.

Shoes

Your local Payless Shoes (also online at Payless.com) is a good place to scout for inexpensive prom footwear. Payless.com will ship the shoes free to the Payless store nearest you. To make your shoes one-of-a-kind and really special, use a hot glue gun to decorate them with jewels, crystals, fake flowers, or ribbon rosettes from the craft store.

Makeup

Prom cosmetics don't have to break the bank. Check out discount stores and dollar stores for budget-priced beauty products. Drugstores carry many inexpensive brands, such as Wet 'n' Wild, Almay and Bonne Bell. You could invest in just one new item, such as a new lipstick, to brighten up your prom look, and use stuff you have already for the rest. Better yet, pool your cash and go in on makeup with friends. If you skip spending money on fancy cosmetics, you'll have more to spend on special accessories that can really pull your look together and make it shine, such as glue-on crystals or flowers for your hair.

Hair and Nails

Do your hair yourself, or get a friend or your mom to do it for you, using the tips in Myjellybean's Prom Hair article. Keep a small brush and an extra stash of bobby pins in your purse, for post-dancing hair touch-ups. You'll find tips on doing your own lovely prom nails in Myjellybean's Prom Nails article.

Wrap

Make a prom night wrap from a length of tulle that you can buy at the fabric store. Three or four yards should be right. It's very inexpensive and you don't have to hem the ends. Or just wear a cute cardi - you're only going to have it on from the car to the dance, anyway.

Fragrance

Hit department store fragrance counters and ask for samples of the latest scents. They're free, and the perfect pocket or purse size for reapplying after dancing!

Photos

Instead of getting professional portrait photos done, ask your dad or mom to play "official photographer" for your special night. If they use a digital camera, you can instantly veto any shots that aren't complimentary, and retake better ones for no cost. You can hit the photo store later to get the best pictures printed for framing. Plus, you'll have the digital photos to email to friends and family, and - if you've got one - to post on your personal Web site.

Post-Prom Parties and Picnics

Some inexpensive after-prom savings ideas might include a picnic on the waterfront. Pack food before the prom and put it in a cooler. Remember the utensils, cups and plates! Plan a bowling party with your friends and make reservations at the lanes weeks in advance. These places provide food, drinks, and a party atmosphere. Another suggestion is to rent a video and invite friends over to watch and enjoy breakfast fixed by your parents.