Small Businesses Combine Christmas Parties to Cut Costs, Increase Fun

Durham, NC (PRWEB) November 19, 2008

Companies across the world are being hit by a bad economy and canceling holiday parties. There are good reasons not to cancel the party. Save costs by combining parties with another small business and plan entertainment that boost employee morale with employee awards certificates.

The news is full of big companies canceling parties. There's Morgan Stanley, Hearst, Barclays Capital, ABC News, American Express, CitiGroup, and even MTV. It's enough to kill any Christmas spirit.

Small businesses don't have to follow AIG's example by throwing a lavish party and letting someone else foot the bill. Larry Weaver, author and expert in planning fun company parties says its time to be creative.

The tip to combine parties was mentioned in the article, More the Merrier at Christmas, in New Zealand's Star Times. "Auckland-based New Zealand Corporate Events is helping smaller companies make the most of their Christmas party budget by organising combined functions for businesses wanting a little extra for their money," it reads.

Renting a place to hold the party, decorations, entertainment, and food can add up - and combining parties means splitting the bill. "Find a small business with a similar company culture or one that you already work with as a vendor or partner. See if you can combine holiday parties. Not only will this help cut costs, but it can help solidify relationships," said Weaver.

Benefits of Holding a Combined Holiday Party:

Cost savings
More networking opportunities
Bigger company party atmosphere
Higher quality location and food
Better entertainment
Shared party planning responsibilities

Another way to make the party better is to add humor. Weaver's new book Funny Employee Awards: Your Complete Guide to Organizing a Humorous, Entertaining, and Rewarding Recognition Ceremony, has funny certificates which can be framed and presented to employees.

"Giving out funny employee awards can be part entertainment, part morale booster at your holiday party. It gives employees a chance to get to know each other better, and it keeps the mood things light. My book is full of awards and ideas for small businesses to make the most of their company party this year," says Weaver.

About Larry Weaver:

Larry Weaver is a professional comedian and creator of the Funny Employee Awards Show - the company party where your employees are the stars. With nearly 20 years as both a corporate comedian and office worker, Larry brings a unique and refreshing perspective to workplace humor. The Funny Employee Awards blog has stories from successful or humorous office parties around the world.

To see samples of funny employee awards or to order the book, visit http://www.funawards.com/

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Two Weeks Until Thanksgiving: Consolidated Credit Counseling Services, Inc. Offers 6 Tips to Cut Costs and Stress

Ft. Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) November 09, 2011

Serving a 2011 Thanksgiving meal could cost you more than ever. The American Farm Bureau reported that the price of the average holiday meal was up 11 percent last year. Prices have continued to climb an average of 10.5 percent for many grocery staples, including potatoes, milk, flour, apples, and oil.

Nearly 25 percent of Thanksgiving food is wasted due to lack of planning. At Consolidated Credit, we speak with hundreds of Americans each New Year who realize that they didnt plan well for the holidays and it leads to money problems and credit card debt. To help people get through the holidays this year, we have devised a list of tips for how to have the best Thanksgiving within budget, said Howard Dvorkin, founder of the credit counseling agency Consolidated Credit and author of Credit Hell: How to Dig Out of Debt.

Consolidated Credit offers a list of 6 costs cutting tips:

1. Budget, plan, and stick to it! Shopping last minute causes overspending and may create overwhelming anxiety. Rather than dealing with limited options and mobs of people at the grocery store two days before Thanksgiving, the experts at Consolidated Credit advise people to get all Thanksgiving food and supplies at least one week prior.

2. Estimate realistic portion sizes - By picking reasonable plate sizes and cooking proportionate dishes, everyone will be able to eat their favorite foods without tipping the scale. Preparing less food will reduce waste and cut down the grocery bill!

3. Shop sales Dont waste gas or time looking for small discounts. Sign-up for email alerts or newsletters from grocery stores or coupon sites to find discounts and sales for Thanksgiving expenses.

4. Evite.com keeps family and friends in the know To better maintain communication about holiday activities, especially with family members in other states, create an electronic invitation via Evite.com and send it to all members participating in Thanksgiving festivities. People can post their RSVP, recipes, food allergies, and fun ideas to make the holiday extra special. Evite.com is free and allows everyone to stay in the know about Thanksgiving plans.

5. DIY The latest trend taking over this holiday season is do it yourself decorating. Instead of spending money on expensive retail decorations look in the back yard or visit a dollar or craft store and make Thanksgiving inspired decorations.

6. Have a Potluck Spread out the cooking and expenses by having each guest make one dish. This will allow everyone to share costs and eliminates one person from overspending and shouldering all of the work.

For more holiday season tips, visit Consolidated Credits personal finance blog http://www.missmoneybee.com.

About:

Consolidated Credit Counseling Services, Inc., founded in 1993, is one of the nation's largest credit counseling organizations in the country and has helped over 5 million people with financial issues. Their mission is to assist families throughout the United States in ending financial crisis and solving money management problems through education and professional counseling.

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