Did you know the average cost of prom is estimated to be $600 – $1,000+? There’s even something called “prom inflation”, which has some teens spending $2,000 on one night. That cost just blows my mind! In this post, I’ll share some tips on how to save on prom.
My oldest daughter’s a senior. When prom tickets went on sale, she was quick to tell me about her school’s tiered pricing. That’s where the price goes up over time. And the first week is the cheapest to buy your ticket. So early birds save more money on discounted prom tickets.
Prom Shopping Doesn’t Have to Break the Bank
This year when we went prom shopping, it was much better than last year. Because my daughter did her research online first. She found the dress she wanted and even the store that had it. Unfortunately, it wasn’t in our home state. We tried to find a different dress locally, but she couldn’t find a dress she liked at any of the stores. We actually ended up buying her dress out of state during our winter break vacation. Talk about the luck of the draw – given we were already going there.
We went to this cute boutique in California. The timing couldn’t have been better for us because we went in February and many proms aren’t until May there. When my daughter was trying several gowns on, we saw another young lady in the fitting room with her mother too. It just so happened that both of our daughters liked the same blue dress.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the price on the dress. So, I asked the woman assisting us how much it cost. She had to go and look it up. A few minutes later, she returned with a price of $699. For us, that was an easy no. But the other young lady (let’s call her Sammie) didn’t flinch at the price. She was determined to buy the dress anyway.
On our way out, the four of us (me, my daughter, Sammie, and Sammie’s mother) talked about the dress at the cash register. Sammie told us how excited she was about going to prom this year. She had worked very hard to save up her money for prom. And she was going to pay for the dress she loved.
That’s another tip, save for the special day. Saving helps take the financial pressure off. In Sammie’s case, her parents didn’t have to worry about the added expense of buying her prom dress this year.
Sammie knew the dress cost $700+, but she liked it a lot and had worked hard to put herself in the position to buy it. And she felt empowered to make the decision because she’s paying for it. I could see the distressed and troubled look on Sammie’s mom’s face about the dress. While Sammie’s mom wasn’t paying for it, she was still very concerned about the high price.
I asked Sammie a few questions:
Me: How many stores have you been to?
Sammie: Only this one.
Me: Oh, when’s your prom?
Sammie: It’s not until May.
At that point, I commended Sammie again on saving up enough money to buy her own prom dress. That’s a big accomplishment and it takes the expense off of her mom’s shoulders. Sammie had a big, beautiful smile on her face. She was clearly very happy to be in the position to pay for the dress.
Then, I encouraged her to take her time and continue to shop around for a dress. It’s only February and her prom isn’t until May. And she’s only visited one store. Sammie could find another dress she likes that’s less expensive, so she can keep more money in the bank. Besides, we were in a shopping mall with other stores that had more dresses.
I also suggested she look online to compare prices. While we all realized in the fitting room that day — it’s super important to try on the dress before you buy it because sizes vary across different designers. As Sammie exclaimed with a laugh.
You definitely have to be cautious about buying online because many prom dresses are nonrefundable. Can you imagine buying the prom dress of your dreams in your normal size only to find it won’t get over your hips? Yikes!
She thanked me for the advice and agreed to wait. Then, we all left the store together. About 30 minutes later, we saw Sammie and her mom again. Her mom was in a much more relaxed mood since Sammie decided to give it more time and check out other stores.
“Patience is the road to wisdom.” —Kao Kalia Yang
Five Tips to Save On Prom
- Plan Ahead & Set a Budget: Sammie did a great job planning ahead in setting aside money to help cover her prom expenses. When you plan ahead, you don’t have to let prom costs get out of control because you begin with the end in mind. You may set a savings goal and then create a budget to help control your spending. Then, the important part is to stick to your budget. If you say, you’re only paying $250 for a dress, then stick to it (taxes included).
- Shop Around: Being a savvy shopper can help you save big bucks. Whether that’s purchasing your ticket early, shopping around, using a store coupon, or taking advantage of store sales to reduce your costs.
- Consider Buying Used : Are you a thrifty shopper? Sometimes you can find a real bargains at your local consignment shop. So, when it comes to shopping for that prom dress or tuxedo, you may want to check out some thrift stores. Be sure to comparison shop online because some people say sometimes thrift stores can have some serious markups.
- Know Before You Go: If you’re going out to dinner before the big dance, plan ahead. It’s important to check out the restaurants and menu ahead of time to make sure they have availability, and their prices are within your spending budget. Booking your dinner reservation early could save you time and frustration. Be careful when you book your reservation because some restaurants may require a spending minimum for big parties. For example, one that my daughter found had a $100 per person minimum requirement.
- Share Transportation Costs: This is another one that you have to start early on to find the best prices and availability. It’s much more cost effective when you share limo costs with a group than just a few people, so explore different reliable transportation costs.
Well, that’s all for now. Hope your prom or child’s prom is a beautiful night to remember that doesn’t even come close to breaking the bank! 😍
