4th of July on the cheap!

With the 4^th of July just around the corner, this Frugal Friday post is full of simple, homemade, and cheap ideas for food and decorations for a Fourth of July bash to remember. 

Decorations

One of the cheapest places to get holiday themed decorations is the good ole dollar store. You can find table cloths, banners, paper plates, and pretty much anything else you can think of for only a dollar. (If you are getting paper papers, go ahead and get the plain ones for the main course and save the pretty plates for desert.  The same goes for napkins.) 

If you are feeling crafty, homemade decorations can make your party unique and it doesn’t need to be hard.  

  

Try painting your windows with the American flag. Not good at free-hand? Just use masking or painter’s tape to make an outline.

Get the kids involved with a simple decoration project.  Try this lantern decoration from Martha Stewart. They can be strung up or used as centerpieces.

Another simple centerpiece that kids can help with is these 3-D stars. 

This simple banner is cheap and repurposes old Coke cans! 

Food

Nothing says Independence Day like a cookout! Here are a few classic recipes and some new ones to try. 

Take plain potato salad to patriotic with this red, white, and blue potato salad! (This sounds a little weird, but looks delicious!)

Instead of a salad in a bowl, try these salad skewers! 

Baked beans are a beloved side dish. Make them extra special by making them at home. Don’t worry, it isn’t hard, you can make them in your slow cooker.

And don’t forget about dessert.  The flag cake made with strawberries and blueberries is so classic and beautiful.

For something a little different, this amazing cake looks plain but has a surprise inside! (If anyone tries this, email us at 2kouponingks @ gmail.com and we will post the pictures on our Facebook page!)

Fireworks

No 4^th of July celebration would be complete without fireworks. 

For locals reading, check out BOGO Fireworks, where everything is always BOGO!

Or head out to the Freedom Festival at Oxford Lake. The admission is free!

No matter what your plans, don’t forget to practice firework safety!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So tell us, what are your plans for the 4^th? Leave a comment below!

Have a fun and safe 4^th of July, everyone!