Super Bowl Sunday (February 1) is fast approaching. What are your plans for game day? Whether you’re a diehard Pats or Seahawks fan or just someone who likes food, company, funny commercials and musical entertainment, the Super Bowl is as good a reason as any to celebrate. If you’re planning some kind of shindig for this weekend, here are some frugal tips that can help you on the way to Super Bowl party success on the cheap.

FOOD

• Opt for Easy Appetizers and Finger Foods: when it comes to food, do yourself a favor. Prepare easy finger foods (and when it comes to alcoholic drinks, beer is the way to go). It’s the Super Bowl, let’s be real – it’s nothing fancy. The focus will be on the game – and the commercials, of course. Check out some of these great ideas from our friends over at RecipeLion.
• Dip It: by creating a bunch of different easy dips, you’re essentially creating several different ways to enjoy one food. For example, use tortilla chips to enjoy guacamole, salsa and queso. Here are some cool dip ideas to get the wheels turning.
• Put That Crock Pot to Use: there are two main reasons why the crock pot can be one of your most useful food preparation tools for a super bowl party. The first is that you’ll be able to prepare something the night before or the morning of and then forget about it until game time. The second is that you can get enough food in there to feed a crowd. If you need a third reason, it’s that basically anything made in a crock pot is going to be delicious.

• Prepare Food With Leftovers in Mind: when preparing food for your party, think ahead in terms of what you’ll be able to enjoy in leftover form. For example, guacamole may be delicious, but it’s not likely to be great the next day. But if you make a kind of chili, you can refrigerate it and eat it a number of ways throughout the week, or even freeze it and enjoy it much later. Need some ideas for leftover creations? Check out these healthy recipe ideas that you utilize leftovers.
• Super Bowl Stew: here’s an interesting idea I found over at Wise Bread:
  

  Reminiscent of the fairy tale “Stone Soup,” this modern-day feast can easily accommodate as many guests as you can fit into your home and will likely get cheers from the crowd. Bjorn Karger, author of The Underground Guide to Living Frugal dishes on the details: “It needs everyone’s help to win; just ask everyone if they could bring something to add to the stew. Have a simple broth going – water and a powdered soup-packet will do, or slice up an onion and add a few herbs and oil. Even with a small party of four to six guests you’ll be surprised at how much food will come in and how fun it will be.” Ideas for ingredients guests can bring include potatoes, chicken, shrimp, okra, carrots, and even coconut and curry. Sounds like a fun and delicious way to bond!

ENTERTAINING

• Host Some Trivia: if you have a lot of hardcore football fans attending your shindig, why not fill downtime with a little friendly competition of your own? Have your guests split into teams to compete – either for fun or for a simple prize. You can even have everyone who wants to participate throw in a few bucks so that the winners have a cash prize.Need some trivia question ideas? Check out these general Superbowl trivia facts from Celebrations.
• Set Up Multiple Rooms: so inevitably at some Super Bowl parties, you’ll face the same problem that I’ve faced in the past. You’ve got the diehard fans who are completely absorbed in the happenings of the game. And then there are those who are just there for the food, and maybe the half-time show and the commercials. Whatever side of the fence you’re on is fine, but to prevent any fights from breaking out, it might be a good idea to plan ahead. Have a space dedicated to those who perhaps want to wander away from the game every now and then (maybe the kitchen?). Just be sure to have food, some cards or games, and maybe another TV available to these guests and you should’t have any complaints
• Skip the Decorations: instead of bothering with spending money on decorations, count on your guests to add to the festive atmosphere. Have everyone come dressed in the jersey or colors of the team they’re rooting for. Encourage them to go wild. Then your guests become the “decorations” that get you into the Super Bowl spirit without you having to spend a cent!
• Football-Themed Games: need entertainment for before the game starts or after it’s over? Get creative and try out some easy and fun games that don’t cost a cent. Something like “football charades” could be really fun and memorable for you and your guests.