Maroon Ball /Prom with the Husband… 30ish years Late! On a budget!!

My husband and I were recently invited to a ball/fundraiser for our local school district. We were told it would be a formal event. I was excited, you see my husband and I do not spring chickens anymore. I will be 50 this year and he will be 60. We met when I was 30ish and have been married for 17 years. So needless to say we never got to go to the prom together.

I decided I was going to go all out and get nails, makeup, hair, and a dress. The problem is we are on the Dave Ramsey plan and budget our money for months out. We do have an emergency stash but this hardly counts for an emergency! So I decided to be very frugal and make it fun.

My daughter always questions my spending habits stating you have money… My response “I have responsibilities and that comes before spending anything else”.  So for my nails, I post on a local page who can do nails for a great price and had a bidding war. I got this full set for 25.00. I love them! I am going to San Antonio this weekend to a concert and have the cutest nails!! So I figure they were worth it.

Of course, I am always looking to save money while going out.

Next was makeup, I asked around and found that Dillards does make up for free, of course, the catch is they want you to purchase something. Well since I was out of foundation and needed some, I was willing to buy the Clinique foundation for 30.00 as long as I got a makeover!

Now for the hair. I posted looking for someone to do an updo on the local Facebook for sale site and the bidding started. I finally got someone who said I will do it for 25.00 (which seemed to be my number!). So I was excited, I took pictures of what I wanted and she did an amazing job! So at this point, I am out 50.00 (the makeup was budgeted since I already needed some).

Now for the dress. I went everywhere, my daughter wanted me to have a pretty dress regardless of the cost. I, on the other hand, knew this wasn’t an option. So alone I went to a local resale shop on 1/2 off day and bought a $5.00 dress. YES, $5.00, of course, I needed it altered so I went back to Facebook, and found a lady to do it for $15.00. I also had to get 3″ let out on my husband’s pants, since his suit was nice but just a “little” too tight. She did both for $30.00. I found him a tie at the thrift store for $1.00! So now we are at $81.00.

The best part was, that I had the jewelry from my daughter’s prom and shoes from a different occasion.  We had an amazing time, and got professional pictures done FREE! Ate a steak dinner danced the night away, and yes since it was a grown-up prom, and the open bar was available.

I think I had as much fun saving us money as I did going. It was so fun dressing up!! Overall, it was so worth it. I feel like we had our prom and the fun memories to go with it! I felt like a princess with my prince.