Opinion: Do prom the right way by saving money

Are you going to Prom this year? Most of you upperclassmen probably are, and perhaps even some of you underclassmen are as well. If you are a senior, you definitely should go because this is one of the last big events of your high school career!

For those of you going, there is probably something very heavy weighing on your mind: How am I going to afford this?! As you know, Prom can get pretty pricey, pretty fast. However, there are some ways you can save money on your big night.

• Buy your tickets when they first go on sale! The longer you wait to buy your ticket, the pricier they become. Gentlemen, since you will probably buy your lady’s ticket (and you should be if you are together), this is an extremely helpful tip because not only are you buying your ticket, but you are also paying for your date’s. This can be extremely expensive, especially if you hold-off on purchasing them. So, do not procrastinate on this!
• Ladies, prom dresses can be very pricey. Some can cost hundreds of dollars. So, ask yourself this: Will I ever wear this dress again? Do I need to have this dress forever? Is this dress super important for me to keep? If you answered no to any of those, you may want to look into renting a dress for your big night instead of buying one. You can still get an amazing dress, just for much cheaper by doing this. Some dress rental shops in Orange County are Elegant Bridal and Tuxedo (yes, bridal shops most often have prom dresses), Ever-Pretty, Secret Closet, and Thai Bridal & Florist. You can also find more places on Yelp.
• Gentlemen, buying suits and tuxedos can add up too! So, do the same as the ladies! Rent your tux instead of purchasing it.
• When it comes to transportation, many students agree that they do not want to drive themselves to Prom, but they also do not want their parents taking them. A good solution is to get with a group of your friends and have everyone chip in some money so you can have a party bus or limo for the evening. By splitting the cost, you will not have to pay for transportation all on your own.

So, when it comes to Prom, there are ways to save money. By using those simple tips, you can potentially save hundreds of dollars.