The recessionista’s guide to: Entertaining

6 Any hostess with the mostest knows fresh flora really sets the tone in tabletop and powder room arrangements. But some blooms wilt quickly, making hardy tropicals a more economic choice. Big decorative leaves like alocasia, and showy flowers like pincushion, heliconia and dendrobium and mokara orchids easily last seven to 10 days (and more), so you can enjoy fresh flowers, but can go longer between flower shop visits.

7 Got kids? Your guests can save on babysitting if you have them bring their kids to your next ostensibly adult get-together. Mingle multi-generationally, but take heart: if there are enough kids, most will prefer to play together in another room anyway. Hire a neighbourhood teen to hang out with them if it will minimize parental worry or “hovering.”

8 One word: Fondue. Inexpensive, easy to make, almost universally adored, on-trend again…and cheesealicious!

9 Serve a foodie-approved 100-mile meal. Particularly during the growing season, buying and eating local becomes easier. Besides being better for the environment (reducing transportation) and the Canadian economy (supporting local farmers), eating local is better for your wallet too (local meat, fish and produce is usually cheaper than imported).

Go whole hog and save even more money (and the environment) by nixing bottled water and serving tap water from a pretty pitcher instead and dressing the table with homegrown native wildflowers. Bonus points if you grew the salad course in your backyard!

10 Put things into perspective. If you’re entertaining, your finances aren’t as bad as some Canadians’. Host an inexpensive pasta dinner and have guests bring a $10 donation for charity instead of wine. (Fair’s fair: you collect the donations and make the food, so you get to cut the check and collect the tax receipt!).

Read more in Food & Entertaining and Party Planner