Prom night, one of the most anticipated times of year, but easily one of the most expensive. According to al.com, on average a prom night for a girl can easily tally up to $570, while being $250 for guys. So, that begs the question: how can someone have fun on that special night whilst avoiding turning their pockets inside out?

When in doubt, borrow

On average, a prom dress alone goes for about $250. This isn’t even touching the high end $500, $600 end. But, there is another way to save money!

Remember, everyone has had a prom at some point in their life. And so there are plenty of close relatives who’re more than willing to lend a dress and/or tux. Of course, alterations may be needed, but an alteration alone can go from $10-30

Discounted!

It’s said that when buying a hotel room, buy it at least a few months earlier. So, why can’t the same be said for dresses? To get a good dress for cheap, it’s better to purchase the dress a few months ahead of season so there’s plenty of variety in both looks and prices.

There’s even some stores such as Ross who have a discount rack with beautiful dresses for prices as low as $30. Even for shoes, discount stores offer heels, flats and dress shoes for guys for a cheaper price than what can be offered at a high end store.

Nailed It!

Cosmetics is probably one of the more expensive things that can easily be supplemented. Instead of paying $50 for some hair you may or may not like, it’s better to simply do it at home or ask a friend or family member to do something for free. It’s also possible to get a cheaper style at a cosmetology class.

Nails on the other hand, you can get good gel polish for $5 at a beauty shop, or $10-20 at somewhere like Walmart and ask a family or friend, once again, to help you, rather than paying for a $50 treatment at a nail salon. As for makeup, which can cost around $35, there’s easily high quality products that can be bought for cheaper in drug stores and beauty shops, saving you at least $10 in the process.

Dining In?

Last but of course, not least: Dinner and transportation. Dinner by itself runs about ~$75, especially if a couple is attending somewhere like Olive Garden. Alternatively, the couple in question could go back to one person’s house, or instead eat at a low cost place. As for transportation, it’s easier to instead of renting a limo, just using a friend’s car or your own instead.