• Get there early to pick your party spot.sunbathers on beach image by Janet Wall from Fotolia.com
  
  Hosting an inexpensive beach party requires some advanced planning on your part. Decide on how many guests to invite, schedule the party around meal time, shop in bulk for party supplies and do mass invitations. Ask guests to participate while you provide creative entertainment to make the party fun for all.
  
  

Bonfire Sing-a-long

• Schedule the party in the early evening after dinner to reduce food costs. Send an online invitation, which eliminates your carbon footprint and the cost of stamps and paper invitations, to the party asking guests to bring old wood---with nails removed---along with their favorite beverage and instruments they play. Supply finger food in container snacks filled with chips, chocolate-covered candy, pretzels, nuts, fresh veggies or popcorn.
  
  

Children

• Host your inexpensive beach party in the day. Save old milk and ice cream containers and egg cartons. Post a beach party flier at your child's school or have the child hand them out to invitees. Plan the party after lunch around 1:30 or 2 p.m. and end before dinner at 5 p.m. Give cleaned split containers to children to build a sand castle with prizes given for the best one. Prepare peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and snack bags filled with bulk goodies from your local wholesale store with water bottles and fruit drinks.
  
  

Barbecue

• Host a barbecue. Provide the grill with supplies of condiments and include some side dishes such as macaroni and potato salad, pickles, tomato slices and some fresh vegetables. Ask guests bring their own meat to grill with a side dish or dessert to share.