Stag Do Ideas For Less
Andrew Stuckey • May 18, 2020
Being a best man in this day and age can be an unforgiving job and comes with a lot of responsibility. Not only have you got the pressure of organising an epic stag do, but you also have to pull off a killer speech, keep hold of the rings and make sure you don’t offend any guests at the wedding reception!
This sacred duty amongst men becomes even more difficult when you need to work on a tight budget, and with stag do’s seemingly getting more lavish and elaborate than the last; it’s difficult to keep up the growing trend when the purse strings are a bit tight. You want to make sure your BFF has a stag do he won’t forget (he’ll forget some of it for sure...), but you don’t want to spend a fortune and struggle to make ends meet afterwards.
But don’t panic, you are not alone! Here at 118 118 Money, we’ve put together an assortment of money saving tips to ensure you send your mate off with a bang.
Set an expectation, and budget
Before planning the stag do, talk to your best mate and set his expectation levels. If he really wants to go for a long weekend in Vegas, then it’s a good idea to rein him in a bit. I’m sure we’d all love to have a blast just like those crazy lads in ‘The Hangover’, but in reality it’s probably not financially feasible for the most of us.
Gently explain to him that you can’t afford to go spending a fortune on one weekend away or night out – your other friends will be thankful too. Set a budget which you and your friends are all comfortable with – the groom-to-be will understand, as he’s probably got a whole load of wedding costs to fork out for himself.
Top tip. You’ll also have to factor in the stag’s cost of the trip – it’s stag do custom for everyone attending to chip in for at least his travel and drinks.
Choose a great location
Key to any stag do success is the location that you choose. There are many suitable locations in the UK and Europe, but picking a great one to impress the stag within budget can be quite tricky.
Cities such as London, Paris, Amsterdam and Rome might be the top European destinations for most, but when it comes to prices, they can be rather expensive when you price up hotels, travel, food and the odd beer or two. Look for cheaper, alternative city breaks that are not only cheaper but more suited to stag parties.
If you like your beer and the chances are that if you’re heading on a stag, you do, then heading to a city in Germany will no doubt satisfy the needs of your stag party and groom to be. Cities such as Berlin, Hamburg and Munich are all great destinations where you can get decently priced flights and hotels (or a hostel if you don’t mind sharing a room and facilities).
The price of food and drinks in Germany is reasonable, and you won’t find many better beers – drank out of a giant stein of course! If you’ve already been to Germany though, or your stag doesn’t fancy it, there are plenty of other destinations around Europe which offer cheaper perks such as Prague, Krakow, Bratislava, Budapest and Tallinn.
Top tip. If you don’t fancy Europe or have a really tight budget, there’s no harm in staying here in the UK. Cities such as Newcastle, Blackpool, London and Bristol are party capitals which are suitable for stag parties.
Compare
Comparison sites are all the rage these days, and when organising a stag do on a budget they are essential to hike down the price of flights and hotels. Use sites like Skyscanner which compares the prices of flights all across the world and Trivago to compare the cheapest hotels and hostels.
Become an expert in scanning the skies for cheaper flights and hotels by reading our blog here – you’re bound to find some really good deals on travel which will help you for other trips too.
Be adventurous - Stay local
Of course, not all stag dos require a trip across the Channel or a weekend spent on the lash in one the UK’s hottest party cities. If your best mate is an adrenaline seeker for example, then a wild adventure weekend will be a certain hit.
In the UK we are blessed with rugged hills, rivers and countryside which are perfect for adventure activities such as Canyoning, Climbing, Quad Biking and many more!
A quick Google search for ‘adventure stag weekend ideas’ will give you plenty of reputable stag companies which cater for your whole weekend. Some, like this one in Wales, offer stag weekend packages at very reasonable prices.
Don’t Dress Too Fancy
A common tradition seen on a stag do is to dress up the poor groom in the most ridiculous outfit you can get your hands on. We’ve seen many over the years, from dinosaur costumes and inflatable footballs to giant traffic cones and bacon costumes…what’s wrong with a white top, cute little red running shorts and a moustache eh?
The trouble with these lavish costumes is that some of them can end up costing you, the best man, a fortune. Get your mates on the trip to chip in on the costume if you really want to embarrass your bestie. Better still, ask them to spend just £2 at a charity shop and dress your mate in the garments they choose. Proper bants!
Build a kitty
On any stag party, it’s always a good idea to build a kitty. This is where each person, aside from the stag of course, chips in some money for drinks until you have enough to go around for the whole party for a night or weekend. By doing this, you’ll only spend a limited amount, and won’t get pressured into spending more money on drinks when you’ve spent (or had) enough.
Be Responsible
As we’ve mentioned, being a best man comes with a lot of responsibility. As the party organiser and best friend of the stag, you’ll be the one who’s responsible for him. If on a weekend fuelled with alcohol, he’ll no doubt have had enough to drink at some point or another.
Stay relatively sober so that you can look after his wellbeing if need be– if anything, it gives you an excuse not to spend too much money on booze too!
With these easy to follow tips, you’ll surely be able to plan the perfect stag weekend on a tighter budget - your best mate and stag group will have a great time and you won’t have to spend too much money on making it happen – everyone’s a winner.
Here at 118 118 Money, we’re dedicated to helping you save money for your everyday life and special occasions - make sure to keep checking our blog where you’ll find plenty of tips for just that.