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Practicing Hospitality on a Budget
I once heard someone say, we are waiting to have a baby until we can afford a baby. Do we ever get to the point that we can honestly afford a child? The anticipated cost of hospitality causes so many people to hold off and not practice hospitality. Everyone has a budget to stay on. Even on a budget, we should be practicing hospitality. Hospitality on a budget still encourages people, lifts people up and gives people a sense of worth.
When you have to have hospitality on a budget, hospitality looks different for each person. It could be just taking a meal to someone or opening your home for a dinner party. Some people try to steer away from hospitality because of the cost it brings to their family. The cost of Hospitality should not keep you from sharing and opening your home to others. If you plan, you can open your home and not cost your family additional cost.
Hospitality on a Budget
I want to share with you some ways that our family was still able to give the gift of hospitality and it does not affect the budget in our home.
- Share a cup of coffee and dessert and not a full meal. Open your home up to a couple or a group of ladies or guys and just serve coffee and dessert. The cost to you will be minimum if you use a coffee maker that makes 12 cups in a pot and make your desserts. I made this Lemon Pound Cake that is just like Starbucks, and we loved it. People still get the message that you love and care for them and they will enjoy the fellowship and community. But it won’t break the budget.
- Make extra dishes and freeze to take a shut-in or a family in need. When you are making a pan of lasagna why not make a second one and put in the freezer to give away? It won’t cost you any more time, oven heat and you won’t see the extra cost of making the second one because you usually have extras left over of the ingredients when making just one. This is great for a family that needs encouragement and healthy meal.
- A family Game night with another family. Invite a family over that you want to share life with and enjoy a family game night with them. What fun!!!! You could do family vs. family or adults against kids or pair up into couples. Either way, it is just a great way to share life with another without it being an expensive event. Finger foods or sandwiches would be great for a night like this.
- Make some sweets and pass them out to people that you run into randomly. Random acts of service are sometimes the most impacting to people. When I do this, I pray while preparing the sweet treat that The Lord will use it to brighten someones day and they will see the Love of Christ through me.
- Meet your guest at a local park or venue that is free. Pack lunches and have a picnic. Peanut butter and Jelly sandwiches taste amazing when you are with friends and having a great time. You can go to the local park, put a tablecloth on the picnic table, have fun paper napkins and serve a sandwich. The sandwich will seem like you have spent time preparing for the time together and the listening ear that you are giving will make your guest feel well loved.
- Have an old fashion potluck. Do you remember the potlucks at church? Have one in your home. Everyone likes to fill like they are contributing, so do a themed night and have it a potluck. You can provide the meat, rolls & drinks and have your friends bring the sides. Everyone will fill involved and will love sharing the meal together.
The Joy overpowers the expense
Just like I shared above, having children does bring extra expenses to the budget but you adjust, and you put the most important things into your budget and make them work. This is all choices. Just like children, showing hospiatlity to others brings you joy. Hospitality is a command from scripture (1 Peter 4:9)
We need to seek out how to practice hospitality in our homes and community and do so with the resources we have been given.
How have you found ways to show hospitality and not break your budget? We would love to hear from you.
