This is a sponsored post and I received compensation. However, all opinions about my secrets to save time and money when you tailgate are completely mine! Can you believe it is almost time for football?! That means it is almost fall ya’ll. We live about 2 miles from the University of Tennessee. To say we are die hard fans is an understatement! To say we have had our fair share of tailgating parties would again be an understatement!
Photo Credit: http://waitingonmartha.com
Over the years, I have learned a thing or two about throwing a kick butt tailgating party. I have found it is easy to blow a wad of cash in a short period of time. My family is on a budget, but I don’t want to skimp either. This is why I am always on the prowl to find great ways to save. That is how I came up with these 10 secrets to save time and money when you tailgate!
Expenses: Set a budget for your tailgating party and stick to it. During football season, stores are stocking up on all the cute football gear. This is to distract you and suck you into spending more money than you planned. So, make a list and stick to your budget!
Finding Deals: When you are on a budget, coupons, rewards, deals and cashback sites are your BFF. Use them to your advantage. You can stack these savings to stretch your dollar even farther. A cashback site saves you money at stores you already frequent on products you already buy. These sites offer you a percentage back on qualifying purchases. My favorite site is TopCashback.com. They are the most generous cashback/rebates site in the US.
Parking: Check with your stadium on their tailgating and parking rules. The rule of thumb is to arrive early. My preference is to nab a corner section. This gives you room to spread out and be comfortable.
Food and Drinks: Plan a simple menu. Choose a protein that is more affordable like brats, burgers or wings. My White Queso Burger is always a big hit! Pack plenty of cut veggies and fruits and dips. Save on drinks and stick to bottled water. You can refill your bottles at the stadium. If you are going to drink alcohol, check the stadium policies on that.
Cooler 101: Packing a cooler is an art. When we tailgate, we bring two coolers; one for food and one for beverages. Make sure your raw food is in seal tight containers. Chill your food and drinks the night before. Layer your ice and cooler items, alternating as you go. Pack your cooler full to keep the warm air out. Avoid carrying a heavy cooler to your tailgate party.
Instead, use the Picnic Time Tennessee Cart Cooler from Walmart.com. This thing is awesome! It is so easy to maneuver! It holds up to 15 quarts and the tote is removable from the lightweight trolley. It is lined with an insulated foil interior and has a removable heat-sealed, water-resistant PVC liner. It sells for $65 and you get 3% back when you purchase it through TopCashback.com.
Photo Credit: Knoxville News Sentinel
Weather: Nothing can dampen your tailgate party like rain. We don’t let rain deter us! Check with your local weather station on the weather for game day. If it is going to rain dress in or pack your rain gear. Also be aware of the direction of the wind. For a kettle grill, point the front leg into the wind to minimize wind coming into the bottom vents. If you have a gas grill, turn the grill perpendicular to where the wind is coming from.
Prep Ahead: The night before a tailgating party, our house is busy! I am cutting fruits and veggies and putting them in Ziploc bags. My husband will marinate the meat and clean the grill. I also freeze water bottles. Pack plenty of plates, silverware, napkins, serving platters, and bowls. I love the Big Mouth Football Stadium Inflatable Chill Bar from BulbHead.
Load it up with ice and add your munchies and drinks. It wipes clean, stores easily and sells for less than $10. With TopCashback.com, you get 8% back when you purchase it through TopCashback.com.. While you are shopping at BulbHead via TopCashback.com, grab a handful of their Big Mouth Football Drink Koolers.
Plan Ahead: I make a checklist of what I need for our tailgating party. When you make your list, include extras of what you use most. You don’t want to run out of propane for your grill before you have your food cooked. Also bring your grill tools and an extinguisher, just in case.
Portability: When you are tailgating you don’t want to lug a bunch a stuff around. Streamline what you bring. Buy products that are portable. For instance, we use the Portable Grill-2-Go X200 Gas Grill from Char-Broil. It offers die cast aluminum construction, a push button ignition, and lid-mounted temperature gauge. It retails for $109. We also have the Grill-2-Go Carry-All Bag, which retails for $50. You can buy these at Walmart.com and earn 3% cash back when you purchase them through TopCashback.com..
Clean-Up: You will want to bring heavy duty trash bags. I will have bag for recycling and one or two for trash. If your stadium allow you to leave trash, no problem. You already have your in sealed bags. You can throw them in the truck and toss them in your cans when you get home.
I love that you can purchase awesome tailgating items through TopCashback.com. Even better is that you receive cashback on all your tailgating essentials. So what sets TopCashback apart from other cashback sites? Most cashback sites will give a fraction of a commission back to you. With TopCashback, they are the ONLY site that returns 100% of the commission back to shoppers as a cashback rebate. And it is FREE to join!
Signing up is simple! You just go to TopCashback.com and create an account. Once you have your account set up, log in and search for a retailer. Then you just hit ‘Get Cashback Now’. The site will automatically redirect you to make your purchase at the retailer’s website. Behind the scenes, TopCashback will be able to see how much you’ve spent and award your cashback account with the appropriate rebate. It really is that easy! Be sure to follow TopCashback on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
