You can have an amazing autumn party on a budget to celebrate fall and all of the beauty that comes with it! Make it a simple family event, or gather the homeschool families in your area and host it using these ideas.

The yummy food, creative games, and fellowship are great ways to create memories. Plus, you get to decorate for fall using the gorgeous colors and products of the season!

Grab the free Frugal Fall Activities PDF printable for more fun! Combine these ideas with Reformation Day activities for a great alternative to Halloween.

Have An Amazing Autumn Party On A Budget

Set a date and invite your family & friends a couple of weeks ahead of time.
Plan the food. One way to get a variety of party foods on a tight budget is to have everyone bring their favorite dish – potluck style! Dishes with apples, pumpkin, beans, and cabbage are great for fall. Slow-cooker dishes are perfect for the cooler weather and are usually easy to transport to an event — just plug them back in to keep warm/reheat.
Plan games. Ask everyone to bring their favorite group game. If the weather is nice, choose outdoor games.
Plan the Activities. Pick apples and make apple cider with an old-fashioned cider press. Harvest pumpkins for carving or painting.
Plan decor! Your local Walmart will have a lot of cute, yet frugal options, so be sure to check there before buying from another (more expensive) place.

Frugal Autumn Party Crockpot Meals!

Put together these frugal, family-friendly slow-cooker dishes featuring warm and hearty beans.

Slow-cooker kielbasa and BBQ beans.
Slow-cooker 7-can soup.
Slow-cooker baked beans.
Slow-cooker white bean soup.
Slow-cooker chili macaroni.
Slow-cooker bean & ham soup.
Slow-cooker bean dip.
Slow-cooker bean & chicken tortilla soup.
Slow-cooker red beans & rice.
Slow-cooker chili. Add some pumpkin/squash to your chili for a fall twist.
Slow-cooker mini sausages. Apply jelly and Dijon mustard is a favorite fall-themed sauce!
Slow-cooker meatballs. Use ground chicken or turkey for a frugal option!

Pinterest has a recipe for everything! Add a few bags of tortilla chips, some loaves of crusty bread from the Walmart bakery, apple cider, hot tea, & coffee to complete the meal!

All About Autumn Apples:

EmmgHen Fall Themed Pin the Nose On the Scarecrow Party Game Poster with 24 Pcs Acorn Stickers Fun Autumn Harvest Party Activity Decorations Supplies for Thanksgiving Halloween Fall Festivals Birthday
Fall Games for Kids Fall Bingo Harvest Game Fall Party Games with 24 Autumn Players Cards for Fall Festival Adults Activities Supplies Favors Thanksgiving Party Games
Mattel Games Apples to Apples Card Game with Family-Friendly Words to Make Crazy Combinations for Kids, Adults, Families, Parties
Woodtoe Toddler Fine Motor Skill Toys, Fall Autumn Apple Picking Magnetic Tree Toy, Montessori Wooden Sensory Toys for Toddlers, Sorting and Matching, Educational Early Learning Activity for Ages 3+
Arctic Wicks Handcrafted Candles | Non Toxic Coconut Beeswax Candles 16oz Double Wick | 100% USDA Certified Biobased, Handmade, Premium Waxes, Non-Toxic (Apple Macintosh, 16oz Amber Jar)
Autumn Apple Recipes: Apple Crisp, Apple Pie, Apple Sauce and Much Much More (Superfoods Cookbook)

Frugal Fall Activities for the Whole Family

Bake an apple pie. Have pie crust ready for mini pies and let everyone make their own. Hand pies would be great!
Caramel Apple Creating Station. Caramel sauce, chopped nuts, candy, and fruit. Let everyone create their own dessert!
Apple Eating Contest. Hang apples and see who can eat the most of their apple within a set amount of time, without using their hands!
Pin the tail on the donkey. The traditional game. Or, have the kids make a fall-themed edition – “pin the stem on the apple” or “pin the apple on the tree”!
Bean bag toss. Homemade and simple. Toss bean bags into the holes on a slanted wood target and earn points. You can just use decorated baggies of dried beans to keep it super easy.
Guess how many. Small, cute, glass jars with lids, holding candy corn or other Autumn-themed candy. Everyone guesses how much candy is in each, and the winner gets the jar of candy.
Ring toss. Use pumpkins with tall stems to try and toss the rings around, each worth x amount.
Scavenger hunt. Create your fall-themed scavenger hunt! Have participants collect or discover leaves in each color, acorns/nuts, squirrels, crows, pumpkins, apples, etc., tailored to your region and fall weather.
Pumpkin decorating contest. You can use markers, paint, glue, ribbons, leaves, etc. It is a great way to use up old arts and crafts supplies that are almost gone and forgotten in the back of the cupboard. Then have everyone vote for their favorite.

Frugal Autumn Party Decor

Check the party and/or home sections at your local stores.
Collect fallen leaves from the ground around your home. You can scatter them down the center of the table, pin them on the wall in a pattern or pretty formation, hang them from yarn/thread from the ceiling, and place them in between the dishes of food! There are so many ways you can easily use (free) leaves to decorate for a true fall-themed party.
You can also use pine cones, acorns, and more from nature! Be creative!
Create an autumn wreath using wood, leaves, etc. Pinterest has tons of ideas!
Pumpkins. They are everywhere and usually cheap, especially the small ones that are perfect for decorating.
Use less traditional – but always adorable – owls and foxes in your decor.
Use deep and warm colors like reds, browns, greens, gold, etc.

Follow the above steps to have an amazing autumn party on a budget. Be inspired, have fun, and enjoy the season!

I’d love to hear ways you celebrate Autumn! What are your favorite fall decorations, games, colors, foods, etc.??