Three Bachelor Parties on a Budget

The Best Groomsen Gifts? Cheap Bachelor Parties!

Everyone is feeling the pinch from the dropping dow and miserable housing market. This doesn't mean you should wear potato sacks instead of tuxes or head to the dollar store for your groomsmen gifts. However, when it comes to your bachelor party, keep it simple and inexpensive. Here are three budget alternatives to the VIP bachelor party. Poker Night vs. Vegas

Like a moth to a flame, grooms are lured to Sin City for their bachelor parties. There's nothing wrong with Vegas, but you won't miss out on anything by skipping it this year - except a ruthless hangover and empty pockets. Movies like Very Bad Things wrongly convinced men that nothing tops a Vegas bachelor party. Save your money (or win some more) by throwing a poker party at your best man's place. Lame, you say? Think again. Puff on stogies, put the World Poker Tour on TV, and get your game face on. Suggestion for groomsmen gifts: personalized poker sets. Movie to Watch: Rounders. Total savings by skipping Vegas: $500 on craps, $150 per night for a room on the strip, and don't forget to subtract the sum of what you intended to spend at the Vegas strip club. Wink, wink.

Camp Out vs. Club

When you were little, camping out was the ultimate activity - that is, until you learned about girls. If inclement weather forced you inside, you built forts out of bedsheets! Those were good times, weren't they? Wax nostalgia and take your guys on a camping trip. Pack the baked beans, s'mores, chili, and MoonShine. Groomsmen gifts: personalized hip flasks. Movie to Watch: It's a camp out, you know, in the wildness? If you must watch a movie, make it Stand By Me. Total savings by skipping the night club: $150 to rent out the VIP room, $20 per car for parking, and $9 per drink.

BBQ on the Beach vs. South Beach

Guys are heading to South Beach in droves to celebrate their last night of singledom. South Beach rivals Vegas as one of the hottest bachelor party destinations. Sure, Miami's white sandy beaches, swaying palms, and pulsing nightlife sound tempting, but when you come home, there's an angry fianc and zero account balance to deal with. Head to your local beach - it might not have white sand and turquoise waves, but so what? Grill up some burgers and brats or make your cookout competitive with a barbecue-sauce taste test. Groomsmen gifts: Grilling accessories. Movie to Watch: Weekend at Bernies. Total savings by skipping South Beach: $200 per night on an Ocean View Hotel Room, $100 for just about every South Beach meal, and $50 for an "I'm sorry," gift to your bride-to-be (many brides frown on South Beach bachelor parties). Now that we saved you a bundle, shop GroomStand for affordable groomsmen gifts and more.