3 tips to save money every wedding guest should know

Wedding season fills summer weekends with nuptials, and while we enjoy celebrating the bride and groom, all the “something borrowed and something blue” adds up to some serious green. In fact, a new survey from Bankrate.com (April 2017) found that nearly half of those surveyed — 47 percent — will spend $ 100 or more on a wedding gift for close friends or family.

Here are three tips for taking in the festivities without going broke:

1) Use gift cards: You may be used to giving gift cards as wedding presents, but you also can use them to save money on gifts, guest attire, travel and other wedding expenses. Gift card exchanges like Cardpool.com buy gift cards from people who don’t plan to use them in order to sell them, at a discount, to someone who does. Gift cards for airlines, hotels and registry staples, like Target, as well as retailers where you can find the perfect guest attire, including Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and more are all available at great discounts on Cardpool.com, saving you money on everything you need to get through wedding season without breaking the bank.

2) Stack savings: Be sure to search for coupons for the stores on the bride and groom’s registry to save money on purchases. While most retailers don’t allow you to stack coupons, there is a discount-stacking trick you can try: use coupons in addition to discounted gift cards. Doing so means you save by redeeming the coupon and by using a gift card you purchased at a discount as your method of payment.

3) Gift as a group: Gathering up a group of friends to buy a nice bottle of champagne or a larger registry item helps you stay in budget while still giving a more extravagant gift than you’d give on your own. In fact, a number of popular retailers for newlyweds are making group gifting even easier. Target, for example, allows groups to set up accounts where friends and family can chip in toward items on the couple’s registry.

No matter the venue, registry location, travel needs or attire, these go-to tips could save you hundreds of dollars this wedding season. Whether you have one wedding to attend or 10, keep these in mind while shopping or booking travel.