Hosting a dinner party is a fun and rewarding experience. In addition, it’s interesting to bring different groups and types of friends together to see what kind of chemistry might develop.

But one of the dangers of playing host is that it’s all too easy to break the bank on food and decor. You shouldn’t have to take out a second mortgage; it is possible to host a dinner party on the cheap. Potluck and BYOB have their merits, but your guests should know well enough to bring a bottle or a dessert. And really, potluck and BYOB aren’t the best ways to impress.

If you’re stuck for ideas, have no fear: I’ve scratched out a few tips to help you host a thrifty dinner party. They will help you combine style and substance, which will impress all your friends.

Choosing the guest list
The first step to planning a dinner party is to carve out an invite list, and one of the best ways to bring together a good dinner party is to mix guests who otherwise wouldn’t associate with one another. A properly planned guest list filled with interesting people will enhance the experience for everyone, and the diversity may serve to hide any of the corners that you’ve cut regarding the food or decor.

Preparing invitations and planning the meal
Do you want to really impress the group? Sending invitations (that’s hard copy, not e-vites) really adds a touch of class to any gathering, and it’s not necessary to buy fancy, heavyweight cards with gold-embossed printing. If you have a few minutes to be creative and you have a decent printer (or access to an office supply store that can do your print job for you), you can personalize the standard templates from your word-processing program. You can also search the web for some ideas and create your own. Just remember to handwrite names and addresses on the envelopes to make them seem more formal.

Plan your meal according to the coupons that are available to you. There’s no sense going broke when you can create a delicious meal with items that are on sale. What’s more, if you take a few minutes to troll around on the internet, you’ll likely find some great sites for e-coupons and incredible bargains on quality food; just remember to check delivery times.

Creating the ambiance
Here’s where you can really get ahead of the game and deliver an air of sophistication without spending too much money. To this end, I give you two words: dollar store. Seriously, the dollar store is the party planner’s best friend. Cheap decorating supplies abound!

For an informal dinner party, such as a birthday, pick up a few streamers and candles, but if you want to dress up the occasion, select decorations that are dark and rich in color. For the table, pick up matching sets of cutlery and glasses; nothing cheapens a party more than the mismatched, hand-me-down utensils, glasses and mugs that you pilfered from Mom and Dad when you moved out. You will also need a centerpiece for your table. It doesn't have to be lavish or ornate, but a centerpiece really brings things together and adds a touch of class. A few carefully arranged flowers in a vase will go a long way toward dressing up the table.

Finally, you can help the ambiance along by asking guests to dress appropriately. It’s not always a necessary component of the party, but dresses for the ladies and button-down shirts and blazers for the men will add to the evening.

Serving appetizers
When your guests arrive, offer them some munchies. The old veggie-and-dip or chips-and-salsa options are solid standbys and great party starters. They get people mingling and snacking, and they’re usually well-liked by everyone. People also love prepared hors d’oeuvres bought from the grocery store; all you have to do is stick them in the oven 30 minutes before your guests arrive.

Creatively presenting the appetizers is a surefire way to impress your guests. If it’s in your budget, select a luxury ingredient to be accompanied by a cheaper one. Such combinations can include foie gras or smoked salmon with generic crackers or cured meats paired with garden-variety mozzarella cheese and dill pickles. You can also serve grilled sausages with some nice mustard. If need be, serve rolled-up deli meat with a couple of quality cheeses and olives.