With the upcoming Homecoming dance, many students may be wondering how much they will have to spend for their night of autumnal magic. From an outside perspective, the dance may not seem that expensive, and, if you do not pay attention, you may not even notice the hundreds of dollars that you are throwing away. 

For a couple to attend homecoming (or any school dance really) the total cost can range from as low as $400 to as ridiculously high as $1300! Do not worry, though. If you continue this article, you will learn many ways to save some money on all your future dances. 

Most stores will sell homecoming dresses for around $30-90. However, if you’re really fancy, the most expensive homecoming dress was encrusted in diamonds and priced at $14,000. 

An easy way to save some money on the dress is to avoid ones with expensive rocks and buy a cheaper dress online. There are many websites out there that sell nice dresses for $14 to $30. They are good quality and can save you $16 to $13,970 this way. 

In total, girls can spend $140 to $410 for professionally done hair, nails and makeup. While you may want to get all glammed up for a night of partying, it is smarter to either do your own makeup and hair or ask a family member or friend. Doing both of these things can save you $120 to $210, which you can now spend to get your nails done. If you still would like to save money on nails, you can paint your own or buy clear nails at Walmart or Walgreens and paint those. This $10 option saves you big money. 

The attire for the guys can be just as expensive - if not more. The usual attire for guys is a dress shirt, dress pants, dress shoes, and a tie or bowtie. Even budget versions of these necessities can cost $189 to $620.  Absolutely ridiculous. 

Let’s break down each item to save some dollars. The first item is a dress shirt. These can be pretty expensive to buy a nice new so if you already do not have one, buy it at Walmart for $10. No one's going to know. 

The next thing is the dress pants.  Again, Walmart has them for $25. This is still pretty pricey for pants, but other dress pants can cost $200 or more. 

Dress shoes may be the thing to splurge on, especially because you can wear them for all future dances. However, there are still budget options at any local shoe store.

Lastly, the tie or bowtie you can get at Walmart or off amazon for $10 to $15 dollars. Congratulations, you just saved $500. Amazing!

The next expense is dinner for you and your date. While eating at an expensive restaurant is less common for Homecoming, many still choose to spend their money this way. Skip those crowded restaurants!  Eat at home or hit up a fast food place for an equally fun, less expensive alternative.  If you have your heart set on eating at a fancy restaurant, save your dough and go for Prom. 

The next item to purchase is a corsage. The average price for a corsage can be up to $60, but do not be scared to ask for cheaper options. Your date will not notice and it will look just as nice. Asking for cheaper options can bring the price down to around $20. 

Now you know how to save your wallet for the upcoming dance. You have some cheaper alternatives for dresses, hair, nails, makeup, dinner, attire for the guys, and even a corsage. We at Anchor News hope this article allows you to have a fun, inexpensive HoCo!  For more articles on all things Discoverers, follow Anchor News on Twitter, Fusfoo and Instagram.