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  • Renting a prom dress online can be convenient and cost-effective.

    Renting a prom dress online can be convenient and cost-effective.

  • Handmade corsages and boutonnieres are more personal and less expensive...

    Handmade corsages and boutonnieres are more personal and less expensive than store-bought arrangements.

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Although cutting costs during prom season can be tough, outlining a clear and realistic budget can help your teen stay on track when it comes to spending on prom essentials. These tips can make prom night affordable as well as unforgettable.

App accountability

Visa’s free Plan’it Prom app helps users plan and stick to a personalized prom budget by allowing them to log their expenses as they shop. It’s designed for teens and includes sharing features on sociahl media. The app is available on the iTunes store, the Google Play store and at practicalmoneyskills.com

Charter a bus

For large prom groups, chartering a commercial bus can cut costs. Debbie Ballard at busrates.com says that students in Orange County can rent a bus to accommodate 50-60 people at a rate of $550-$650 for five hours. That’s only $20-$30 per couple for prom transportation.

Rent your dress

Companies such as Rent the Runway offer designer dresses for a fraction of the designer price. Renting a prom dress online can be convenient and cost-effective. Rent the Runway will ship a dress for either four- or eight-day periods. Two sizes of the same dress can be sent to ensure the best fit. First-time orders receive 20 percent off. renttherunway.com/

DIY corsage or boutonniere

Handmade corsages and boutonnieres are more personal and less expensive than store-bought arrangements. Your teen can glue paper rosettes to an elastic band or barrette. Or, suggested Michael Gaffney, instructor of the American Floral Design Schools, bind greenery together, using floral tape and securing it with pins, for a boutonniere. For girls, he suggests making head wreaths by weaving ivy around a circular wire and gluing tiny flowers along the edges using Oasis Glue.

Buy it secondhand

It’s likely a prom dress will only be worn once, so consider shopping for a secondhand gown.

Working Wardrobes, a local nonprofit, has affordable brand-name dresses, suits and tuxedos among its collection of gently worn, donated clothing. On a case-by-case basis, the group will also provide complimentary dresses to teens going to prom. Bonus: Girls who shop for their prom dresses at Working Wardrobes will do so with a volunteer personal shopper. “Our seven resale shops proudly offer beautiful prom dresses to fit every budget,” said Susie Tuttle, Working Wardrobes manager.

Other options include promagain.com, a site with thousands of gently used dresses, and pageantresale.com, which sells dresses worn in pageants, many suitable for prom. Special-occasion gowns can be bought and sold on thedresslist.com.

Get glammed-up at a beauty school

Getting hair and makeup done can cost more than the dress, dinner and ticket combined. For hair, look at a local beauty school like the Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy in Costa Mesa. Specialty stylings start at $25, costamesa.toniguy.edu.

For both hair and makeup, Advance Beauty College in Laguna Hills offers a prom package complete with a hairstyle, makeup application, manicure and pedicure for $60, advancebeautycollege.com.

Organize a potluck

Avoiding restaurants on prom night can save time and money. With a prom group of five couples or more, organize a potluck dinner by asking everyone to bring a dish to a prom preparty. Hiring a family-owned, local catering company can also save time and money.

Hire a food truck

Roaming Hunger (roaminghunger.com) has a database of more than 8,300 food trucks nationwide. Food trucks cater private and public events, allowing guests to pay for their meals individually. Entrees can start as low as $10 per person. Specialty trucks providing snacks, drinks and dessert are perfect for the prom after-party.