Prom is not cheap. You can easily be spending 100's of dollars, buying the dress, renting a limo, the cost of all the small things adding up. Unofrtunately, not all of us can afford to splash out on everything, so here we give you some of the best tips and tricks to save yourself a small fortune!

The Dress - The best thing you can do is shop around for your dress. Try various stores, the internet, compare prices for various styles, to give you the best possible idea of how much you should be paying for what you want. Don't forget it is really easy to find a dress that is cheaper and may not fit perfectly and then get it tailored to just your size; so it fits like a glove and you save some extra cash! Or, if you are feeling up to it, find your ideal designer dress, then buy yourself a similar fabric, a sewing machine, the help of your mum or aunt, and make your own dress! This is very original, and if you plan it enough in advance, you can make it exactly the way you want!

Your Ride - It is not essential to get a limo, this is a huge expense! If you really want one, then get one that fits about 10 people or so and share the cost between as many of your friends as possible. Otherwise, just borrow your parents car, or get them or a friend to chauffeur you.

Dinner - Dining out can turn out to be very expensive! You don't need to dine at the most luxurious place in town, just find yourself a nice local restaurant that serves good but reasonably priced food. It is not the location that matters, it is spending it with your friends. Another great way to do it is to get your friends together and arrange to cook a splendid meal at home! This way you can set the table, decorate the room, light some candles, and make it as special as you want.

Hair and make-up - Do it yourself. Decide what hairstyle and look you want to go for, and then experiment on yourself a couple of weeks before prom to make sure you know how to do it. Get your mum or friends to help you if you need an extra hand, and it will end up looking just as good, but saving you lots!

Jewelry - The kind of jewelry you wear at prom, you will not be wearing every day, so to save money, you can always hire really nice jewelry for the night, or simply ask your friends and relatives and they are guaranteed to have some pieces stowed away that you could borrow just for a night.

Photos - Don't hire a photographer, get your parents to take lots of pictures of you and your date and friends before you go out, and then between your friends, get lots of disposable cameras or a digital camera which you can take 100's of pictures of yourselves with and then delete the ones that didn't turn out later.

Post prom parties - If you are planning to organise a post prom party, but want to keep it cheap, plan to host it at your, or one of your friend's houses. Buy some food, and snacks to make beforehand, and whatever else you need. You can always rent out a movie, or turn it into a garden party, or poolside party, depending on the house. Don't forget a nice breakfast if you are all planning to sleep over.