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It may be halfway through the month, but there's still time to plan a great gathering — one that's easy on you and your wallet. True party-perfect recipes should make a big impact on your guests, not your bank account. Consider hosting a “small bites” soiree or simply get your gathering going with wallet-savvy appetizers. For the third year in a row, The Whole Deal value guide pulled together "small bite" recipes. These 10 budget-friendly starters ring in at less than 50 cents per piece:

• Bacon Bread
• Bacon Jalapeño Stuffed Mushrooms
• Brie and Sour Cherry Toast Bites
• Butternut and White Chocolate Blondies
• Chickpea Deviled Eggs
• Cranberry-Orange Braised Beef on Ciabatta
• Curried Crab on Crackers
• Festive Garland Bars
• Mushroom, Radish and Hearts of Palm Skewers
• Spicy Chocolate-Dipped Pineapple with Sea Salt

  Don’t forget to raise the bar! Why not cut down on costs further by serving a signature drink in place of an open bar? Thanks to the vibrant flavors of clementines, cranberries and fresh rosemary, you can make a pitcher full of sparkling wine-based cocktails primed for winter celebrations. We call this one Clementine Crush Sparkling Cocktail, but you can call it a delicious budget-conscious solution. Cheers to savings! Clementine Crush Sparkling Cocktail Ingredients

2 2/3 cups clementine juice, plus 1 TB finely chopped clementine zest, plus 1 clementine for garnish (from 12–14 fruits total)1/4 cup cane sugar 1 cup 365 Everyday Value® Organic 100% Cranberry Juice 3/4 cups fresh cranberries 8 (1-inch) sprigs fresh rosemary 1 (750ml) bottle sparkling wine, such as Pascual Toso Sparkling Brut, well chilled 1 (12-ounce) can 365 Everyday Value® Tonic Water or Ginger Ale

Method

In a wide, shallow dish, mix zest and sugar together with your fingers. Wet the rim of 8 cocktail glasses with a wet paper towel, and then dredge in clementine sugar to coat. In a large pitcher, use a wooden spoon to muddle cranberry juice, cranberries and rosemary sprigs thoroughly. Fill pitcher with ice cubes. Top off with clementine juice, wine and tonic water or ginger ale. Stir vigorously; pour into glasses; garnish with clementine twists and serve.

Tips

Use a vegetable peeler to remove the clementine zest in large pieces for the chopping and twists. Swap out satsumas for clementines if you prefer.

Serves 8. $2.68 per serving. We do our best to estimate recipe ingredient costs, but market variations do happen. You’ll find more recipes and tips on our holiday pages for entertaining on a budget from years past too. Plus, turn to The Whole Deal value guide, online and in stores, for more even more tips on celebrating with savings. Your turn! Got any great recipes that dazzle with fewer dollars? We’d love to hear them.