Buy late, not early. Things you buy Tuesday cost the same as things you buy Friday. Buying early = clutter + decision fatigue.
| When | What | Why this timing |
|---|---|---|
| Sat May 16 | Nothing yet | Wait until RSVPs firm up |
| Mon May 18 | Pizza order (vendor), prizes if doing free drawing | Lock in pizza first; prizes cheap and order online |
| Tue May 19 | Tape, sharpies, plates, napkins, name-tag stickers | Cheap-and-certain, won't change |
| Wed May 20 | Water + soda + cups, drink dispenser, ice if needed | Bulk drinks day; bring car |
| Thu May 21 | Anything missing · trash bags · paper towels | Final sweep |
| Fri May 22 (event day) | Last-minute ice · forgotten items only | Avoid morning-of grocery runs |
| ✓ | Item | Qty | Est | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bottled water (24 or 40 pack) | 2 packs | $10 | ~75 bottles · refrigerate Wed night | |
| Soda variety (12 or 24 pack — Coke / Diet / Sprite / lemon-lime) | 3 packs | $25 | Optional but appreciated | |
| LaCroix / sparkling water | 1 pack | $10 | Crowd-pleaser · low cal | |
| Costco napkins bulk | 1 box | $15 | Way cheaper than grocery | |
| Heavy-duty paper plates (Chinet or Costco brand) | 200ct | $22 | Pizza needs sturdy plates | |
| Costco party-size cookies OR variety pack Optional | 1 box | $12 | Cheaper than cake · less mess · works as dessert | |
| Plastic cups (clear, 16oz, 100ct) | 1 pack | $10 | For water + soda | |
| Large trash bags (Glad or Hefty 30+gal) | 1 box | $15 | Get 30ct · leave extras for next event |
| ✓ | Item | Qty | Est | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Painter's tape (blue, 1in × 60yd) | 2 rolls | $10 | Safe for UAA walls | |
| Masking tape (general) | 1 roll | $3 | Backup | |
| Sharpie fine-point black | 12-pack | $10 | Name tags + signs | |
| Pens (basic ballpoint) | 12-pack | $4 | For check-in sign-up | |
| Avery 5395 name-tag sticker sheets | 1 pack (40 ct) | $10 | Wear-and-stick · easy | |
| Hand sanitizer (8oz) | 2 | $6 | Check-in + food table | |
| Wet wipes (refresh / Wet-Nap) | 2 packs | $5 | Pizza hands | |
| Paper towels (2-roll pack) | 1 | $5 | Spills | |
| Scissors (basic) | 2 | $5 | Event box · keep for future events |
| ✓ | Item | Qty | Est | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free-drawing prizes If "IN" on decisions | 5–8 | $50 | Local coffee gift card, books, stickers. Skip if not doing drawing. | |
| Custom stickers (StickerMule) Maybe | 100 | $40 | "Alaska Crypto Club · GPP 2026" — needs ~5 days lead time | |
| 3 small "fidget" toys / pizza-themed swag Maybe | 10 | $15 | Photo-friendly mini-items |
| ✓ | Item | Qty | Est | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ice (bag from gas station) | 2 bags | $8 | For drinks if cooler used | |
| Bouquet / 1 small floral arrangement Optional | 1 | $15 | At welcome / check-in · photographs well · trader joe's $7 bouquet works | |
| Anything forgotten | — | — | Save $20 buffer |
Verdict: probably not. Here's why:
If you really want a cake → order Mon May 18 from Fred Meyer bakery ($20–30 for a half-sheet), pick up Friday morning. Have a designated cake-cutter (1 volunteer).
Lean: ~$190 · Comfortable: ~$280
Compare to your $1,750 budget envelope — supplies are a small fraction. Pizza is the variable cost.