Going out is great but sometimes we just want to stay home. If you're planning to stay home with guests, there are lots of ways you can entertain them without spending huge amounts of money or going to a lot of trouble. Here are five top tips for entertaining guests at home.

Host a dinner party

No discussion about entertaining guests at home would be complete without beginning with the dinner party. The most popular form of entertaining there is, dinner parties are a great way to socialise with friends and family and bring people together to enjoy great food, great wine and great conversation.
It can require quite the investment in time and money but rewards it all with a great evening. If you want to save a little money, ask everyone to bring a bottle or a dish to eat. It can all be part of the experience!

Cocktail evening

Holding a cocktail evening is cheaper than a dinner party and doesn't require as much cooking. It does, however, require a well-stocked drinks cabinet, plenty of glasses, lots of ice and a knowledge of cocktails.
Fortunately, none of it is hard to come by. You can all take turns making cocktails, learning as you go. Either keep it sophisticated with some light conversation or turn it into a mixology lesson with a little light-hearted fun.
Don't forget to make some light snacks to line the stomach. You could also consider a 'mocktail' night instead if you don't want to drink alcohol.

Games night

If you and your friends or family have common interests, they can be turned into entertainment. Whether it's cards, board games, wargames or computer games, having people round for a night of friendly competition can be a great way to entertain guests at home.
All you will need to do is prepare the games, the drinks and some light snacks. Everything else will take care of itself.

Movie night

One for the girls, one for the boys, occasionally one for both. The hardest thing about arranging a movie night is finding films that everyone will enjoy. That's why it's often easier to separate girls and boys as our tastes are completely different. However, if you're lucky enough to be able to satisfy the tastes of everyone you're on solid ground.
All you need are the movies, some popcorn, light snacks and drinks. The rest will follow.

Barbecue

Eating outside is something we can all enjoy. Hosting a barbeque is a great way to entertain guests at home and enjoy some time outdoors at the same time. As long as you have the garden space and a decent barbeque, the rest is easy. Guests can come and go as they please, mingle as much as they want and eat as much, or as little, as they like.

Prepare some cold foods in advance, get plenty of meat and vegetables for the barbeque and let the fun commence!