Senior year is full of small expenses, but they quickly add up to large unnecessary sums of money. One of the biggest money pits is prom.

The $135 per couple ticket to prom was a bank-breaker for some. Unfortunately, the money spending doesn’t end there. Totaled, prom can add up to well over $600.

Tickets: $135

Dress: $150

Shoes: $80

Hair: $60 (plus tip)

Makeup: $60 (plus tip)

Manicure/Pedicure: $30 (plus tip)

Bus/Limo: $50 (plus tip)

Boutonniere: $15

Group Extras (matching shirts, for example): $15

Total (excluding tips): $595

How can this sad, but true, information be used to your advantage? Avoid falling into any of the traps listed above.

While the ticket price is non-negotiable, a dress and pair of shoes can easily be borrowed from a friend or recycled from a previous dance. You can do your own hair, nails and makeup. Forego the bus by driving with your date to prom. Get a standard boutonniere (a single red rose and baby’s breath should be no more than $10) and decide if it’s really worth it for you to pitch in and get a shirt or customized pinnie to match with the rest of your friends.

Skipping those frills saves $435. Treat yourself to a Starbucks frappucino or 96 with all the money you have left over!