The economy is likely to pinch most people’s entertaining budgets this holiday season. But don’t stop decking the halls quite yet. There are plenty of ways to throw a nice bash without breaking the bank.

Start by skipping the idea of a big dinner that calls for pricier foods. Hands down, finger foods will be a better bargain.

Serving a selection of festive hors d’oeuvres is an inexpensive way to put out an impressive spread that will offer something to please everyone without the effort and expense of putting on a whole meal.

Of course, warehouse clubs can be a good place to shop, but there are also plenty of options at your local grocer, especially if you are willing to explore the store a bit more thoroughly.

Venturing into the international sections of the market will yield inexpensive, yet exotic options for nibbling.

In the Asian section, you’ll find plenty of tasty snack mixes, such as those made with sweet and salty glazed rice crackers and sesame sticks. Also look for crunchy dried peas coated with wasabi, as well as the traditional selection of crispy noodles similar to what you might find at a Chinese restaurant. Jarred dips and sauces also will be plentiful in this aisle.

Italian and Spanish food sections also are filled with relatively inexpensive jarred items, such as marinated mushrooms and peppers, roasted vegetable dips and canned delicacies such as oysters, anchovies and octopus.

There are a few other cost-saving strategies to keep in mind when planning your party. Consider passing trays of hors d’oeuvres instead of putting out a buffet. Kids love taking on this job, and it will make your food last longer.

If you are going to serve more than soft drinks, avoid an open bar, which you will have to stock with a wide variety of liquors, beer and wine. Instead, serve a single signature cocktail, such as margaritas or mojitos, and perhaps a single type of beer or wine, which can be purchased at cheaper prices by the case.

These Mexican tortilla cups (recipe at left) have the crowd-pleasing flavors of tangy cheese and salsa, and can be prepared for less than 20 cents each.

They take only 30 minutes to make, but if you like, you can prepare the crispy tortilla cups up to a week ahead and store them in an airtight container. The fully assembled cups can be baked up to 2 days ahead, then reheated in a 350-degree oven.

CHEESEY TORTILLA CUPS

Start to finish: 30 minutes (15 minutes active)

Servings: 40

10 fajita-sized flour tortillas, quartered

1 lg egg

1 C grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

34 C cream cheese, softened

12 C frozen corn kernels

34 C chunky tomato salsa, divided

12 C chopped fresh cilantro, divided

14 tsp ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Lightly oil three mini-muffin pans, or coat them with nonstick cooking spray. Press the tortilla quarters into the muffin cups, letting the points stick up. Bake for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool slightly. Leave the oven on.

In a medium bowl, lightly beat the egg with a fork. Stir in the grated cheese, cream cheese, corn, 14 cup of the salsa, 14 cup of the cilantro and the pepper. Spoon some of the mixture into each tortilla cup.

Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the filling is set. Let the cups cool for 5 minutes, then top each with about 12 teaspoon of the remaining salsa and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro.