Yeah, that's one of those "tough pills to swallow". Everyone of course wants everything and they want to give up nothing. Prioritizing/triaging your own desires is a very tough skill to build, but if you can try to figure out "what do I want" and "what am I willing to trade to get what I want", you will probably find happiness in short order. If you genuinely don't want to spend the cash for a house party, don't do it. If you just want to run it cheaply, run it cheap: I recommend simple card games (Flip 7 is $10 and works with big groups) and some cheeeeeaaap potato chips, with water as the beverage (or ask people to bring their own whatever if they want). Tell them you're here to host games and chatting. Host, keep hosting, and get picky about who you invite back.