Starting stacks 8 quarters, 18 $1, 1 $5. Keep giving out 8/18/1 until there are 100 quarters and 200 $1 in play. Then just $5s.
In a 500 set I would go for 25nl
100 .25
200 $1
200 $5 and then let $20s play (cash).
You want to keep it small then don't up the buyins. Half the biggest stack just means the buyin keeps escalating all night. If someone doesn't like it, the answer is "play better".
But the correct answer is you need more chips for a cash set than you need for tournaments. Ideally at least 800. When you have only a few chips in front of you, even if they are high denom, you feel short stacked and there will be more rebuys. Also you will be making change more often, slowing down the game and if everyone has lots of change then you avoid the interminable questions everytime someone uses an oversize chip "is that a call or raise?".
Also don't put $50s in play. Each denom should be a ratio of 4-5 times higher than the previous. No casino has $50s.
