Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is only a few short weeks away. Whether you’re traveling across the county or staying local, there are things that require planning and that doesn’t even begin to touch the Thanksgiving meal.
While the Thanksgiving meal is a non-negotiable tradition for most people, it can also be a hectic time with all the preparation involved. There is also the cost aspect to be considered. No one really wants to be cheap when it comes to the Thanksgiving meal, but it does add up if you don’t plan it out beforehand. The average cost of a Thanksgiving meal, for a family of 10, was roughly $50 last year. If that is a number you want to reduce, there are ways to do so without scrimping on taste or flair. Here are four ideas:
Have a potluck:
It can be easy to assume that the hosting family will be the ones serving the meal. It makes sense, on one level, as they’re hosting. However, this puts the cost of the entire meal onto one family or individual. Instead of doing this, take the potluck approach.
Having a potluck has two main benefits: It lowers cost for all involved and it allows everyone to take part in the Thanksgiving cooking fun. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy everyone’s cooking. Decide together what the meal will entail and divide up the cooking responsibilities so that each family is responsible for bringing two items. Keep in mind as the hosting family you will likely want to do the turkey or other meats as it’ll keep others from the hassle of transporting the main course.
Shop the sales:
Retailers are smart. They know when we’ll be shopping heavily for items and Thanksgiving is no different. In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, it’s common to see many of the more traditional Thanksgiving meal items be put on sale and often at a good discount. Make sure to scan the ads to find what the best deals are and also be on the lookout for loss leader deals they’re offering for an even steeper discount.
One sale that is commonly seen is turkey and ham deals where you buy one to get the other free or at a discount. On the surface, this sounds like a great deal. However, do the math to make sure it really is as many stores like to have conditions on the deal. If you’re not a fan of one of the items it may not make financial sense to get the deal. This is also a great time to stock up for your Christmas meal, assuming you have the same basic items then.
Go generic:
Some people do not care for generic items, especially when it comes to food. You want to be sensitive to that, of course, but buying generic can be a great way to save some money on your Thanksgiving meal. Many of the staple items can be found in generic form for 50 percent or more off the name brand cost without sacrificing quality or taste.
One other option to the generic theme is considering discount stores. You can often find deeply discounted food items there that taste just as good as their more expensive counterparts.
Decorations:
Many people like to decorate their homes for Thanksgiving. Whether it be some sort of decoration for the front door or a lovely centerpiece, lots of people like to pull out all the stops when family comes over for a holiday meal. The problem is many of those items can easily add up in price for something that’ll likely only be out for a few days at best.
As opposed to buying something expensive, consider other options that will shave the cost considerably. Depending on where you live, you may be able to find items outside to use to decorate while also repurposing things around the house. Beyond that, the Dollar Store could be a great option for holiday decorations as can many craft stores — especially by taking advantage of their sales leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Thanksgiving is a holiday loved by many, and for good reason. With a little forethought, you can save money on the festivities without sacrificing fun or flavor.
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