How to Save Money on Thanksgiving Expenses
Make a budget for your Thanksgiving dinner., Make smart shopping decisions., Plan for smaller portions., Make the most of your food budget., Save money on alcohol., Organize a potluck.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Make a budget for your Thanksgiving dinner.
Look at your monthly budget and what’s in your bank account and decide how much you can afford to spend on Thanksgiving dinner.
If you have any record of what you spent on the holiday last year, consider whether it is realistic to spend the same amount or if you will need to spend less.
Considering your available budget for the occasion, determine how many people you can afford to invite and what recipes you can afford to make.
Make a budget line for the main dish such as turkey or vegetarian options.
Look at how much you spent on the main dish last year, and consider whether you need to spend less this year.
Make a budget line for appetizers and side dishes.
Make a budget line for desserts and beverages.
Consider whether you have to invite less people this year or whether you might be able to organize the party in a different way.
For example, you could save money by inviting fewer people, which would require less money spent on food, or you could save money by asking guests to bring some of the dishes or beverages. -
Step 2: Make smart shopping decisions.
Once you have determined your budget, you should spend your money wisely.
Start by choosing the cheapest grocery store in your area, which you can determine by comparing prices for products like milk, eggs, canned goods, and meat.
You should also compare prices on Thanksgiving products such as cranberry sauce.Once you have determined the cheapest grocery store, you can download coupons, buy generic canned goods, and sale items.You can find coupons at online coupon hubs as Coupons.com and Smartsource.com.You can try checking out your own groceries.
If you have to check out your own groceries, you may be less likely to purchase frivolous products.Bring a grocery list and shop alone.
If you shop alone, you are less likely to make impulse purchases.
Typically, impulse purchases happen when people shop together and there is a lack of coordination between shoppers.You may also want to learn more general tips for saving on grocery expenses. , The Thanksgiving holiday can be incredibly wasteful, with approximately 25% of all prepared food going to waste.One way to cut down on waste is to plan for more realistic portions so that guests don’t fill up huge plates and feel embarrassed about not finishing their food.
Instead of large plates and big portions, plan your meal for smaller portions and use small plates.This will not only cut down on waste but also save you money, since you will need less food. , The best way to save money on Thanksgiving expenses is to make smart financial choices.
Figure out what products you can purchase cheaply and what products might be worth spending more on, as well as whether there are any items that you can replace or avoid altogether.
If you are making smaller portions this year, you may be able to skip one of the side dishes you typically make.
If you normally buy organic, you could try limiting the number of organic vegetables you purchase.
Know when to buy organic.
Produce like potatoes, celery, apples, lettuce, pears, grapes, and spinach should be sourced organically because the conventional versions will contain pesticides.
However, you can save money by purchasing conventional produce when it comes to other vegetables such as corn, peas, and cabbage.
In other words, make wise decisions when it comes to which produce you source locally and organically and which produce you source from a conventional farm.Try buying a smaller turkey or turkey breasts instead of a big bird.
Try skipping the turkey.
Thanksgiving turkeys are typically quite expensive, so you could save money by making an alternative Thanksgiving dinner.
For example, you could try a Thanksgiving casserole, Thanksgiving burritos, or a Thanksgiving pizza.If you are vegan or vegetarian, there are a variety of vegetable and mushroom roast recipes and products.
Do your research and find the cheaper products., You could make your Thanksgiving dinner a bring your own beverage event (i.e., BYOB) or you could serve sparkling cider instead of wine.
You could also buy boxed wine, which can be cheaper for serving a large number of people., An excellent way of saving money is to distribute the expenses of Thanksgiving dinner amongst your wider family and friend group.
Get all of your guests to bring one dish to the party and enjoy a potluck Thanksgiving feast.
It also makes the entire experience more fun because you get to chat about cooking experiences and try recipes you wouldn’t have otherwise considered.If your guests are unfamiliar with the idea of a potluck, you can share this article explaining the process of contributing to a potluck dinner. -
Step 3: Plan for smaller portions.
-
Step 4: Make the most of your food budget.
-
Step 5: Save money on alcohol.
-
Step 6: Organize a potluck.
Detailed Guide
Look at your monthly budget and what’s in your bank account and decide how much you can afford to spend on Thanksgiving dinner.
If you have any record of what you spent on the holiday last year, consider whether it is realistic to spend the same amount or if you will need to spend less.
Considering your available budget for the occasion, determine how many people you can afford to invite and what recipes you can afford to make.
Make a budget line for the main dish such as turkey or vegetarian options.
Look at how much you spent on the main dish last year, and consider whether you need to spend less this year.
Make a budget line for appetizers and side dishes.
Make a budget line for desserts and beverages.
Consider whether you have to invite less people this year or whether you might be able to organize the party in a different way.
For example, you could save money by inviting fewer people, which would require less money spent on food, or you could save money by asking guests to bring some of the dishes or beverages.
Once you have determined your budget, you should spend your money wisely.
Start by choosing the cheapest grocery store in your area, which you can determine by comparing prices for products like milk, eggs, canned goods, and meat.
You should also compare prices on Thanksgiving products such as cranberry sauce.Once you have determined the cheapest grocery store, you can download coupons, buy generic canned goods, and sale items.You can find coupons at online coupon hubs as Coupons.com and Smartsource.com.You can try checking out your own groceries.
If you have to check out your own groceries, you may be less likely to purchase frivolous products.Bring a grocery list and shop alone.
If you shop alone, you are less likely to make impulse purchases.
Typically, impulse purchases happen when people shop together and there is a lack of coordination between shoppers.You may also want to learn more general tips for saving on grocery expenses. , The Thanksgiving holiday can be incredibly wasteful, with approximately 25% of all prepared food going to waste.One way to cut down on waste is to plan for more realistic portions so that guests don’t fill up huge plates and feel embarrassed about not finishing their food.
Instead of large plates and big portions, plan your meal for smaller portions and use small plates.This will not only cut down on waste but also save you money, since you will need less food. , The best way to save money on Thanksgiving expenses is to make smart financial choices.
Figure out what products you can purchase cheaply and what products might be worth spending more on, as well as whether there are any items that you can replace or avoid altogether.
If you are making smaller portions this year, you may be able to skip one of the side dishes you typically make.
If you normally buy organic, you could try limiting the number of organic vegetables you purchase.
Know when to buy organic.
Produce like potatoes, celery, apples, lettuce, pears, grapes, and spinach should be sourced organically because the conventional versions will contain pesticides.
However, you can save money by purchasing conventional produce when it comes to other vegetables such as corn, peas, and cabbage.
In other words, make wise decisions when it comes to which produce you source locally and organically and which produce you source from a conventional farm.Try buying a smaller turkey or turkey breasts instead of a big bird.
Try skipping the turkey.
Thanksgiving turkeys are typically quite expensive, so you could save money by making an alternative Thanksgiving dinner.
For example, you could try a Thanksgiving casserole, Thanksgiving burritos, or a Thanksgiving pizza.If you are vegan or vegetarian, there are a variety of vegetable and mushroom roast recipes and products.
Do your research and find the cheaper products., You could make your Thanksgiving dinner a bring your own beverage event (i.e., BYOB) or you could serve sparkling cider instead of wine.
You could also buy boxed wine, which can be cheaper for serving a large number of people., An excellent way of saving money is to distribute the expenses of Thanksgiving dinner amongst your wider family and friend group.
Get all of your guests to bring one dish to the party and enjoy a potluck Thanksgiving feast.
It also makes the entire experience more fun because you get to chat about cooking experiences and try recipes you wouldn’t have otherwise considered.If your guests are unfamiliar with the idea of a potluck, you can share this article explaining the process of contributing to a potluck dinner.
About the Author
Sharon Scott
Sharon Scott specializes in lifestyle and practical guides and has been creating helpful content for over 3 years. Sharon is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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