Grocery shopping has been stressful for a while now. Just doing the weekly shopping can be a nightmare. So, imagine how much anxiety you have if you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner this November with food prices going through the roof.
Hosting family or friends for the Thanksgiving holiday is a huge responsibility. You want dinner to be perfect and shopping for it can definitely put a dent in the family finances. What you don’t want is to break the bank to put a delicious Thanksgiving dinner on the table. Don’t worry, though. There are ways to have a fabulous Thanksgiving meal without running up an enormous food shopping bill. We have simple tips for doing Thanksgiving on a budget that won’t skip on taste.
Hosting Thanksgiving on a budget
Buying Halloween candy is getting scary enough every fall. If you’ve gone into your favorite grocery store to pick up some things for dinner and spent way too much on only a handful of items, you aren’t alone. We’ve all been there. Rising and unstable grocery prices can make you not want to host Thanksgiving.
The trick to making an amazing Thanksgiving dinner without overspending is to be economical. This Thanksgiving, try these money-saving tips to make sure you’re ready to dive into that holiday shopping when the leftovers are gone.
Make a holiday budget
Fall contains two big holidays that come right on the heels of that pricey back-to-school shopping. Then, when Halloween and Thanksgiving are over, you are left counting the shopping days until the December celebrations. All those charge bills can make your head spin. So, before you say yes to hosting Thanksgiving, sit down and make a holiday budget that covers Turkey Day and the winter holidays your family celebrates. Once your budget is in place, you know how much you can afford to spend on Thanksgiving and what comes after. The secret to a successful holiday budget is sticking to it.
Watch the sales
Grocery stores are swamped in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. Don’t leave the holiday shopping to the last minute. Instead, watch the sales and start to stock up on some of the nonperishable ingredients you’ll need to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. This also spreads out the cost over the month, as opposed to a huge bill right before Thanksgiving.
Use coupons
Digital and paper coupons are an awesome way to cut costs on your grocery bill. Scouring coupons online and going through those mailers can be a time-consuming task, but it does help save money. Hit sites like CouponMom and coupons.com before you head to the grocery store. Some manufacturers may offer seasonal coupons, too. Also, take advantage of any apps your local supermarkets have to offer. Many times, you’ll get special deals, rewards, and of course, digital coupons.
Shop at more than one store
If it seems like your local grocery store is gouging, it probably is. Check out the prices at other stores like Target, Walmart, Aldi, Lidl, and Trader Joe’s. Sometimes you may find that dairy products are cheaper at one place while baking goods are more cost-effective at a different one. When you spread your Thanksgiving shopping out, you’ll be able to find the stores that will give you the best deals on the ingredients you need for your holiday dinner.
Buy fresh instead of canned
Instead of getting sticker shock on the price of canned cranberry sauce, try making your own. It’s easier than you think. All you really need is a bag of fresh cranberries, water, and sugar. Yes, it’s that simple for a basic cranberry sauce.
Use seasonal produce
Making sides with seasonal produce like sweet potatoes, squash, broccoli, turnips, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, eggplant, and zucchini is cheaper than going for out-of-season veggies like green beans and asparagus. Out-of-season veggies will have a bigger price tag. If you must have an out-of-season vegetable, go frozen instead of fresh.
Buy generic brands
Name brands are definitely pricier, and they don’t necessarily taste better. Shave off some money by purchasing generic or store brands like Whole Foods’ 365 or Target’s Good and Gather.
Downgrade the appetizers
Appetizers don’t have to be super fancy to be inviting. Keep the appetizers simple. You don’t want guests filling up on the appetizers anyway. By offering less appetizers or skipping them all together, you are saving money while ensuring guests are hungry for dinner and dessert.
Take advantage of free turkey
If your grocery store has a holiday reward incentive offering a free holiday turkey, sign up. You may already have enough purchases for a free one.
Have less beverage options
Wine, alcohol, soda, water, milk, and even those juice boxes for the kids come with a price tag. Downgrade the beverage options to cut costs or ask guests to bring beverages to share.
Keep the sides simple
Like the appetizers, you don’t need to go overboard on the sides. There isn’t any need to have several different sides just because it’s Thanksgiving. Oftentimes, hosts end up with way too many leftovers that often go to waste.
Hit up warehouse stores
Buying in bulk for some holiday stapes may be a money saver. So, check out Costco or BJ’s to see if they have more cost-effective holiday shopping options for you. Just don’t buy any holiday food items you know are going to go to waste.
Skip the flowers
Don’t head to the flower shop for a pretty centerpiece. Fresh flowers are expensive, even the ones you get in the grocery store. Instead, put the kids to work making a homemade, Thanksgiving-inspired centerpiece. You can even skip it all together. The Thanksgiving table is always filled with dishes, and the flowers usually get put on the side anyway.
Go potluck
Having one relative in the family shoulder the cost for Thanksgiving dinner is quite a bit to ask, especially these days. Spread out the costs of the annual Thanksgiving dinner by having a potluck. Each guest can bring one or more dishes, while the host family makes the turkey. You can also assign guests a beverage or a dessert to bring. This way the price of Thanksgiving doesn’t fall on one person or family. Potlucks can be super fun and a great way to try different sides, too.
With the rising and unpredictable cost of food these days, shopping for Thanksgiving can be a big source of anxiety. Thanksgiving is sandwiched right between Halloween and those very expensive December holidays. Instead of getting stressed out and putting a big dent in the family finances, try these tips to host Thanksgiving on a budget. With our money-saving suggestions, you can cut your Thanksgiving shopping bills so your finances aren’t overloaded before the holiday gift shopping really gets rolling.
