10 Tips to Enjoy Thanksgiving on a Budget
Thanksgiving is fast-approaching! Cue the delicious meal, good times with loved ones, and hopefully no “crazy uncle” drama. 👀
If you’re hosting Thanksgiving, you’ve probably got a lot on your plate (no pun intended 🤭). Wouldn’t it be nice to keep Thanksgiving budget-friendly? You have enough things to think about. A crazy high grocery bill doesn’t have to be one of them.
And even if you’re not hosting, it’ll still be nice to keep your Thanksgiving contribution within budget.
So, here are 10 tips to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner without breaking the bank.
Tip #1: Shop your kitchen first.
This is a great habit to do all the time, but it can definitely be helpful for Thanksgiving.
After you put together your Thanksgiving menu, take inventory of what you already have in your kitchen. No blind shopping! If you think about it, a lot of Thanksgiving dishes are made from ingredients that you probably keep on hand anyway. You may already have some of what you need for your Thanksgiving meal!
So, make sure you’re not double-buying. (Don’t you hate buying something at the grocery store just to come home and find out you already have it? 🙄)
And, if you really want to save some money, challenge yourself to create your Thanksgiving menu (or decide the dish you’re bringing) based on what you already have in the house. Then, you only have to shop for whatever ingredients you need to complete the dish(es) you have in mind.
Tip #2: Look for budget-friendly recipes.
Do a Google search for “budget-friendly Thanksgiving recipes.” The internet has no shortage of great suggestions. Lots of delicious ideas that keep costs low.
If I’m being honest, my aim was to find one particularly great blog post or article filled with ideas for this. I was going to link to it here. But then I was like, “Nah…everybody has different tastes when it comes to what they think is delicious versus what they think is just…not.”
So, I’ll let you decide what constitutes “great” budget-friendly Thanksgiving recipes. 😉
Tip #3: Cut turkey costs.
I hope I’m not offending you too deeply with this tip. 😅 I know a lot of people feel like Thanksgiving just isn’t Thanksgiving without the turkey. Buuuut…here’s a tip for if you’re open to switching things up a little bit.
The turkey is often the most expensive part of the meal. So consider some of these alternatives to a whole turkey:
Turkey breast tenderloin
Turkey legs
Cornish hens
Rotisserie chicken
Going with an alternative can help cut costs.
Tip #4: Make a shopping list.
Please don’t grocery shop off the top of your head. With a list, you’ll shop strategically, which will help you keep to your budget.
Plus, as Thanksgiving approaches, grocery stores do their marketing thing. Products are displayed in all the right places to entice you to buy. A list will help you stay focused on what you came for, instead of getting lured in by all the things.
Tip #5: Shop early.
Try to avoid shopping just days before Thanksgiving. If you can shop for most of your items a few weeks out, there will be more of a selection in stores. That way, you can pick and choose the items that work best for your budget.
The closer you get to Thanksgiving, the emptier the shelves will likely be. Then, you’ll find yourself having to purchase whatever’s left. And chances are, everyone will have already swiped all the low- and mid-priced products. You’ll be left buying the most expensive version of some of the items you need. 😔
Tip #6: Buy generic.
Let’s be honest. With a lot of items (although, admittedly not all), you can’t even tell the difference between generic and name brand. If that’s the case, go with the generic store brand! You’ll save some money, and at Thanksgiving, the guests will be none the wiser.
The brand isn’t what makes a dish good anyway. It’s how you cook it. 😋 (No pressure lol.)
Tip #7: Keep a running total.
While you’re shopping, keep a running total in your phone. And if you want to make things a little easier and less tedious, just round to the nearest dollar.
Doing this will keep you aware as you shop. In turn, it’ll help you make more informed decisions about what to buy and not buy.
If you think to yourself, “I should also get some of this and make an 8th side,” you can look at your running total. If you’re already creeping close to your maximum budget and you know you’ve still got other essentials to get, you might decide to forego that 8th side. 😜
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Tip #8: Order grocery pickup or delivery.
It might be helpful not to go to the grocery store at all!
Ordering grocery pickup or delivery could keep costs in line. Since you’re not in the store, you’re not being tempted to go rogue and buy a bunch of things that weren’t a part of the plan lol.
Tip #9: Make it a potluck.
Don’t go at it alone! If you’re hosting, have guests each bring a dish (or two). It eases the burden cost-wise and effort-wise. It’s a win-win!
Plus, it’s kind of fun (and delicious) to have everyone bring that one thing they’re really good at making. Thanksgiving dinner at its finest! 😋
Tip #10: Create a Thanksgiving sinking fund.
Depending on when you’re reading this, it may be a little late to start a sinking fund for this Thanksgiving, but it’s a great idea to start one for next year!
If you’re not familiar with sinking funds, it’s essentially a savings fund created for a specific purpose/use – in this case, Thanksgiving expenses. You put a little money into it each month, so that you have what you need by the time Thanksgiving comes back around.
By using a sinking fund, you’re not stretching your November budget thin with those higher Thanksgiving-related expenses. Instead, you’re spreading the cost of Thanksgiving out over time. You’re prepared to handle Thanksgiving expenses without the money headache.
Conclusion
On Thanksgiving, you should be able to focus on 3 things:
giving thanks
gathering together with your loved ones, and
enjoying a meal you’ve been looking forward to since the night before (or maybe longer? I’m not judging 😉)
Stressing about Thanksgiving expenses doesn’t make the #4 spot here!
While Thanksgiving can cost a pretty penny, it doesn’t have to! These 10 tips will help you enjoy an amazing Thanksgiving while keeping things reasonable and on budget.
Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃
Which of these tips do you find most helpful? Share in the comments!
