12 Steps To Recession-Proof Your Thanksgiving

In these extremely rough economic times, many families worry about how they will be able to afford food for their family and friends for the holidays. If you are among those people and have been wondering how you will be able to keep up with all of the holiday expenses, you are certainly not alone. Read on to discover the tips that can help you stop worrying about all the hefty prices and take action now, so that you can finally enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday stress-free. 

Skip the Turkey 

Skip the turkey? You might be thinking that's ridiculous as it's known to be one of the staples of thanksgiving dinners! Before you freak out, though, consider that skipping the turkey actually may not be such a bad idea. Consider the fact that although the turkey is the dish most closely associated with the classic Thanksgiving meal, it really doesn't have to be. When you get to the core of Thanksgiving and why we celebrate the holiday, to be thankful, the turkey is really not that significant. Thanksgiving is about giving thanks and spending time with your family and friends. It's not about buying a really expensive turkey and can be celebrated with any meal. If you can get on board with the idea of not serving turkey this thanksgiving, you can cut your budget down by a good bit, as the bird is almost always the most expensive item on the Thanksgiving table. 

Shop Early 

If you didn't already know, most shops inflate their prices around the time of thanksgiving as that's when most people are going shopping for thanksgiving meals. This means things that used to be only a slight expensive could now be at ridiculous prices.

So, don’t wait until right before the holiday to purchase your thanksgiving trimmings. Shop early and buy as many of those items as you can now. Many items, such as canned veggies or bagged stuffing mixes, have a long shelf life and can be purchased in advance. Shopping early will be less stressful in the long run and will help you avoid inflated holiday pricing. 

Take Advantage of Free Turkey Offers 

Nearly all of the major food store chains offer free turkeys or sometimes ham for Thanksgiving. The deal is that several weeks before Thanksgiving, you begin accumulating points for the dollars that you spend at the store. The store has a preset point or dollar amount goal. If you’re a repeat weekly shopper to the same food store, then you’ll have no problem reaching your point goal and receiving your free turkey. 

Host a Potluck 

Having a potluck Thanksgiving is a great idea to take the financial pressure off of the host, learn new recipes and get the family involved. Tell your guests you’ll make the bird if they bring the sides and desserts. You could divide and conquer the Thanksgiving Day meal using less money and less time and it may be fun to learn some old family recipes or even some new ones, and best of all, less work for you. 

Scale Back On Food 

On Thanksgiving, American families waste an estimated 25% of all of the food cooked in preparation for Thanksgiving dinner. Your meal does not need to include all the trimmings, especially if you find yourself throwing out the bulk of it a few days after Thanksgiving. Scale down your meal, prepare less accompaniments and try cooking only what you’re sure will be eaten. This will help you to avoid unnecessary spending and unnecessary waste. 

Make Use of Leftovers 

If you just can’t help yourself and need to make a large turkey with all the trimmings, be sure you have an idea of what to do with the leftovers. You can plan a week worth of eating with Thanksgiving Day leftovers. For example: turkey sandwiches, turkey soup, turkey salad, and turkey potpie. 

Money Saving Tips 

Make A Budget and Stick To It 

Sit down and work out a holiday budget. Figure out what items you need to purchase and how much money you need to have in order to buy those items.  Cut corners here and there, such as skipping dinners out or scaling back on trips to over-priced coffee shops.

Most importantly, once you've made a budget, stick with it! Another good way to save money in the long run is to look ahead to other upcoming holidays such as Christmas or New Year when purchasing your Thanksgiving food. Buying in bulk can amount in significant savings. 

Hit the Coin Jar 

Many people have a loose change jar. If you are one of those people, all that loose change can certainly add up and come in quite handy around the holidays. Start saving up your loose change early and watch the jar fill up in no time. Begin counting your coins as Thanksgiving draws near and chances are that you’ll have accumulated enough spare change to make a nice dent in your Thanksgiving holiday bill. 

Stash Some Money from Your Paycheck 

As soon as you think about needing to save some money, start stashing a few bucks from each paycheck to put away for Thanksgiving dinner. If you start saving your money ahead of time it will lessen the impact of your Thanksgiving dinner bill when the shopping day arrives. Save your money in a separate bank account or simply put it in a Thanksgiving fund jar or envelope. 

Sell Some Stuff to Make Extra Money 

Do you have a bunch of unwanted items you’re just dying to get rid of? Well now is the time. Take to the Internet on a buy and sell site and sell your unneeded items. You’ll be surprised to see how much money you can make. Put your earnings away for your holiday feast. If you’re not Internet savvy, consider a yard sale to get rid of your stuff and make a few quick dollars. 

Use Coupons 

All stores accept coupons and many of them double the value of the coupons that you use. If your store does this, take advantage of the service and begin collecting coupons for items that you’ll need for the holiday. Additionally, many food stores will generate their own coupons that are typically attached to your purchase receipt. These coupons are a way for the store to gain repeat business and may include a percentage or dollar amount off of your next shopping order, so always be sure to check all of your receipts before you toss them in the trash. 

Has the upcoming holiday season been putting a strain on your brain as well as your wallet? Have no fear, using a few money saving tips can help you to have a worry- free Thanksgiving dinner. Cutting back on the grand tradition may be easier than you think and you may be able to have the best Thanksgiving dinner ever and save some cash in the process.