Feast Without the Financial Hangover: 5 Genius Ways to Save Big on Thanksgiving
Groceries eating a hole in your wallet? Don’t cancel the turkey just yet! Here are five clever, wallet-friendly ways to pull off an unforgettable Thanksgiving dinner without breaking the bank.
- Use your freezer for more than just ice cubes: Stock up on items for your Thanksigivng dinner that go on sale in early November that are able to be frozen until then. For instance, if your favorite baking apples and pie crust go on sale, make the pie now with them and freeze it until Thanksgiving. Not only will it save you money, but it’ll ease the amount of things you have to do when the holiday actually gets here.
- Scout out supermarket flyers and shop ahead: Lots of grocery stores slash turkey prices around the holidays – or give them away for free if you spend a certain amount. Be sure to check the store’s website or app for when and if this happens, and grab your bird then. You can freeze it until Thanksgiving.
- Don’t pay extra for things you can do yourself: Some shortcuts come with a bigger price tag. For instance, baby carrots tend to cost more than large carrots. If you have a good knife, buy the large carrots to save some money and cut them into smaller portions yourself.
- Fresh is not always best: Yes, we know you want fresh veggies. But you really can make a very inexpensive first-course vegetable soup by using canned veggies. It’ll be about 80% cheaper than fresh and 50% cheaper than frozen. Think tomatoes, potatoes and beans. Plus, canned veggies are already diced and cleaned, so they’ll save you prep time, too.
- Move up the time that dinner is served: Instead of serving your meal at 4 PM or later, move it up to 1 PM or somewhere closer to that. Having your meal earlier will lessen the need for lots of expensive appetizers and alcohol that are traditionally served to hold guests over until the big meal.
Source: BU
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