Hosting Thanksgiving can be exhausting, scary, stressful, and outrageously expensive! With the current economy and many families feeling the squeeze on their purse strings, hosting this year might not be an easy feat. That's why we're offering some tips and tricks designed to keep things a little cheaper and a lot easier so that you can enjoy the holiday with less stress and frustration!
Tips on how to save on the cost of "The Bird"!
- The cost of a turkey usually takes up 40 percent of your Thanksgiving meal budget. To save money purchase a store-brand frozen turkey instead of a fresh one. Many Shoprite stores even give them out for free if you purchase over $400 worth of groceries in November.
- Coupons, Coupons, Coupons! Some Grocery Stores give coupons for dollars off a certain purchase amount. Use these for your turkey purchase!
- Does your store have a rewards card where you collect points? If so they might have a program where you can use those points for a free turkey!
- Who says you have to cook a whole turkey? Especially for smaller families, a turkey breast might be the better and possibly cheaper option!
- Lastly, if you do not want to put the money out for a turkey then go nontraditional and cook chicken!
Tips for the rest of the meal.
- Potluck! Have each of your guests bring a part of the meal. This works great for those hosting a larger family get-together. You provide the main dish and have the rest of your guests provide the appetizers, sides, and desserts! Just remember to keep a list of who is bringing what dish!
- Keep your dishes simple. Less complicated dishes often require fewer ingredients but taste just as good!
- Buy frozen vegetables and boxed items. No one is going to know that the green beans in the green bean casserole were frozen or that the stuffing in the turkey is Stove Top! In addition, remember Coupons, Coupons, Coupons!
- Buy in bulk and share with a neighbor. YOU may not need 15 pounds of potatoes but if you share the cost and split the bag with a neighbor it may save BOTH of you money! The same thing goes for items such as eggs, flour, sugar, bread.....
- Buy store brand instead of name brand. When the butter is on a butter dish and the jellied cranberry sauce is sliced and on a pretty plate no one will know what kind it is!
- Comparison shop between stores!
- Go to the store with a list and stick to it! Impulse buys tend to add up.
Tips for the decor and table setting.
- Thanksgiving is a great time to use nature for your decor. Have the kids collect leaves and pine cones for the table. Check out our pine cone craft idea.
- Worried that you don't have enough good china for everyone? Don't panic. Either try to borrow the items you need or go for a modern and eclectic theme and use mismatched items!
- The Dollar Store can be your best friend. There you can purchase glassware, place settings, decorations etc. at a much more reasonable price!
We hope that these tips have helped to ease your mind and have given you a place to start. And remember that Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy your family and just be together - not how much money you spend!
Be sure to tell local businesses and events you found them
on Macaroni Kid Greater Woodbridge
and make sure to tell all your friends!
 |  |  |  |  |
