Did you know that Americans spend an average of almost $3 billion on holidays? Each year, the average cost spent for Thanksgiving dinners continue to increase. Last 2015, it was $50.11, $0.70 more than the previous year. It’s very easy to overspend during this time of the year and as much as you want to go all out, you still want some budget left for December, right? So I’ve put together a list of 5 simple and easy ways to lower your expenses for this year’s Thanksgiving celebration.
1. Start making your list and shop early.
Don’t wait till last minute before you do your shopping because prices can get higher on the days leading up to Thanksgiving. However, for perishable items, obviously, you can shop way too early or you’ll end up wasting them.
2. Keep it simple.
If you are on a tight budget, don’t feel compelled to host a fancy and extravagant Thanksgiving party. You don’t need to load up your menu with lots of recipes and ingredients. And who says that you need to prepare 10 sides? Stick with the simple, affordable but tried and true recipes that you and your family love. Not only will you save money, but save your time preparing and cooking as well. Same goes for the wine – you don’t need to “impress” your guests with expensive bottles. There are a lot of low-cost but high quality wines that you can get anyway.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask your guests to bring their own dish.
Potlucks are great opportunities to save money on parties. So host a “bring your own dish” Thanksgiving celebration to have multiple dishes without damaging your bank account.
4. Use coupons wisely.
Sometimes, couponing can lead you to buying stuff you don’t actually need but if used wisely, it can really help big time. This is when tip #1 comes handy because you’ll have a lot of time to check your shopping list, look at ingredients and look for online coupons from the specific item or brand that you want to buy.
5. Don’t spend a lot of decorations.
Make use of what you already have at home or items that you can get outside like leaves, twigs and pinecones. Also check Pinterest for DIY Thanksgiving Party projects that you can use for decorations.
To sum it all up, it’s not about the money spent on the celebration but it’s about family, gratitude, and the memories you make with the people you love.
