Greetings…Thanksgiving can be very expensive from buying the bird to getting all the little things to make up your meal..Here are just a few tips you can us.
Get your turkey for free. Many supermarkets offer free turkeys to customers who spend a certain amount of money during a promotional period. It is usually not difficult to spend the amount needed to earn a turkey, since the shopping period lasts long enough for you to have made several of your grocery buying trips. If you earn a free turkey, use it. If you don’t, chances are that one of your guests is eligible for one. And since she is not cooking Thanksgiving dinner, she will probably be happy to donate it to your gathering. Ask around.
Shop ahead. Clip your coupons and search the ads to check for when items you need are on sale. If you start early enough, you shouldn’t have to pay full price for a single item on your Thanksgiving dinner list.
Take inventory. Don’t wait until you are preparing a dish on that Thursday morning to find out you forgot to pick up an ingredient. Make a check list and go through your pantry to insure you have all items. Going to the store a couple of days ahead of time for the things you missed might be annoying, but you will spend less than if you have to make a quick run to a more expensive store that is the only one open on the morning of the holiday.
When guests ask what they can bring, don’t tell them to bring nothing. Turning down the offers of others to contribute something to the meal may seem like a gracious measure, but most people who offer actually want to contribute and are not just offering out of obligation. And since you already have a free turkey, why not let them help defray the costs of some of the side dishes and desserts as well?
