The festive season is rolling around – a time for joyful gatherings with loved ones. Yet, with the excitement of the holidays comes the challenge of major financial commitments. This season can be demanding on your budget, but it needn’t be this way. You can enjoy all the merriment without breaking the bank. As we approach Thanksgiving, let talk about the top 3 strategies to enjoy delicious meals without straining your finances.
1. PRE-BUYING ESSENTIALS
Preparing for the festive season in advance often works in your favor. This includes stocking up on ingredients necessary for your holiday meals. Keeping track of sales and grabbing the items that have a longer shelf-life is a smart tactic to keep your Thanksgiving budget in check.
For instance, I plan to make a significant amount of toffee over the coming months. The recipe uses only five ingredients:
• Raw Cane Sugar
• Butter
• Vanilla
• Dark Chocolate Chips
• Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
I start to shop for organic vanilla, dark chocolate chips, and raw cane sugar a few months before Thanksgiving. This strategy allows me to purchase these items at a discount during the off-season, which is a great benefit.
So, consider what you’ll be cooking this Thanksgiving, and keep an eye out for those ingredients. This proactive approach will help you avoid paying increased prices during the holiday season and save you more money.
2. ORGANIZING A POTLUCK
Years ago, I started attending potlucks and was amazed by their practicality. Not only do they minimize the costs for the host but also cuts down cooking efforts and cleaning time. Around the holiday season, it’s fun to see what dishes others contribute, leading to a variety of new foods to explore.
Having one person coordinate this event helps maintain variety in the spread, so you aren’t stuck with multiple versions of the same dish.
The organizer sends a list to everyone, allowing them to choose what they wish to bring. This ensures everyone’s aware of the existing menu, helping avoid duplicates.
Alternatively, if you already have a menu planned, the organizer can share a list of items that needs to be brought. This leaves less for the guests to think about but requires more preparation from the organizer.
We’ve found this system works well in our family since it keeps Thanksgiving affordable and fun. I usually manage the coordination by sharing last year’s list while leaving a few spaces open for new dishes. About a week ahead of Thanksgiving, I remind everyone of what they signed up to bring. It’s an effective method for a budget-friendly feast!
3. UTILIZING GROCERY APPS
I’ve been taking advantage of grocery store apps for quite some time. Especially the Ibotta app and the Receipt Hog app, which have proved to be quite useful.
The Ibotta app offers cash back for items you commonly buy. Once you have earned $20, you can either deposit it into your PayPal or get a gift card. We typically opt for the Amazon gift card to purchase necessary household items.
Receipt Hog is another fantastic app where you earn rewards for snapping pictures of your shopping receipts and rating your experience. Regardless of the store you shop at, you can earn points redeemable for gift cards or PayPal money.
Keep these three strategies in mind to make your Thanksgiving celebration a delectable yet budget-friendly affair. Do you have any other savvy cost-cutting strategies for Turkey day, too? We would love to hear your tips and tricks. Remember, you can certainly feast without overspending this Thanksgiving.
