I know Thanksgiving is still three weeks away. But with more of us looking for ways to save money, the time to start planning for a frugal Thanksgiving is now.
The reason why it’s important to start planning your Thanksgiving early is because if you wait and do all your shopping right before the big day, you’re going to spend a chunk of change (and you’re going to spend it all in one fell blow).
If you start now, however, you can probably get a lot of the food you need on sale, as well as spread it out over a couple of paychecks.
Here’s one piece of good news: we’ve seen prices rising on practically everything this year, but Reuters reports that turkeys should remain stable since demand has dropped. So if you have the freezer room, it might be a good idea to stock up on turkeys after Thanksgiving day.
Tip 1: Plan Your Thanksgiving Menu Now
You can’t shop for deals if you don’t know what you’re cooking, right? Sit down, as soon as you can, and start figuring out what you’d like to cook.
Don’t forget to tally up how many people are coming so you know how much food to buy. Which leads to our second frugal Thanksgiving tip…
Tip 2: Get the Word Out
If you typically host your whole family then you might want to think about doing Thanksgiving potluck style. After all, why should one family foot the bill (and the cooking) for everyone else? Sure it’s a nice thing to do, but if you’re worried about your finances then now is the time to get the word out.
Call or send an email to everyone who might be coming to dinner this year. Tell them simply that you’re trying to save money, and everyone will be required to contribute in some way if they want to eat. They can bring a dish, or send a check.
Be firm here; there are some who will “forget” to answer you back. Make sure they know if you haven’t heard from them by the week before, then they can start looking for dinner reservations.
I know this might sound harsh to some people, but I personally don’t see anything wrong with making everyone be a part of the meal. Especially if you do a pot-luck style Thanksgiving, you won’t be slaving away in the kitchen for days. And, making everyone contribute can really ease the burden off one family.
Again, the time to start doing this is now. Make sure you request RSVPs from everyone, along with a note saying what they’re planning on bringing. If you’re feeling creative, you could come up with a list of suggestions to send to everyone. That way you won’t end up with three dozen rolls, or five pumpkin pies.
Tip 3: Hit up Costco To Compare Prices
You can get a really great price on some things at Costco if you have a membership. Buying some things early like bread crumbs, sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce will help you avoid going there a few days before Thanksgiving (when, admittedly, Costco will be a complete madhouse). And buy buying in bulk, you’ll usually get a better price.
But, be careful here. Costco is not always the best deal (especially if the 20 lb. sack of potatoes goes to waste). My advice is, if you have time, take a stroll through Costco on a weekday. See what their prices are on the things you’ll need for Thanksgiving dinner.
Then head over to your local grocery store to check what they’ve got on sale. Often, the smaller grocery stores will offer great deals on some things (called loss-leaders, because they’re taking a loss on them to get you in the store where, hopefully, you’ll impulse-buy other things).
Right now they’re probably having sales on things like canned pumpkin, cranberry sauce, or frozen rolls. If these items are marked down to be loss leaders, then they’ll probably be cheaper than what you’d pay at Costco.
Tip 4: Coupons, Coupons, Coupons
Right now lots of brands are giving out tons of coupons to entice families to buy.
For instance, Betty Crocker is offering a free $10 Coupon booklet to anyone who signs up for their newsletter. Click here to get to the offer.
You can also check out these sites for more grocery coupons:
(Sidenote: I just came across CouponClippers.com while researching this article and was completely amazed at their selection. They’ve been featured in publications like the Wall Street Journal and Woman’s Day Magazine, as well as on the Today Show. I highly recommend checking out their site.)
Tip 5: Plan Your Menu Based On What’s In Season
Now is not the time to make strawberry shortcake, blueberry cobbler, or creamed corn (unless you buy frozen, that is). There are plenty of other fruits and vegetables that are in season right now, and you’ll pay far less for them than you would buying something that is out of season.
In-season items right now are:
- Yams
- Apples
- Winter Squash
- Pumpkin
- Parsnips
- Broccoli
- Bok Choy (yum!)
- Cranberries
- Lemons
- Oranges
- Spinach
- Pears
Last Word
Thanksgiving is a great time to visit with family, eat yummy food, and simply relish each others company. By planning early and getting everyone involved, you can lessen the impact on your finances, as well as your time.
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Tip No. 2 is tacky with a capital “T” – don’t host the meal if you’re going to demand food or (seriously?!) a check from your guests.
Hi Jen,
Thanks for taking the time to write in. I know there is a line between hosting a meal to do something nice for your family, and demanding financial assistance for all the hard work that goes into preparing and cooking such a large meal.
But I also think that part of coming together as a family means everyone doing their part; pitching in by cooking, or helping to pay for groceries. Especially for families that are worried about their finances (but still want to come together with their friends and family) I don’t see anything tacky about asking for help.
Thank you for sharing your opinion!
Heather