Making Me a Millionaire

10 Ways To Save Money This Thanksgiving

So with my husband jobless this Thanksgiving, it’s very important to us that we enjoy Thanksgiving (it is after all my favorite holiday of the year) while not spending as much money.  With all that food, Thanksgiving can be pretty pricey and we all know we need to be careful this year as with many other families who are in the same boat.  Despite the circumstances, we still have a lot to be thankful for this year and skimping out on Thanksgiving just wouldn’t be right!  Here are a list of ways to save this year.

1. Have a potluck dinner. We will be doing this this year.  Since my husband and I along with some of our closest friends are all in our 20s and don’t live in the same city as our families, we have decided to come together and do Thanksgiving by the couple.  We’re splitting the costs by making it a potluck dinner and having each couple sign up for different dishes.
2. Plan ahead. Know exactly what you will be making on the day of so you can avoid having to run out last minute for missing ingredients or supplies.
3. Go shopping now. If you know exactly what you’ll need, go to the supermarket as soon as possible and pick the items up.  At this time, they are usually on sale and the closer you get to Thanksgiving day, the higher the prices will be.
4. Make your own pumpkin pie. Buying pre-made pumpkin pie is more expensive.  Make the pie from scratch and you’ll be proud of your baking skills and saving money.
5. Travel on Thanksgiving day. I usually travel to my home state to spend Thanksgiving with my family or the in laws.  The best and cheapest day to travel is Thanksgiving day.  Airfares are lowest on this day for those of you who want to fly.  Traffic is not as bad on the road as they are the day before.
6. Stay put. If you usually travel to family for Thanksgiving, think about staying where you are this year and spending the day with your significant other or friends.  You’ll save on gas or airfare.
7. Get your turkey frozen. It will be much cheaper than a fresh turkey!
8. Get your butter in bulk. We all know butter is big in a Thanksgiving meal.  You’re going to need lots of it.  It’s time to hit up Costco and get that huge block of butter.
9. Skip on decorations. OK so maybe your house won’t look as pretty without all the Thanksgiving decorations.  But remember, we’re all celebrating the day because we are thankful.  No one is going to judge you for not having decorations in place.  They are going to remember the night as a fun one with good food and many memories.
10. Black Friday. Make a list of items you need to buy for Christmas (or any other reason), where you are going to buy them and go to sleep early.  Black Friday has some awesome deals but don’t let yourself get carried away.  Get just what you need and you will be saving money.

Do you have anything to add?