thanksgiving meal on a budget

Thanksgiving on a Budget: Tips to Save Money This Year

The holidays are coming up and there is a lot of preparation to do! Decorate, plan out menus, prep for guests, and the list goes on. As much as there is to do, there might be a damper on all your holiday blueprint: your budget.

Thanksgiving is often a time of plenty, but a budget can make things feel difficult and stressful. We’re here to help you make the most of your holiday and prepare for Thanksgiving while staying true to your cost limits.

How to Save Money on Thanksgiving Dinner

Plan!

First up, make a plan. It will be much easier to approach holiday spending when you know what to expect. You can start with your overall available funds and deduct from there. Try to cover all your possible costs for Thanksgiving, like:

  • Extra food for feasting before or after the meal
  • Holiday decorations for your home
  • Table place settings and dishes

Go Simple

You don’t need 30 dishes on the table for your Thanksgiving feast. Not only can this break your budget, but it can also be more stressful. Keep it simple and try to make only as much as you need. There’s no need to waste money and dump perfectly good food that’s half-eaten.

Think of your dinner from last year: what dishes hit it out of the park? Which recipes fell short? Stick to the stars of the show and be mindful of serving sizes.

Share the load

Thanksgiving is a time for gathering and community. It’s the perfect opportunity to share in love, food, and the stress of a holiday. Call up some local family and friends to plan out a large communal feast. This way, you’ll be making only one or two dishes versus putting out the cost for a complete feast. When everyone pitches in, the load will always be much lighter.

Go bulk shopping for food

Skip the specialty stores and go warehouse-browsing for your pantry. You’ll save loads of money buying a case of black beans versus individual cans from your local market. This is especially helpful when anticipating a larger grocery bill.

Give yourself a flexible grocery list, and shop for the necessary items first. If you end up having the extra room in the bill for the fun items, go ahead and throw in some cheesy popcorn tins and frozen cookie dough in the cart as well. You’ll have the peace of mind that your necessities are covered and get some extra joy out of sticking to your limit.

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Save now, spend later

Can you condense down that budget just a touch more? Skipping on the frivolous Thanksgiving purchases can help you save up for shopping after Thanksgiving. Take advantage of those holiday deals, but spend wisely.

Expect the unexpected!

Being prepared also includes having a buffer budget on the side in case things don’t go exactly to plan. Maybe you suddenly have plumbing issues or some other financial emergency comes up. Don’t cancel Thanksgiving. Instead, when this is the case, have a back up like a title loan to make sure your holiday isn’t completely ruined.

Fast Cash Title Loans for Unexpected Emergencies

Luckily, online title loans are easy to get and stores are currently working with all types of income. Don’t worry about your credit, because all levels are welcome and Mississippi Title Loans will work with you. So, when your car breaks down or you child slips and has racked up some medical bills, you’ve got a safety net.

There’s a lot you can do to keep that Thanksgiving budget on track. And when things fall through and the unexpected happens, you can be prepared with the option of a title loan. You're sure to have a happy holiday when it's full of love. Now dedicate yourself to a stress-free holiday by sticking to your budget!

Note: The content provided in this article is only for informational purposes, and you should contact your financial advisor about your specific financial situation.

June Mckaig

June Mckaig writes articles on finance and budgeting, hoping to provide insight amidst the overwhelming crowds of information on the internet. She feels that with all this accessibility comes a lot of false data, and she would like to contribute astute, helpful input that she knows can help others. If you would like to learn more about June's research, read more here.