Stretch Your Thanksgiving BudgetWednesday, November 10, 2010

CredAbility offers tips for serving up a feast without breaking the bank

Atlanta, GA — Thanksgiving is just around the corner and for many families that means coming together to share a meal and give thanks. If you are hosting this year’s Thanksgiving dinner, it is possible to create a feast without breaking the bank. Last year, the average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner for 10, including turkey, stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie and all the basic trimmings was $42.91. (Source: American Farm Bureau).

“With a little creativity and planning, it is possible to have a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration without adding to your debt,” said Mechel Glass, director of education for CredAbility, which offers the following tips for a holiday feast on a budget.

Plan your meal
Consider a single main course, such as ham OR turkey. Turkey is a delicious, but less expensive choice and can be complemented by a wide variety of side dishes and desserts. Prepare a combination of less expensive items, such as potatoes, to go with specialty casseroles and vegetable dishes. Not sure what size turkey you need? Visit www.butterball.com and click on the “Plan Perfect Portions” link to decide how big a bird you should buy.

Shop specials
Many grocery chains offer discounts on traditional holiday items with the hope that shoppers will also do their regular grocery shopping. Take advantage of buy one, get one deals and watch the newspaper for coupon offers. Sites such as www.couponmom.com, www.grocerycouponnetwork.com and www.coolsavings.com offer great printable coupons. Consider shopping for freezable items for your December holiday meals the day after Thanksgiving, when you can pick up turkeys and other items for a fraction of the regular cost.

Say “yes” to guests who offer to bring a dish
Share the expense by having your guests bring a favorite side dish or dessert. Keep track of who is bringing what so that you have a good variety of items.

Decide what you will do with leftovers
Leftovers can help you stretch your budget by providing the ingredients you will need for meals throughout the holiday weekend and beyond. Leftover turkey makes for great sandwiches and turkey pot pie. A hambone is the perfect foundation for a great soup. Freeze what you won’t use in the next few days and enjoy the rest.

Decorate on a dime
Bring nature in and use leaves and foliage to add to your table decorations. Ask guests to decorate a letter or legal size paper with what they are thankful for—laminate them for instant placemats and great souvenirs.