Thanksgiving is undoubtedly one of the most revered and celebrated American holidays. It’s a time when families come together to celebrate and give thanks, and it is celebrated by both religious and non-religious people.
But times have changed, and the coronavirus pandemic means that families may not get to celebrate together. With over 7.26 million cases of COVID-19 and an astounding 207,000 deaths, many people will not feel comfortable seeing their family and friends, especially if they are from a high-risk state. The coronavirus pandemic has also left a lot of Americans struggling financially.
While things may be different this year, it is still possible to have a great thanksgiving feast on a budget. Here are some easy ways to make your thanksgiving feast more affordable:
Plan everything
Before you even consider going shopping for thanksgiving food, make sure you have a thorough look in your kitchen cupboards and your pantry to see if you already have any ingredients you need. This way, you can ensure that you aren’t spending unnecessary money on food you already have.
Go food shopping at different supermarkets
A couple of weeks before thanksgiving, many supermarkets will start offering discounts on all the products you might need for thanksgiving, such as turkeys, cranberry sauce and potatoes. However, some might be offering better discounts than others. If you have the time, make sure you check out the different supermarkets near you to see which one is offering the best discounts, as this could save you a lot of money.
Don’t cook too much food
When cooking for your family at thanksgiving, it can be super tempting to cook mountains of food. However, this means that you are almost always left with huge amounts of food that you either have to eat for the next few days or throw away. Not only is this wasteful, but it also means you are wasting your money. If you want to cut down on your thanksgiving expenses, consider buying a smaller turkey, as this will significantly reduce your costs.
Buy some pre-made foods
You can save a lot of time, effort and money by buying some products pre-made. An example of this could be dinner rolls, as they are usually very cheap to buy at supermarkets. Contrast this with spending hours preparing your own dough with expensive ingredients, and you can see why buying pre-made is a great option if you want to save money during this holiday.
Have a potluck thanksgiving
If you live in an area where it is safe to do so, why not throw a potluck thanksgiving dinner? Get all your friends and family to pitch in. Some people can bring side dishes and some can bring wine and other drinks. Even if you cook the turkey and a few other dishes, it is still the cheapest way to throw an incredible thanksgiving feast on a budget. It’s also a great way for your friends and family to bond as they compare each other’s dishes.
Not only is it cheaper for you because you will be buying less ingredients, it will also be better for your electricity bill. If you don’t have to spend hours using your cooking appliances, you won’t have to use extortionate amounts of electricity.
If you are looking for other ways to cut down expenses, one easy way to do this is to check and see if you could be paying less on your energy bills. One great way to do this is to check energy comparison websites. There, you will have the power to choose your own electricity company based on their value.
ConclusionWe all want to make sure that our thanksgiving dinners are as memorable as they can be, especially during these difficult times. Hopefully these tips will help you create the perfect thanksgiving feast on a budget.
