Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year. I love gathering around with my near and dear friends and family, plus I love the food. We have hosted many, many times, and it adds up. Everything about the holidays costs money, and it stresses me out. But I want to have a good time and make sure it is ‘perfect.’
That said, you can still have a wonderful Thanksgiving by being frugal. Here are some wonderful tips:
- Ask guests to bring something: People know how expensive holidays can be and most of the time they will offer to bring something. Cover the pieces that you can and ask them to make a dish. It’s that easy. If ten people attend, you have ten side dishes/desserts right there. Make sure to send out these super adorable notecards, too.
- Take advantage of sales: You start to see Thanksgiving items go on sale about 2-3 weeks before Thanksgiving. You will even begin sighting coupons for those items, so take advantage of it. Price out, shop around and compare. Sometimes the deal might seem too good to be true! Check out our coupons.
- Do homemade: Whenever possible, make elements yourself, especially if you price out how much it costs to make yourself versus buying. Some bits that we make ourselves: sweet potato casserole, crescent rolls, gravy, and stuffing. You will find all of these dishes are cheaper to make yourself.
- Keep decorations low: I love all the decorations, but I have to pull away from them. You don’t need a ton and if you already have some, reuse it! I tend to stock up on this after the holiday for the following year, so I don’t have to pay full price or their ‘sale’ price.
- Choose off brands: You would be surprised to find that there isn’t much difference between name brands and store bought brands. Store brands tend to be cheaper, especially when there is a sale.
How do you manage to be frugal during the Thanksgiving season? There are so many options to keep it cost-effective and still enjoy yourself.

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