Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing… No matter what you make for your Thanksgiving dinner, it’s definitely one of the most delicious times of the year! However, it may be easy to go overboard during the holiday season, both with time and money. Getting caught up in cooking and decorating can become overwhelming very quickly! Here are a few tips to keep Thanksgiving from being a burden on your mind and wallet:
Go potluck. If you’re having a large dinner party (or just participating in one), don’t feel that all the cooking must be left to one person. Ask guests to provide a side dish or dessert, or volunteer to cook something to take the burden off the host. That way, the cost of the dinner is split between those enjoying it.
Concentrate on one holiday at a time. As soon as Halloween ends, we are usually immediately bombarded with advertisements about the winter holidays. However, make sure to focus on one at a time. This helps regulate spending and keep stress levels down. Here at The Callaway Bank, it is tradition to enjoy Thanksgiving and all the trimmings! We purposely do not begin the Christmas celebration or decorations until the day after Thanksgiving so as to enjoy each holiday individually.
Consider travel costs. Thanksgiving is one of the most popular travel times of the year. Will you be heading out of town? Pick whatever travel option is cheapest, and try thinking outside the box with your travel. You can check out Megabus and/or train fares in addition to driving or flying. You could also potentially carpool with other family members or friends who are headed in the same direction as you. Or, simply opt not to travel this year. If you are going to be missing out of town relatives, see if you can Skype with them to still be able to “see” them over the holidays. However, there is no substitute for actually being there.
Love those leftovers. Thanksgiving is a time of bounty, and there’s usually a bounty of leftovers. Make them work for you! Enjoy turkey sandwiches, or see what new things you can whip up with the food you didn’t eat on the actual day.
How do you save on Thanksgiving?