It's just 3 days to Thanksgiving. If you haven't already planned your holiday meal, here are a few ideas to keep you from overshooting your budget.
1. Plan, plan, plan! Start with your budget, and plan your meal (or dish if you're attending a potluck). I know this can be the boring part, but here's where you can catch overspending temptations. Make a list and stick to it at the grocery store. Check out your grocery store's specials this week to get the most for your money. You can also look for coupons to save more (check out the links on the left side of the page for coupons.com, SmartSource, CoolSavings, and RedPlum). Keeping your menu simple will also tame the total.
2. Stay away from anything premade. Whether it's bread crumbs, stuffing, gravy, pies - all these things can be made cheaper by YOU! Yes, you can do it! Check out great recipes sites like allrecipes.com, recipezaar.com and epicurious.com, which all include reviews by readers. Whip up a family favorite or create a new one!
3. Get your decorating influence from nature. Gourds, squash, and pumpkins are available in a variety of colors and shapes, and make great accents to your table. Buy those that you can cook up after the holiday and they'll be doing double duty!
You don't need to give up your wonderful family traditions this holiday. Be smart and you'll be thankful for the time you spent in keeping this Thanksgiving holiday within your budget. You may even start some new traditions that you'll enjoy for years to come.
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