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Great Tips to Save Money and Cut Expenses This Thanksgiving

September 17 by Caroline Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links.

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Table of Contents

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  • Plan Your Menu and Grocery List in Advance
  • Use Inexpensive Ingredients to Cut Back on Costs
  • Use Money-Saving Apps to Plan Out Your Expenses
    • Rakuten
    • Dosh
    • Swagbucks
  • Make Simple Recipes 
  • Have Family Members Bring Sides Dishes
  • Only Buy What is Needed
  • Use Leftovers From the Previous Dinner to Make Extra Dishes
  • Use a Budget Planner
  • Plan Budget-Friendly Holiday Activities
  • Shop at Discount Stores
  • Compare Prices
  • Use E-Vouchers and Coupons
  • Buy Pre-Loved Decors
  • Opt for DIY Decorations
  • Avoid Impulse Buying

✨Ready to make BIG changes in your graphic design life? Don’t miss the FREE video training: Create eye-popping Canva graphics fast & easy! Learn how to take your Canva designs from blahhhh to BUH-BAM! No art degree or expensive software needed either! Grab your spot in the FREE video training HERE...

Ahhh, Thanksgiving! The time of the year where families and friends celebrate giving, appreciation, and togetherness over delicious food and celebrations! With the holiday season quickly approaching, it’s time to start planning what food to serve, decorations to put up, table settings, activities, and so much more! Although this sounds like tons of fun, we all know that the excitement of celebrations comes with dreadful expenses. Well, you’re in luck! I’ve compiled some of the best tips to save money this Thanksgiving that will help you keep more money in your pockets.

When it comes to holiday budgeting, it’s crucial to decide what’s necessary to spend on and what creative ways you can cut expenses. Although the holiday season is quickly approaching, it’s never too late to make budgeting fun and achievable! I believe that fretting over all the planning and setting specific budgets aside for celebrations is something no one should have to deal with!  You won’t have to worry with these tips to save money that won’t only help you properly budget but also cut expenses this coming Thanksgiving!

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Plan Your Menu and Grocery List in Advance

Thanksgiving Dinner Table

A Thanksgiving feast is probably one of the major details of a Thanksgiving celebration that needs the most planning and holiday budgeting. If you’ve been assigned to host Thanksgiving this year, one of the best tips to save money is to plan your menu. Consider how many guests there will be, what type of food your guests prefer, and how many dishes you plan on cooking.

With tons of time to prepare and shop for groceries, you’ll be able to avoid the hustle and bustle of rush shopping and create a simple yet perfectly balanced feast. With tons of grocery apps out there, you can even get your groceries delivered to your doorstep! During the first weeks of November, prepare your list and get ready to be wow-ed by the deals in store for you! Grocery stores will usually have massive holiday savings sales in preparation for Thanksgiving. You can even try using apps that help you plan out your meals so you won’t have to go through the hassle of thinking of a menu. You’ll find coupons galore as well as bulk ingredients at affordable prices. This can help you save money per item, so have your list ready and stock up on what you need!

Use Inexpensive Ingredients to Cut Back on Costs

Man and woman cutting vegetables

Thanksgiving feasts don’t have to be lavish and expensive! They’re meant to be homey, comforting, warm, and full of love! Instead of going out and buying all new ingredients, learn how to stop overspending on groceries, be resourceful and use what you have in your pantry or garden! As the autumn season offers us tons of fruits and vegetables in season, I assure you it won’t be challenging to find high-quality, fresh ingredients that won’t break the bank.

Use Money-Saving Apps to Plan Out Your Expenses

Woman holding a mobile phone

As so much planning, decorating, cooking, shopping, and meticulous preparation goes into Thanksgiving, keeping track of your holiday budgeting can be overwhelming and confusing. Luckily there are heaps of helpful and easy-to-use money-saving apps out there that can help you stay on top of your holiday savings easily!

Using these apps is probably one of the best tips to save money now! With these apps, you can do tons of things like get exclusive deals, grab coupons for popular brands, and even get up to 80% cashback! Here are a few of my favorite money-saving apps that are sure to help you.

Rakuten

Who would’ve ever thought that you could get paid to shop? With Rakuten, it’s possible! With Rakuten, you can get cash back with coupons for your favorite retailers and applies them automatically. Get huge holiday savings with their huge deals section, which is sure to suit any taste! 

Dosh

This cashback app automatically gives you rewards from thousands of stores. No more coupons or receipts needed! Simply download the app, and it will guide your way through some simple steps to get started. Earn points for every purchase made at your favorite places while using loyalty programs as an additional bonus. Whether you decide to shop for gifts, do groceries online, or eat out for Thanksgiving this year, Dosh can help you earn money when you spend! 

Swagbucks

Swagbucks is the go-to app for spending smarter and earning cashback on your favorite mobile retailer! With Swagbucks, you’ll be able to earn money while browsing your favorite online stores and even making purchases in-store. Redeem your points for gift cards to your favorite retailers like Amazon and Walmart. With a bit of creative thinking, you can turn those pesky rewards into some fun money!

Make Simple Recipes 

Cake and lemons on a table

Simple recipes shine just as bright and can be equally delicious too! Don’t let the pressure of cooking a Thanksgiving dinner for you and your family cramp your style. You don’t need to master chef it up to enjoy a fantastic holiday feast! One of the best tips to save money when preparing the meal is to shop for the ingredients you’re comfortable cooking with, keep your recipes simple and clean, and don’t add too much to your dishes. This will not only help you celebrate Thanksgiving on a budget, but it will also help you save time and planning energy!

Have Family Members Bring Sides Dishes

Family eating outside

When it comes to family and friends, I’m sure everyone can agree that the more, the merrier! Thanksgiving is one of those holidays where it’s always more enjoyable when there are more guests. Although it’s exciting to have everyone all together for the holidays, cooking for a huge group of people is not only time-consuming, it can get pretty expensive!

Let’s make it easy on ourselves this year by dividing the cooking between your guests. While you take care of the main course, each guest could bring a side dish, appetizer, dessert, or drinks! This isn’t only one of those great holiday tips to save money and help with your holiday savings; it’s a fun and interactive way for guests to share recipes and come together!

Only Buy What is Needed

A woman shopping fruits at the grocery store

If you’re really planning on saving big bucks, there are tons of expenses that you need to stop spending on. Celebrating Thanksgiving on a budget doesn’t have to mean less food, decorations, or a dull holiday celebration. As Thanksgiving is a time in the year when we’re bombarded with ads for holiday goodies, I know it can get extremely tempting to feel like you need all of it. But girl, trust me, you don’t! One of the best tips to save money is to always distinguish between what you need and want. Set your holiday budgeting priorities, plan your expenses ahead of time to avoid impulse buying, don’t give in to temptation, and trust your gut!

Use Leftovers From the Previous Dinner to Make Extra Dishes

Leftover food on the table

Before you can even think about how many pies you’re going to make for Thanksgiving (and trust me, it’s a lot), one of the most important things is to figure out what dishes you’ll be serving. This year, try using leftovers from the previous dinner to come up with different dish recipes! It’ll save you the hassle of cooking up a whole new dish from scratch, it’ll save you time, and most importantly, it’ll save you money! 

Use a Budget Planner

A woman writing on her notebook

If you’re looking for a money mentality makeover when it comes to your holiday savings and budgeting, a budget planner can do wonders! You can find tons of budget planning apps online to help you monitor your expenses for the holidays. These handy tools will not only help you in keeping track of costs, but they can also plan your shopping lists, share tips to save money, and suggest where to find great deals to amp up your holiday savings! 

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Plan Budget-Friendly Holiday Activities

A toddler playing

Thanksgiving parties can be great for everyone without having to spend on a bunch of supplies for elaborate games. One of the best tips to save money is to plan activities for your celebration that are inexpensive or even free! Take out your board games, play a holiday movie, or host a holiday outfit contest! If you’re planning to have fun at your celebration, check out dollar stores for supplies and get creative! Dollar stores are also great for craft supplies, like crayons, colored paper, and paint to keep your younger guests busy while waiting for food. 

Shop at Discount Stores

Grocery store stalls

From groceries, decorations, gifts, and even readymade dishes, there are a wide variety of discount stores that offer all of these that surely will give you a bang for your buck! Visiting discount stores won’t only help in your holiday savings this Thanksgiving; this is one of the tips to save money that applies all year round!

Compare Prices

Three people comparing different boxes

Whether you decide to shop online for Thanksgiving or you want to explore your options outside, comparing prices is one of the best tips to save money when it comes to holiday budgeting. As you plan and prepare early for Turkey Day, take the time to check out numerous shops to compare prices and get the best deal! This year, take the time to compare prices at other stores before stocking up at the one closest to home. You’ll be able to find deals and save money on groceries, decorations, and so much more!

Use E-Vouchers and Coupons

"Sale" text on paper bags

The turkey won’t be the only thing you’ll be thankful for this Thanksgiving! With so many deals, coupons, and e-vouchers available online, it will help make your shopping more accessible than ever before! Check out your favorite online shops, money saving apps, and even social media platforms for great deals that’ll surely help you with your holiday savings. Add this to your list of money saving hacks, and don’t let the price tag keep you from enjoying this holiday with your loved ones!

Buy Pre-Loved Decors

People buying from a thrift store

This has got to be one of my favorite tips to save money! Shopping for holiday decorations and dressing up your house for guests doesn’t have to break your holiday savings.  Let me let you in on a little secret; you can shop for pre-loved decorations! No one’s going to know the difference. Take the time to check out garage sales, thrift stores, and even local online shops. Trust me, you’ll be surprised with what you can find! Let your creativity run wild while not going overboard with your holiday budgeting.

Opt for DIY Decorations

Two people doing arts and craft

Decorating your house for the holidays doesn’t have to cost so much! Instead of buying new decorations every year, let your creativity run free and opt for a more personal touch! You can use your old decorations and revamp them or even create your own decorations with a few craft supplies and things around your house.

Avoid Impulse Buying

A woman using her laptop while holding a credit card

Impulse buying is never a great thing! Especially not during the holiday seasons. Once Halloween is over, you can already start planning your Thanksgiving celebration. This will help you set a budget and give you an idea of what you need to buy. Don’t wait to do all of your shopping a week before Thanksgiving with everyone else. Avoid the stress of the crowds, get the best deals, and take your time deciding what you want by planning and making small preparations day-by-day in advance.

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Achieving your financial goals starts with taking control of how you spend and invest. With these holiday saving tips, add holiday savings to your list of things to be thankful for this year! From shopping for decorations in advance and using money saving apps, celebrate Thanksgiving on a budget with more holiday savings.

Don’t let the stress of hosting Thanksgiving get in the way of the good vibes the holiday season brings. With all of these tips to save money, you’ll be able to focus on holiday budgeting. So relax and be proud of all the holiday savings you made this year.

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Wife. Mom. Extreme cheapskate. Side hustle pro. Money saving guru. Lover of all the coffee.

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