How To Host The Best Thanksgiving On A Small Budget
It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is right around the corner! It’s an understatement when I say I LOVE this time of year because it’s the prelude to Christmas! And while I do love it, I also have to keep in mind that this can be a very costly time of year, especially if you’re the one doing the hosting. Since I’ve had the pleasure of being hostess for many years now, I’ve had to learn how to host Thanksgiving on a budget.
While we want nothing more than to make Thanksgiving special for our family and loved ones, sometimes it can be more than a challenge between cutting costs and hosting the perfect holiday dinner.
I have several practical tips to help you so you won’t have to worry about Thanksgiving being a stressful and expensive holiday. These suggestions and tips can help you save money, have a wonderful meal and even have money left over for Christmas!
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How To Host Thanksgiving On A Budget!
Thanksgiving is the time of year when we get to reflect on what we are truly grateful for. It’s an opportunity to really count our blessings, but sometimes it’s a time of stress and worry. I don’t think that the pilgrims intended for it to be that way. With just a little bit of aforethought and some pre planning, you can send those two sisters, Stress and Worry, packing. We don’t need them crashing our wonderful holiday.
Follow these simple tips so you can host thanksgiving on a budget and truly celebrate what makes you thankful!
Make A Plan
Anytime you host an event, you have to start with a plan. The first thing to do is decide what your budget will be, as this is probably the most important step in your planning phase. This will determine everything from what you will be serving to how many people you will invite. Everything flows through your budget. Your finances will definitely suffer if you don’t have one.
Make a guest list. This will determine how big your bird will have to be, how much food you’ll need to have and where you’re going to seat them. Once you’ve decided on your budget and your guest list, now it’s time to plan the menu. Actually write it down. My menu looks something like this:
- Turkey (Rule of thumb is 1.5 lbs per person. Here is a Thanksgiving Cheat Sheet if you need help with how much food is needed per person)
- Dressing
- Giblet gravy
- Mashed potatoes (Homemade, but there’s certainly no shame using instant!)
- Candied sweet potatoes
- Green bean casserole
- Dinner rolls
- Jellied cranberry sauce
- Desserts (Usually two) Coconut Meringue Pie
- An appetizer ( or two…depending on how many).
Delegate
Don’t be shy about asking some (or all) of your guest to bring something. Most people like to contribute, so if they ask what they can bring, be ready to tell them. There are some things you need to take into consideration, though. If your guest are coming from out of town, it’s not always easy to bring food or other things. If they offer, great, but if not, be considerate and don’t ask.
Make A List
Never ever go to the grocery store without a list. Throwing things into your cart haphazardly will end up costing you a fortune. When you create your menu and decide what you will be responsible for, make your list AND all the ingredients it will take to prepare your dishes. Once you do this, it’s imperative that you stick to your list. Don’t be tempted to add on unnecessary items. What’s even more important is only cook what you absolutely love. If you’re on a budget, now’s not the time to experiment with your guest.
Another way to take the sting out of the grocery bill is to start buying your ingredients several weeks ahead of time. Spread the cost out over 2-3 paydays and buy when the ingredients are on sale.
Share Or Split Cost
Sometimes Thanksgiving dinner calls for ingredients that we may not have on hand or use very often. One thing that you can do is check with friends or family that are also hosting and needing to buy the same items and offer to split the cost. This may include certain spices or buying things in bulk to get a cheaper price.
Save On The Turkey!
Buy your turkey a few weeks prior to the big day as the grocery stores start putting them on sale around the first week of November. If you can get them for around $1/lb or less, that’s a great price for a substantial amount of meat.
**Update**
In 2022, we saw a significant increase in prices due to a rise in avian influenza cases that depleted the turkey population across the country. In 2023, turkey supplies significantly recovered, so prices did decrease for the 2023 season. So for this year, be sure to keep an eye out for sales, the closer Thanksgiving gets.
Most stores will also give you a FREE turkey (up to a certain weight) with the purchase of a ham. If you know your going to need a ham anyway, that’s a great bargain and you can’t get any better than FREE! Keep in mind though, that hams are more expensive than turkeys…so if you’re not a big fan of ham, it would be better to leave it off and just buy the turkey.
Not sure how to cook a turkey? Well, let me tell you…there’s nothing any easier than roasting a delicious turkey. If you need help, click here for my simple recipe for Oven Roasted Turkey. It’s delicious and super moist! You and your guest will love it and you may even want to cook a turkey more than once a year!
Note: I have a roaster, like the one below, and it cooks a turkey perfectly.
Granite Ware F0559-2 Large Covered Oval Roasting Pan, 18”, Blue
Cook From Scratch
We all know that we pay for convenience. While it may be tempting to opt for the instant mashed potatoes or pre-made pies, you’ll pay more for these conveniences. Making mashed potatoes from scratch is way cheaper and they’re really not hard to make.
Making your own pies is pretty simple, too. I have to admit, I don’t make my pie crust from scratch, but I always make my pies. I buy refrigerated pie crust that you put in your own pie dish. You can get two to a package, they’re very cheap and they taste homemade without all the work.
You may not feel like you’re saving that much individually, but the savings can really add up on your final grocery bill.
Leave The Alcohol Out
Alcohol can run your bill up, quickly. If you feel you need alcohol for this festive occasion, ask your guests to bring their beverage of choice or delegate to one or two of the guest to be in charge of bringing a bottle or two. Remember…when you host Thanksgiving, you shouldn’t be required to provide all the alcohol, especially if it’s not in your budget.
Decorations
Decorating for Thanksgiving can be a fun task. I usually use what I have. Over the years, I have been given or have purchased a few Fall decor items. If you need to add a little Fall to your home, Hobby Lobby is a great place to go for beautiful, inexpensive decor. If that’s not in your budget, go outside and walk around your property or your neighborhood. Pretty gourds, pumpkins, herbs, acorns, dried grasses, etc. are a few ideas that would be great choices for decor, but if you need to buy some things, go natural and choose items that can be used for more than one season.
Be sure to check your local thrift stores for tablecloths, cloth napkins, pretty vases and even fall table arrangements. You never know what you’ll find at these places.
If you use real plates (as opposed to paper), go with simple white tableware. The Dollar Tree usually always has white dinnerware for a buck a piece. Stay away from the themed pieces and go with timeless ones.
Speaking of The Dollar Tree, I made a beautiful Fall Centerpiece for my dining room table, using all Dollar Tree items. The whole arrangement cost $17 (including tax). If that’s not in your budget, you can take a glass hurricane filled with moss and/or acorns (from your back yard), add a candle to the center and VOILA! You have a gorgeous centerpieces for pennies! Let your creative juices flow and you’ll be amazed at what you can come up with and how much you can save!
You may be interested in: Beautiful Fall Decorating Ideas On An Extra Small Budget
Borrow What You Can!
If you don’t usually host large gatherings, chances are you may not have things, like turkey roasters or enough dinnerware.
If you need platters, chafing dishes, a large coffee pot or other serving pieces you will only use once in awhile, ask friends or family if they have these items that you can borrow. I have also found some great deals at thrift stores. Start looking early!
Plan For Leftovers!
If you want get even more bang for your holiday buck, make a little extra so you have enough for leftovers. This will give you the option to make lunches or dinners for a day or two afterwards without having to rely on your other groceries and cooking! There’s nothing better than having your meals taken care of for that crazy, busy weekend after Thanksgiving. If you still find yourself with leftovers after a couple of days, be sure to freeze them. You may get tired of eating them after 2-3 days, but it sure is nice to be able to pull a quick meal out of the freezer…especially during the busy, Christmas season .
Food Storage Containers with Lids (50 Pack, 25 Ounce) 
Don’t let the cost of hosting Thanksgiving dinner keep you from doing it or enjoying this blessed holiday with friends and family. It’s very possible to have a memorable holiday and stay within your budget just by following these simple tips. Just remember…keeping it simple is key.
What are some of your cost saving ideas for hosting your Thanksgiving dinner on a budget? I’d love to hear from you and be sure to subscribe to Love To Frugal so you never miss a post!
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