Budget Friendly Tips for this Thanksgiving
By brooke, November 22, 2010, Food & Dining Out
As the holiday season approaches, I can always count on Thanksgiving to kick off the season of “over indulgence”. Now, don’t get me wrong, the holidays are my most favorite time of the year, but I can admit that it is also a time when I over eat and over spend beyond what is necessary.
So this year, my goal is to curb the spending AND the eating while still enjoying the holiday spirit. And since Thanksgiving kicks it off, I thought it would be a good place to start. Here are four tips to help stick to your Thanksgiving budget.
- Use your good dishes. How many people have china but never use it? This year don’t waste money on paper goods and break out the good stuff! This will help you save money and help the environment too by creating less waste.
- Put your oven on a schedule. Ovens can be energy guzzlers, not to mention they heat up your kitchen as well. So if you’re looking to save a little money and energy, try to plan your cooking for all at one time. I know cooking certain foods days in advance is helpful, but if you can find a way to heat items together at one time, it will save energy (and money) and will allow for everything to be ready at the same time.
- Say no to leftovers. Leftovers will be the death of me, I know it. I shovel them in to rid myself of any guilt from wasting food. While it is important to not waste food, my waistline and wallet could benefit from appropriate proportions (not having a week’s worth of food leftover) in the first place. So this year, try to calculate how much food is truly necessary for the number of guests. Are three pies really necessary for six people?
- Make it a Thanksgiving potluck. This is something my family does and I think it’s so helpful. Make this year’s Thanksgiving a potluck and ask everyone to bring a side dish or a dessert. This takes stress off your wallet and your holiday and gives you the chance to relax and enjoy your company (instead of being exiled to the kitchen to cook the entire meal).
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