Give more, don't Spend more this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Actually less than three weeks away, can you believe it? Start planning now to save on what can easily become a very expensive holiday. Take these money-saving tips into consideration when planning your feast:

• Buy a larger turkey – Sounds like you would be spending more right? Wrong! The larger turkeys are usually cheaper (by the pound) so buy a larger one and just do not cook the whole thing. Most grocers will cut the turkey in half for you, even if it is frozen. Then you can cook half for Thanksgiving and save the rest for later.
• Make your list ahead of time – Make your list early and make only one trip to the grocery. Make sure you don’t leave anything off the list like milk or butter. Those little convenience stores increase the prices on these items by more than double what the grocery stores charge. You do not want to end up making a quick, but expensive, last-minute trip here for forgotten items.
• Use smaller plates – If you are the one hosting, get smaller plates for guests, especially children, who will put more food on their plates than they can actually eat. Guests can always go back for seconds. This eliminates wasting food and allows you to take advantage of those leftovers!

And as always, take advantage of savings. Be on the lookout for coupons and store specials. Some stores even offer a free turkey if you spend a certain amount in their store pre-tax!

Have any other tips for a frugal thanksgiving? Post them below!