A Frugal Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is fast approaching in the U.S. and many people are scrambling to plan a perfect meal for their entire family. Luckily Thanksgiving does not have to cost a fortune to celebrate. Here are some tips that can help you cut costs.

• Go potluck this year. If you are expecting a large group showing up have everyone bring one dish with them. You can easy fill the room with food and save money too.


• Skip the turkey. While turkey may be the traditional meal it can also be pricey. Look for cheaper main course ideas you can serve instead. Check your local store ads and see what is on sale. You may start a new tradition of Thanksgiving ham or Thanksgiving burgers.


• Serve plenty of snacks. Inexpensive snacks such as fruit, crackers, or trail mix can be put out before the big meal. The more people snack the less room they will have for the main dishes, and the less you will need to make.


• Don't do dispossable. I know how tempting it is to use dispossable plates and napkins, but that is one expense you can avoid by simply using your own dishware. If you do not have enough you can often find sets in great condition at thrift shops for cheap. And just think of how much trash you'll save.


• Instead of a meal serve a brunch. Plan a smaller, earlier meal time for your family to enjoy. Then you can enjoy a peaceful evening or have the big meal at another person's home.


• Stay small. If you have a truly tight budget perhaps the best advice is to keep it simple this Thanksgiving. Stay home, or least local, and invite only the bare minimum of guests.

Have a Frugal Halloween

Allison at Frugal Mania had a great post the other day on Frugal Halloween Ideas. I was inspired to share what I did last year for Halloween. We were not planning on going out last year because it seemed too cold, though at the last minute we did go out and had a great time. However, I wanted to do something better than just piles of candy and yet still not spend an arm and a leg. Apples and pennies, two Halloween treats I remember getting as a child, were certainly out. Unless I wanted the house toilet papered.


Just before Halloween I went to my local dollar store. I picked up a package of fun Halloween goodie bags, some cute stickers, Halloween themed pencils, a bag of bubble gum, and a case of small boxes of raisins. All together I spent less than I would have on giant bags of candy and I managed to keep the kids happy enough that no one came back to trash my front lawn. Plus I felt good knowing that I was not contributing to the sugar overload of the night.


This year we will be going out and collecting huge bags of candy of our own. But I still have a few plans for frugality. Candy and goodies after Halloween are often slashed down to sale. You can store candy in your freezer until next year when you can give it out then. The trick also works if your children bring home tons of candy. Store it in your freezer and bring it out in small amounts to last the entire year. You can also buy up goodies from Oriental Trading Company to use, often at a huge discount from what you would find at other stores.

Winter Gardening

Many frugal people know that growing a garden is a great way to save money on groceries. A few dollars for seeds and tools can return a few hundred dollars in fresh fruits and vegetables. But when winter comes what can you do with your garden tools so that they last until the next season? There is a great article in Mother Earth Living that shows you just How To Winterize Your Garden Tools. Taking care of your tools so that they last year after year is a great frugal step to take.

If you are not ready to put away the gardening tools just yet there is also an article on Winter Gardening that shares some great tips for gardening through the winter and how to get your soil ready for next spring.