Holiday Meals on a Budget
It’s the holidays, and times are a little tight. You may have lost your job, ended up in debt, or are just kind of muddling along with the rest of us. Uncle Joe calls your house two weeks before Christmas, reminding you that it’s your family’s turn to host the holidays. Or maybe you’re single and want to have a bunch of your friends that are like you over for Christmas dinner, but you’re broke. Today, we’re going to help you out a bit with some suggestions on how to keep your holiday meal budget low-cost and low stress!
- Use a bonus card. Almost every major grocery store chain has some sort of bonus points program. Many of these programs offer free or discount turkeys and/or hams with a certain amount of points. So, start saving your points and get your main course for as cheap as possible!
- Don’t be afraid to try something new. I’ve had stewed tomatoes or random flavors of muffins at my Thanksgiving and Christmas meals before, and both of those are fairly inexpensive to make. Just because it’s not “traditional” doesn’t mean it’s not good!
- Don’t like turkey? Then don’t eat it! My stepdad and I have always joked that we’d rather have burgers, and this year, we are! Do your guests like Italian? What about Mexican? Tacos, lasagna, or spaghetti and meatballs are all acceptable options for a Christmas meal.
- Ask everyone to bring a side dish. If you have a lot of people coming over, it’s not rude to ask your guests to bring something to share! Splitting the cost between everyone definitely helps stretch your budget a bit more, and maybe will give you a little extra cash for something special for your guests.
- Buy a bit at a time. If you have time, get the items that can sit on the shelf early. Most items do go on sale close to the holidays, but if you spread out your shopping, the impact won’t be so hard on your budget when the time gets close.
- Like appetizers? Do it yourself! My family always got together early in the morning and hung out all day. Everyone brought some sort of snack to share together, and no one ever brought the pre-made trays. It takes a little more effort, but putting together your own veggie or cheese tray is a lot cheaper than paying the store to do it!
- Off-brand really is okay. I grew up in a home where this wasn’t thought to be true, but when I got out on my own, I realized that it is! You’re not going to tell a difference between store-brand corn or rolls and the brand name… really. Unless you tell someone that it’s the off-brand.
- Always make a list. I’ve mentioned this before: If I go shopping without a list, I usually get more than I planned for and forget something I really needed. Make sure that you know exactly what you want to get, and get it. Period. No questions asked.
- Coupon Clippers Rejoice! Yes, I realize it’s only 50 cents. I don’t care. If you’re on a tight budget, 50 cents is 50 cents, and that’s a huge help. Make sure to check for coupons and sales as they come in order to get the best deals.
Holiday meals are meant for fun, family, and friends. Make sure not to stress yourself out financially so that you can enjoy your holiday meals together.
