The holidays are almost here and the first of them is just over a week away – it’s Thanksgiving on the 23^rd November and we’re sure our US users are getting ready for some Thanksgiving fun!

Have you ever wondered how you can possibly host a Thanksgiving dinner for your family and friends, and still afford all your Christmas gifts? We certainly have! The holidays can be expensive, especially if you’re the host/hostess this year; there’s all the food and drink to buy, plus presents for the kids, decorations and extra bits and bobs – it can all add up.

But Thanksgiving doesn’t have to break the bank and there are ways to host a great Thanksgiving feast on a budget. Take a look at these ideas for enjoying Thanksgiving, hosting a great get-together and sticking to your budget at the same time…

Ask for help from others – don’t try and be the holiday hero by tackling the entire menu on your own! Enjoy the spirit of Thanksgiving (which is a potluck-style holiday at heart) and ask for help from your friends and family – it’s a great way to get everyone involved. If you give all your guests one dish to cook and bring along each, you’ll end up cutting your expenses in half and everyone will feel they’ve added to the feast so it’s a win-win situation.

Stick to your list – before the big day, write out a menu and budget and make sure you stick to them. When it’s time to go shopping for all your bits and pieces for your Thanksgiving feast, make sure you only pick up the things you’ve written on your list – that way you won’t end up spending money on things you don’t really need. Also, keep an eye out for store sales as we get closer to Thanksgiving – you may be able to get many of your items for a lot cheaper than usual!

Keep your menu homemade – get rid of pre-made items from your shopping list because they’ll almost certainly ruin your budget, and you’re usually just paying for packaging and will end up with a lower quality product. Make everything from scratch with fresh products (including the mashed potato and stuffing!) to keep the cost down – plus everything will taste so much better! The small choices like this will add up and shave dollars off your final bill.

Prioritize your favorite dishes – who really needs 15 different dishes as part of their Thanksgiving dinner? Pick your priority foods, the absolute must-haves, and simply make less. If you’re serving fewer dishes, you’ll be less tempted to buy the more expensive, pre-made options and instead you’ll have time to create your own, higher-quality dishes.

Use decorations you already have – buying Thanksgiving-themed decorations can be a slippery slope; once you start, you just keep buying in pursuit of that perfect look – and this is not a good way to stick to your budget! Buy a few quality decorations that you can use every year, and then use what nature offers (dried grass, herbs and decorative gourds) as well as any decorations you already have at home – you probably have a lot more than you think.

Just remember not to panic or stress if you’re hosting Thanksgiving this year because as long as you’re surrounded by your loved ones, it’s sure to be a lovely day. Happy holidays!