Today Cathy Isom has some money-saving tips to help make your Thanksgiving meal a little more affordable. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Download Thanksgiving Dinner Saving Tips
Still a few weeks away, but that Thanksgiving meal might give you a stomach ache thinking about how much this big holiday meal is going to cost you. The average price of a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 was $50.11 last year, according to the 
American Farm Bureau Federation. And that cost includes only classic items, such as turkey, stuffing, peas, cranberries, sweet potatoes, buttered rolls, pumpkin pie, a relish tray of carrots and celery, milk and coffee. If you tend to serve more people and offer a wider range of dishes — and alcoholic beverages — then you can bet the cost of Thanksgiving dinner can be much higher. Some things you can do to make your holiday meal more affordable:
1. Get an Accurate Guest Count – so that you don’t buy more food then you’ll actually cook.
2. Stick to Traditional Thanksgiving Fare – because chances are your local grocery store will have everything you want on sale.
3. Plan a Menu With Dishes People Enjoy so you’re not tossing uneaten food.
4. Shop Your Pantry and base your Thanksgiving menu on what you already have in the pantry, refrigerator or freezer.
5. Opt for do it yourself desserts over store bought. You might even be able to make desserts with leftover Halloween candy.
6. Ask Guests to Bring Side Dishes
7. Buy a Discounted Turkey – Compare turkey deals from several grocers in your area to determine which one offers the best discount.
8. Supermarkets offer turkeys at a reduced price per pound or for a flat discount of up to 50 percent with a minimum purchase. Some stores may even offer free turkeys when you spend certain dollar amounts – or purchase a ham. Another way to save money on your Thanksgiving turkey is to buy a frozen bird rather than a fresh one.
9. Shop at the Lowest-Priced Supermarket – use grocery coupons or apps for extra savings – and compare with prices at the big warehouse club stores – such as Costco.
Lastly, don’t wait until the last minute to do your Thanksgiving meal shopping because you don’t want to miss out on sales – and some ingredients tend to sell out quickly!