| "FEAST" ON THESE TURKEY DAY SAVINGS Here are ten practical tips for saving money on your holiday celebration dinner: --1. Serve just one meat: Make a choice - turkey OR ham (OR roast beef). You can plan the rest of your meal around it. It's okay - no one will starve! You'll save the cost of the extra meat, the special side dishes that go with it, AND the gas or electricity used to cook it!) --2. Chose the "cheap" dishes over the "expensive" ones: Make mashed potatoes instead of a creamy casserole, and a pumpkin pie instead of a cheesecake. Make the family favorites, but serve inexpensive dishes to complement them. --3. Cut out extras: Do you really need 4 vegetables and 3 desserts and 2 breads? Nobody will notice if you cut out at least one extra from each food category. --4. Serve inexpensive beverages: Alcohol, sodas, and fruit juices can get costly. Next to water, coffee (.03¢ per 8oz serving), tea (.04¢ per serving) and Kool-aid (.05¢ per serving) are about the least expensive beverages available. --5. Decorate naturally: Use natural things such as dried leaves and pine cones. Fall fruits and vegetables, acorns, and tiny pumpkins add a festive look. Check in magazines for ideas you can adapt using things you already have on hand. --6. Look for recipe substitutions: Many holiday recipes call for ingredients you don't normally keep on hand. Before buying special ingredients you will use once a year, check the substitution guide in your cookbook. --7. Forget about "fresh" vs. "frozen:" Experts say there is no real difference in taste between a fresh and frozen turkey. Therefore, watch for sales and buy whatever is cheapest. --8. Buy the right size bird: Experts recommend the following turkey sizes: --8-12 lb for 2-4 people --12-16 lb for 5-7 people --16-20 lb for 8-10 people --20-24 lb for 11-13 people. These will allow for some leftovers, but if your family doesn't care about that, then choose a bird on the low end of the weight range. --9. Beware of grocery store "giveaways:" Stores often run promotions that give away turkeys with the purchase of other items such as hams. But don't be tempted by getting something for free and blow the budget on extras you won't really need. --10. Take advantage of store "loss leaders:" Grocery stores will run fantastic specials on traditional holiday foods hoping that while you're there for specials you will also buy a lot of other items, too. But be savvy. Get the specials, and don't fall into the "extra spending" trap. |