Josh Elledge - Chief Executive Angel
With Halloween behind us, it's time to look forward to the next big holiday celebration: Thanksgiving.
While Thanksgiving is still three weeks away, dinner deals are arriving at grocery stores this week. Now is the time to save not only on your Thanksgiving feast but also on meals throughout the holiday season.
Average cost of Thanksgiving dinner
For nearly 30 years, the American Farm Bureau Federation has conducted an annual survey of the average cost of a classic Thanksgiving dinner. Although the 2013 results won't be released for a few more days, the average cost was $49.48 in 2012.
If a similar survey out of Virginia is any indication, the price should stay about the same this year. According to the Virginia Farm Bureau, residents of that state can expect to pay $50.01 to feed 10 people turkey and all the fixin's this year.
What groceries are on sale
Of course, turkey is the main event on many Thanksgiving tables, and it is also the main loss leader for the weeks leading up to the holiday. That means grocers are willing to take a loss by selling turkeys at deep discount in order to get you in the door.
Often, these turkey deals have strings attached. For example, this week, many Meijer stores will give you $10-$17 off a turkey (depending on the size) so long as you spend at least $20 more in the store.
Fortunately, there are plenty of great sales that make it easy to reach that $20 threshold. Both this week and in the next two weeks, look for prices to be slashed on the following items:
- Boxed stuffing and mashed potatoes
- Canned veggies
- Condensed soups
- Pies and pie ingredients
- Potatoes, yams and sweet potatoes
- Canned gravy and gravy mixes
- Apples, squashes and other seasonal fruit
- Wine
Stretch your savings
Sale prices can be great this time of year, and by using a few simple strategies, you can stretch those savings even farther.
- Combine coupons with sales: Use a coupon on a sale item, and you could end up getting some products practically for free. The Enlightened Shopping section of SavingsAngel.com makes it easy to quickly see which coupons you need.
- Consolidate shopping trips: The Meijer deal only requires a $20 purchase which isn't a lot when you consider grocery prices. However, some deals may require a substantially higher purchase to qualify for a cheap or free turkey. Make sure you qualify by combining all your shopping into one trip instead of making several smaller trips each week.
- Look ahead to December: There will certainly be more grocery deals in the weeks leading up to Christmas, but it might be nice to skip a couple trips to the store during the busy holiday season, right? Much of what is on sale for Thanksgiving is the same food we traditionally eat for Christmas and the other winter holidays. In addition, most items ““ even potatoes and apples ““ will make it to Christmas if bought now and stored properly. Buy extras and eliminate the need to do some shopping in December.
The stores might want you to start thinking about Christmas right now, but I say forget the tinsel and holly for the time being and focus on gratitude instead. Among the many things for which I am grateful are our amazing Angel Workers and all our SavingsAngel members. Thank you for being part of our savings community.
