1. Set one total before you shop
Pick the amount you can pay in cash. Then work backward: food, drinks, table and extras. The free Thanksgiving dinner budget calculator shows the total, the cost per guest and what to set aside each week until the day.
2. Price your menu per guest
Write your shopping list, price it at your own store and divide by the number of guests. Prices differ a lot by area, so your own list beats any national average.
3. Share the cooking
Ask guests to bring a side, dessert or drinks. A potluck can cut the host's bill a lot and spreads the work.
4. Shop smart
Buy the turkey or main dish early when stores run holiday sales, pick store brands for basics, and skip single-use decor you will not reuse.
5. Plan cheap fun
Games after dinner cost almost nothing. Thanksgiving Party Games is a printable PDF with trivia, bingo and table cards for $4.
6. Think ahead to December
Thanksgiving is the start of holiday spending. Use the free Christmas gift budget per person calculator or the Holiday Gift Budget Planner to plan gifts next.