Gathering friends and family together over a Thanksgiving meal is one of the best moments of the autumn season. Hosting the holiday can be a great tradition or exciting new opportunity. At the same time, the cost of hosting can cause financial stress.

MSGCU is happy to share 7 tips to host Thanksgiving dinner without breaking the bank.

1. Set and stick to a budget.

Start your preparations off right by setting a simple but realistic budget. This will help prepare you for the costs that come ahead. Stick to the Thanksgiving essentials with a little wiggle room to pick up something fun. Don’t let your budget “fall” away from you; Keep track of everything you’ve purchased in a notebook, an app, or through online and mobile banking.

2. Check off two bird purchases with one trip.

Are you hosting Christmas dinner as well? Consider purchasing two turkeys while they are on sale for Thanksgiving if you have the freezer space to store a second bird for your December dinner.

3. Delegate sides and desserts for guests to bring.

Although you may think you need to be the “host who does the most,” remember that your guests likely want to help. 

Use shared spreadsheets or websites that organize signups to take the heavy lifting out of coordinating side dishes. Using tools like these can help ensure you don’t end up with 5 different pumpkin pies or cranberry sauces.

4. Decorate on a discount.

Decorating your space and designing a tablescape is fun, and a beautiful setup doesn't have to come with a high price tag. Try these tips to help you stick to your budget:

• Check out dollar stores, thrift stores, or sales at home stores to grab decorations on a discount.
• Let your kids create festive decorations such as hand turkeys, thankful trees, or leaf banners.
• Gather leaves, pinecones, greenery, acorns, and other natural items for a free way to add festive décor to your space.
• Reuse a box to store decorations in your basement or a closet for next Thanksgiving and label it for easy finding.

5. Fill the evening with free fun and games.

If you’re unsure of what to do once the parade, football game, and dinner have ended, consider using your creative side to make some free games that will keep your space filled with laughter the whole night through.

Here are some examples of free online or paper games you can play:

• Create a friends and family trivia game and include questions about some or all of the guests in attendance and see who knows everyone the best. Some question starters include:
  • Who got the larger piece of the wishbone last year?
  • Which guest makes everyone’s favorite pecan pie?
  • Whose birthday is closest to Thanksgiving?
• Play Thanksgiving fun fact games. There are a variety of games you can print out or host through a laptop, including spins on classics like Jeopardy.
• Check out MSGCU’s free printable Thanksgiving Trivia here to discover if you’re stuffed with Thanksgiving knowledge. It’s easy to download, print, and play at the table throughout the evening.

You can award the winners a small prize, like a candle or homemade treat, or give them the honor of breaking the wishbone!

6.  Help offset the costs by taking advantage of our limited time $50* referral bonus.

Holiday gatherings are great opportunity to refer your family and friends to MSGCU. When you share the love of MSGCU with friends and family now through the end of the year, you’ll both earn a $50 member appreciation bonus when they become a member.

7.  Let your purchases pay you back.

As you manage the expenses that come with hosting or attending the Thanksgiving festivities, use your MSGCU Rewards Visa Credit Card to earn 1.5% cash back and a bonus of 2x rewards on purchases through the end of the year. Whether you’re paying for gas, travel, groceries, a gift for another host or guest, or whatever other costs weave their way into the season, this special bonus can help earn you rewards to treat yourself with after the busyness of hosting winds down.

Thanksgiving can be an expensive holiday, and hosts shouldn't have to feel the entire financial cost. Remember that no matter how little or much you spend, the lasting memories you make are priceless. Stick with these easy tips, and you can host a Thanksgiving that leaves both your stomach and wallet full.

For more budgeting tips and personalized financial guidance, we encourage you to meet with one of our financial counselors at any one of our 24 branch locations, give us a call, or chat with us online.

Category: Holiday & Fun