by Ramona Taylor

Created on: November 08, 2009   Last Updated: November 09, 2009

This year has been a complicated year for everyone and budgets are tight. In these difficult economic times, an extravagant Thanksgiving dinner may be a financial burden; however, the financial crunch does not have to put a dapper on your Holiday munch. You can plan a scrumptious holiday feast on a tight budget with careful and smart planning and creativity.

POTLUCK OR BUST

Remember in 1621, the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag's feast was a potluck. And for this years holiday celebration, a potluck is a great money saving option for the family. It's saves time and effort of preparing a full meal and gives you an opportunity to spend quality time with your family and friends.

If a potluck is part of your plan, you need to decide whether you opt to host or be a guest. If you are the hostess, coordinate which guests are bringing which dishes. Always consider what your friends and family do best. Those who can't cook, bring drinks, cutlery or chairs. If you're the guest, stick to the menu and bring your assigned dish. In some cases, bring an extra item that is your signature dish to share.

For a potluck buffet, the same rules apply. Simply arrange the foods in an order not to great traffic jams.

THE TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING SPREAD

The Plan

As the hostess of the big meal, you may want to have a strategy for pulling off the fine feast. You need to establish a budget and commit to it. You may even break your budget down to parts- twenty for this or twenty for that.

You must decide who are the guest and how many will be invited. If it's a family only celebration, you can invite through calls or e-mails. If you want to include friends, be sure to limit your numbers to fit your budget.

Stick to a basic menu. Plan to make things that are favorites so that food is not wasted. Also, think of your staples. You have to eat beyond Thanksgiving, and we are not taking about leftovers only. Be smart about purchases.

Some holiday celebrations are more than a meal. Some are parties. If you decide on the latter, you will need to find inexpensive forms of entertainment- like movies, music, games, and simple conversation.

Talking Shop

When you are sticking to a budget and buying for a large group, you are accustomed to this, you might have to think outside of the box. There are shopping options other than grocery stores.

You can get great deals from wholesale and even dollar stores. If you buy from a Sam's, Price Club or Cosco, don't get distracted. They have great deals on quality foods,

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