You don’t need a lot of money to cook a memorable meal for Thanksgiving. Read these great money saving tips for a Thanksgiving meal on the cheap.

1. Handling the turkey

Many grocery stores run promotions on their turkeys, offering them up as loss leaders. The turkeys are a standard part of the Thanksgiving dinner, so you’re going to buy one no matter what. The grocery stores want to get you in the door to purchase all the extra fi xings that go along with this meal. Some stores offer free turkeys if you have enough reward points through their programs, while others price their turkeys at under $1 per pound. If you have space in your fridge and you don’t mind waiting for the turkey to thaw, get even more for your money by opting for a frozen turkey. It takes a few days to completely thaw a turkey, so keep that\ in mind if you want to go this route. Avoid running the turkey under water to thaw it out, as this results in a dangerous temperature level for food safety.

2. Keep an eye on coupons

Another way to cut down on your Thanksgiving meal costs is by maximizing coupon use for your local stores. Check the grocery store sites and manufacturers’ websites the closer you get to Thanksgiving. Wait for your grocery stores to coupon match existing coupons so you get double the value.

3. Create a meal plan

Before heading to the grocery store, create a complete meal plan so you don’t end up purchasing far more than what you actually need. When you purchase only what you need,\ you won’t have to worry about signifi cant food waste after the festivities. After all, you’ll have plenty of leftovers to deal with in the week after. Another benefi t of creating a meal plan is having a concise grocery list to consult when you’re making your purchases. To save the most amount of time, organize your grocery list according to the aisles in your store.

4. Skip the boxed options

Boxed and prepackaged sides are tempting when you’re cooking for a large group, but creating everything from scratch is less expensive, healthier and gives you better control over what you’re putting in the food. Stock up on ingredients such as butter, fl our, eggs, sugar, bread and other essentials necessary for creating classic Thanksgiving dishes. Many recipe sites provide step-by-step instructions, or even videos, to help with creating these dishes. You don’t have to be a master chef to create a memorable Thanksgiving for your friends and family at your apartment.

5. Understand your in-season options

One thing that drives up your costs is attempting to buy produce out of season. Not only do you get lower quality produce, but you’re also paying a premium because it is shipped across the country, or even internationally. Watch for the in-season options in your area, such as Brussels sprouts and other late harvest vegetables. If you must have something not in season, go to your frozen food section. These vegetables are fl ash frozen when harvested, so they are at peak quality compared to the out-ofseason produce offerings.

6. Consider a Thanksgiving meal potluck

Want to really cut down on the cost without asking your friends and family to pitch in monetarily? Ask them to bring side dishes, drinks or desserts for a Thanksgiving potluck. A potluck is also great if you have vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or friends with other dietary restrictions who worry they won’t have anything to eat beyond a veggie platter at your dinne