Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday: Which Has the Better Deals?
Thanksgiving is supposed to be all about family, friends, feasts and gratitude. But for the host, stress, anxiety and turkey-sized credit card bills are what’s really on the menu — but it doesn’t have to be that way. With a little planning, preparation and imagination, it’s more than possible to throw a Turkey Day bash for the ages on a double-digit budget.
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Use Ibotta To Get the Whole Thing for Free
This is not a misleading headline.
You can get an entire Thanksgiving dinner for free from select retailers by using the cashback/rewards app Ibotta through Nov. 23. Open to both new and existing users, all you have to do is sign up to take advantage of the offer. If you already use Ibotta, check out the details on the app.
For existing Ibotta users, you’ll need to complete what Ibotta calls its “Turkey and Sides” offers to unlock access to your dinner fixings. New users have immediate access. You’ll buy your turkey and three sides, plus gravy mix to top it all, and Ibotta will credit your account with cash back.
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Get a Free Turkey Through a Store Promotion
The American Farm Bureau Federation said turkey prices will reach record highs this year, citing inflation and bird flu that wiped out part of the turkey supply. But your local grocery store might have a promotion to save you money on that centerpiece of your feast. In most cases, you just have to spend a certain amount on groceries from the supermarket you shop at anyway between now and the big day:
ACME: Members of the ACME for U rewards program can activate the free turkey promotion in the store’s app, then start shopping. If you spend $300 by Nov. 24, you’ll receive a free turkey or turkey breast.
Butcher Box: If you’re considering a Butcher Box subscription, now is the time to sign up. You’ll get a free 10- to 14-pound turkey with your first delivery.
Foodtown: Spend $400 by Nov. 24 and you’ll get a free turkey or ham.
H-E-B: Having a full house for Thanksgiving? You’ll get a free turkey, up to 12 pounds, when you buy select hams. Note: If the ham eats up too much of your budget, just pay for the turkey.
Hy-Vee: This midwestern chain has the same deal as H-E-B: Buy a select ham, get a free turkey.
ShopRite: Spend $400 on your Price Plus club card by Nov. 24 and get a free turkey, ham, chicken, lasagna, tofurkey, or Gardein holiday roast.
Weis Markets: Redeem 400 Weiss points by Nov. 24 for a free turkey, tofurky ham and marinade, tofurky roast and gravy, lasagna or mac and cheese entree.
Win-Co Foods: Take home a free frozen Jennie-O Grade A turkey with a single $125 purchase From Nov. 14-23. (The purchase doesn’t include the price of the turkey.)
Two Words: Pot and Luck
Even if for some reason you can’t score a free bird, you should still be well inside your $100 budget if you have to spring for a turkey yourself. But what about the green bean casserole, pumpkin pie — apple pie, too, for that matter — mashed potatoes, candied yams and cranberry sauce?
Well, that’s where your guests come in.
Thanksgiving is the ultimate potluck holiday, and not only is it not tacky to ask people to bring a dish, but you’ll probably find that most of your guests will jump at the chance to chip in and show off their specialty. Make the night a winner by following these tips from Better Homes and Gardens:
Assign categories to avoid duplicate dishes
Concentrate on making sure you don’t run out of adult beverages — booze, beer and wine all are expensive, so consider keeping it BYOB
Be aware of dietary restrictions and allergies
Ask your guests to label their dishes and know the ingredients
Cook a Beautiful Dinner With Ugly Food
Maybe you have guests coming from far away or there’s some other reason that a potluck just isn’t in the cards. No problem. You can still save big on the ingredients you need to do all the cooking yourself.
Sign up with Misfits Market or Imperfect Foods to save as much as 40% on fresh, local, organic produce and pantry staples. They take the ugly, but perfectly good, food that doesn’t meet the strict cosmetic standards of supermarkets — think straight bananas and curved carrots — and sell it at a steep discount.
Both are free to join, come with no obligation, let you cancel any time and deliver your order right to your door. Not only will you stretch your $100 much farther, but you’ll do your part to support local farmers and reduce food waste.
A Few Money-Saving Suggestions
According to Forbes, you can save money no matter what your budget is with the following tips:
Create a plan and start shopping early.
Buy the biggest turkey you can afford, even if it’s too big for your party — you’ll get a better deal than you would on a smaller bird.
Buy directly from local farmers.
Keep your guest list as small as possible.
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Jami Farkas contributed to the reporting for this article.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday: Which Has the Better Deals?
