Nov 24, 2008 7:55 pm US/Eastern
Consumer Advice: Save Money On Thanksgiving Feast
CBS 2 HD Speaks To An Expert Who Says You Can Have Everything You Always Have; Just Use A Little Imagination
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
If you're getting ready to hit the supermarket for your Thanksgiving feast you should know you'll be paying more for your traditional favorites – 6 percent more compared to last year. But now CBS 2 HD has ways to cut your holiday costs in half.
From turkey to stuffing, pumpkin pie and everything in between, prices are up, sending some shoppers home with sticker shock.
"Things are so rough now you know?" Upper West Side resident Alfred Robinson said.
"You want to get the most for your money at the best quality," added Barbara Farkas of the Upper West Side.
But experts say there are plenty of ways to be thankful and cut all your Thanksgiving costs. Start by taking an inventory of everything you need, says Sue Perry with Shopsmart magazine.
"Because when you get to the store and you think, 'do I have cinnamon? Do I have all spice?' It's probably sitting in the back of your shelf from last year," Perry said.
Considering these small ingredients can cost up to $5 for a little jar, they add up at the register. Also, Perry suggests buying food that is in season.
"If you build your menu around out-of-season foods like asparagus you're going to pay a pretty penny for that," Perry said.
So go pot luck?
"That's what the original feast was all about -- everybody coming and bringing what they all had," Perry said.
As for your bar menu ...
"We found boxed wines are creating a cache," Perry said. "You can buy them for about $10 to $25 for a box that would be the equivalent of four bottles of wine."
Perry says put the wine in a decanter and your guests won't know the difference.
Other ways to save include:
* Coupons: We found $5 off all turkeys in the paper on Monday.
* Use store brands and save up to 50 percent off.
* Buy a frozen instead of a fresh turkey.
Here's another tip: Pumpkin pies from the bakery run around $8 each. Why not bake it yourself for less than $4? As for the cranberries, canned cost about 90 cents, while a fresh bag is around $2.50.
Experts also say you can find great buys on holiday wines from regions like New Zealand, Australia and South America.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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