I’m hosting Thanksgiving for less than $15

Here is how I’m doing it

Photo by Donna Lay on Unsplash

I’m hosting a Thanksgiving feast this year. It’s not a huge group — Mom and myself and a few friends, a half dozen total. But these are people I love, people I’m actually thankful for. That is the most important thing about the holiday, in my opinion. I’m a natural introvert and I’d rather be with a few people I’m really close to than a horde I barely know.

We’ll feast, then play games and sip mulled wine before having dessert.

Since we’re going to eat, we might as well make it delicious, with plenty of leftovers. Yet I’m on a budget. I needed to keep expenses to less than $20. I wasn’t sure if I could do it, but I surprised myself. I just got home from the store, and the ingredients for my part of the feast come out to less than $15.

How did I make this happen?

Give up traditions that no longer work

First of all — I am not making the entire feast. While not exactly pot luck, I told my guests what courses I was serving and asked them each to bring something to add to the table.

I realize this goes against long tradition of one person (usually a woman) cleaning her house until it’s spotless, cooking a huge meal including a turkey and several desserts, and…