If you’re already feeling the pinch of higher prices on groceries and other essentials, the thought of hosting a Thanksgiving dinner might be anxiety producing instead of joyous.
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Enter Walmart. Known for its already famously low prices, what is the best way to spend $100 on Thanksgiving?
Lukendric A. Washington, a CFP and the CEO at Manifest Wealth Management, decided to see just how many key staples to a Thanksgiving meal he could put in his cart for $100 or less, and here’s what he discovered.
A Meal for Four
Washington thought about what would be practical (and tasty) for his family of four and added the following items to his cart:
- An 8-pound turkey
- Ingredients for homemade mac ‘n’ cheese (pasta, cheese, eggs)
- Green beans
- Stuffing
- Sweet potatoes for sweet potato pie
- Pound cake
- Hawaiian rolls
- Sweet tea
- Lemonade
His cart’s total came to $92.86. While prices and products do vary by location and brand, he found that all the essential fixings for a good meal could be purchased for under $100.
I went and added the same items to my own cart and even threw in some butter, essential for several items on the list, and came up with a similar total of around $93.77. So, it really can be done.
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What It Didn’t Buy
What that $100 didn’t include was “décor, paper plates, cups or utensils,” he said.
“I started very pessimistic on whether it could be done, but to my surprise, I think it can be done if one is very intentional.”
Additionally, if you’ll be sharing Thanksgiving cooking with other family members, you could focus on just a couple of dishes and either spend significantly less than $100 or buy pricier ingredients such as fancy cheese or brand name products.
Focus On Your Favorites
While you can get very creative and pricey with your choices, Washington recommended, “Focus on what makes a Thanksgiving meal special.”
He also strongly urged creating a shopping list that you stick to. You’ll want to weigh whether it is more cost effective to buy the ingredients for a dish (like the pasta, cheese and eggs for homemade mac ‘n’ cheese) versus the premade option.
“Baking the desserts yourself is usually more cost effective.”
When it came to beverages, sweet tea and lemonade are “essential” to his family’s Thanksgiving meal — they typically make their own, but buying a gallon container of each was affordable enough to make it worth it.
Shop Generic
While a couple of his items were brand name — like Stove Top stuffing and King’s Hawaiian rolls, he recommended opting for the generic store brand whenever possible to save money.
Based on the cart he pulled together he believes that $100 would allow four adults to have around two full plates.
Whatever is on your Thanksgiving agenda, there’s a pretty good chance you can check off most of your holiday needs at Walmart alone.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Best $100 You Can Spend at Walmart To Get Ready for Thanksgiving
