What's your estimated thanksgiving week spend on travel, meals, black Friday, et.

[QuarterMillionMan]

I used to travel every year from Los Angeles to Hawaii during thanksgiving week (about $1000) but since COVID haven't done it. In addition, I would try to get in a Las Vegas 2 night stay during thanksgiving weekend so maybe another $500 or more depending on gambling losses. This year I'm cooking my own Butterball $20, in addition to mashed potatoes and gravy, making stuffing, yams, gravy, etc. So maybe $50 tops this year. And watching lots of football and going to the beach as usual so minimal costs this year.

[disneysteve]

$0

No Thanksgiving plans here.

[Drake3287]

Yep, nothing special here either other than going to a family gathering a few hours away. Funny about these Thanksgiving costs we all hear about every night on the news. In my book you can't get a cheaper meal with a ton of leftovers for the price. Even for someone on a tight budget you can buy a $25. turkey, mash potatoes, a few vegetables and a pumpkin pie and call it good for around $50.00. Growing up we had these types of Thanksgivings and we never thought twice about it.

[kork13]

Funny about these Thanksgiving costs we all hear about every night on the news. In my book you can't get a cheaper meal with a ton of leftovers for the price. Even for someone on a tight budget you can buy a $25. turkey, mash potatoes, a few vegetables and a pumpkin pie and call it good for around $50.00. Growing up we had these types of Thanksgivings and we never thought twice about it.

I absolutely *LOVE* Thanksgiving for just this reason -- it's all about food, family, friends, and ::gasp:: gratitude. Really hard to commercialize this holiday, besides at the grocery store (which is why most stores go straight from Halloween sales to Christmas & skip Thanksgiving entirely). And besides, I love cooking for people, and I love good food. This is seriously the holiday that I enjoy most.

We have plans, but nothing extravagant. Some of DW's family will drive up to join us for the holiday, but otherwise no costs anticipated beyond feeding everyone. We're expecting a total of 7 adults + our 3 kids. If we spend more than $100 on everything, I'd probably die of shock.


Turkey: "SHOVE OFF, FAT MAN! THIS IS MY MONTH!"

[QuarterMillionMan]

Kork and I are on the same page here. With left overs I make cream of mushroom turkey, sandwiches with turkey to take to the beach, a turkey rice soup, etc. celebrating the fall’s bountiful harvest and grateful for a blessed life and kickoff to the holiday season.

[bjl584]

Family gathering at my house then I'm heading to my cabin the next morning for opening weekend of deer season.
So, minimal expenses

[ua_guy]

T-Day is my mom's favorite holiday and plans aligned this year for her to host it at her house and have all the kids present. That means virtually no cost to us, although we'll probably bring some wine and liquor to share.

It's the day after T-day that gets expensive. We've tentatively planned to stay in the Palm Desert for the next 2 months or so enjoying the sun and recreation in our new RV while working remotely. We've budgeted just over $1k in travel expenses for the three days following Thanksgiving to get down there.

[jenn_jenn]

Ack I guess I’m the odd one out. Thanksgiving will be expensive this year considering I’m not even the one traveling.

We are hosting for the first time ever so some of these are one time costs because I’ve just never hosted a dinner at my home before for more than 6 people! I am SO excited to have all my siblings here with us and just want everything to be perfect.

Food: $300ish (I splurged on a couple things, our turkey alone was $100)
Wine: Haven’t purchased yet but probably $100-$150
Table Decor: $140
Extra dining table + chairs: $160 (Thank you FB marketplace!)
Gifts for my nephews: $70 (Did I have to do this? No. But I have no kids of my own and wanted to make sure they had toys here to play with!)

These are just day of costs. Not including some of the activities we have planned. When my siblings come, we tend to foot the bill for most activities and meals since they are in different financial positions so it gets expensive quickly but that’s okay! I don’t have any major Black Friday shopping planned other than my annual candle purchase so maybe $200 there.

I love Thanksgiving and love having my family together. And I’m in complete gratitude that they are flying out to us this year. I’m very much looking forward to next week!

[scfr]

I am all in on Thanksgiving this year! It will be the first one in our new house, and I'm hosting my mom & brother. For breakfast, lunch and dinner!! My mom is at a stage in life where I try to make things as special as I possibly can for her. Hopefully we'll have more Thanksgivings together, but who knows? And getting her transported to my house isn't an easy feat so we're making a full day of it. Thus 3 meals, plus entertainment already planned out. I'm splurging on food. She won't eat poultry, so we're having seafood for 1 meal (smoked salmon, marinated shrimp, crab cakes). We are doing traditional sides for the other meal, and my purchases include so-called "premium" local sausage for the stuffing, lots of veggies & herbs, and 2 bottles of wine that will only get used a little for the cooking and perhaps a bit of sipping. In addition to the leftover wine, there will be leftover food and I'll send whatever they want home with them. Lots of cooking in advance and the day-of. The only item I'd say is frugal and a time-saver is the pumpkin pie from Costco, and that's not because I'm trying to be cheap but because it's tasty and you just can't beat the value so why not? I still have a bit of last-minute grocery shopping to do but I have a fair enough estimate:

Food & Beverages $115
Extra Package of Smoked Salmon to send home with Mom: $25
Fresh Flowers & Table Decor: $26
Mileage (2 round-trips)

I also bought a Bluetooth speaker, net cost $66. It's not only for Thanksgiving, and is something I've been thinking about, but decided to go ahead and pull the trigger with Thanksgiving coming. Yep, I have a Thanksgiving Playlist. That was my "early Black Friday" purchase for the year. I don't have any concrete plans to do any other BF shopping, but I will keep an eye out for any gift card promotions (such as Target).

Other than the speaker, I won't be spending anything on entertainment for Thanksgiving. We are going to watch Planes, Trains & Automobiles and the Blue Bloods Thanksgiving Show on Paramount+ (included in my Walmart+ membership). We are going to take a walk. We'll Zoom with distant family. Mom & brother will take a nap. And the Thanksgiving playlist is courtesy of Hoopla Digital from my library.

I've already printed out the menus and prayer. I have checklists . . . I think it's going to be a good day. I hope it is.

[ua_guy]

We are going to watch Planes, Trains & Automobiles

It's just not Thanksgiving without it!! Any John Candy movie, really.

[kork13]

scfr .... All I can say is BRAVO!!! That sounds like a fantastic plan, and I hope you all enjoy it thoroughly!

Yep, I have a Thanksgiving Playlist.

But my curiosity is driving me mad & I've gotta ask.... What sort of tunes make up a Thanksgiving playlist???

[QuarterMillionMan]

In Hawaii the high schools would hold fundraisers and cook kalua turkey. For $25 you bring your own turkey wrapped in foil to the school the day before and they cook it in an imu (pit filled with hot stones and covered with banana leaves and smoked overnight.) Pick it up on thanksgiving day and it is fall off the bone smoky goodness and juicy. Think kalua pig and cabbage if you've ever been to a luau in Hawaii or had a Hawaiian plate at a restaurant in Hawaii. But since COVID none of the schools continues it to my knowledge. I've never tried deep fried turkey but kalua turkey wins it for me hands down to any other cooking method.

[scfr]

But my curiosity is driving me mad & I've gotta ask.... What sort of tunes make up a Thanksgiving playlist???

Windham Hill type music. Old people stuff!

[scfr]

In Hawaii the high schools would hold fundraisers and cook kalua turkey. For $25 you bring your own turkey wrapped in foil to the school the day before and they cook it in an imu (pit filled with hot stones and covered with banana leaves and smoked overnight.) Pick it up on thanksgiving day and it is fall off the bone smoky goodness and juicy.

That sounds divine! And what a great fundraising idea.

[Drake3287]

Fun fact: $64.05, that's the 2022 projected cost of Thanksgiving Dinner in the US. Guess that doesn't include alcohol!