DISCLAIMER: Food drives/baskets aren’t mentioned in this article since those are free.

Holidays are supposed to be the time where families come together and enjoy each other’s company while a plate accompanies them on the side. But due to the political climate of the world and how a lot of things (inflation, SNAP/EBT being cut) have attacked goods across the nations, most families are having trouble getting ready for the upcoming holidays: Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s unfortunate since most people probably have a lot of things to worry about already, and adding groceries on the list isn’t helping. But don’t fear since this article will feature a few ways you and your family can make the most out of money for the upcoming holiday season while being on a budget.

Aldi

Aldi is a family-owned German supermarket chain that is known for their fresh and organic products priced at reasonable numbers (compared to stores such as Kroger and Meijer. Some would add Costco and BJ’s to that list but they are bulk stores, which means their prices would be higher than average, single-product stores). There’s locations in a lot of cities, so their proximity shouldn’t be an issue. And for Thanksgiving, Aldi announced not too long ago that they’re having an offer where forty dollars can feed ten people. On their website, there’s a tab labeled as “Thanksgiving Feast for 10”, which has a whole list of items that’re interchangeable/can be substituted if necessary. The response to Aldi stepping up for this holiday season was overwhelmingly positive, with people on social media saying how their Thanksgiving dinner has been saved instead of scrapped. For Christmas, Aldi has a few tabs on their website regarding holiday decor and baking, with seasonal goods priced reasonably.

Dollar Tree/General

Known for being “too cheap to be true”, Dollar Tree and Dollar General can be another option for shoppers if Aldi starts to get cramped up with customers. Even though both stores are under different companies, they get paired a lot and are honestly interchangeable with each other. But anyway, the stores offer a lot of items for really small prices—such as silverware, metal pans for big food portions, cups, drinks, and boxed food similar to cornbread or stuffing (along with other food items). On the websites for both stores, there are sections for fall in general, Christmas, and Thanksgiving. Plus, in-store customers have already found ways to make something out of a few items. With a quick Google or YouTube search, people can find videos on how they can budget their money using Dollar Tree/General for an upcoming holiday or for their daily life.

Using Store Branded Stuff

Now, people do have preferences when it comes to shopping—especially for groceries since products priced at oddly low prices can scare consumers. So if the previous stores mentioned aren’t the “best” for budgeting, then the third option can be using store branded items instead of name brands. Some don’t notice, but store brands are known to be relatively cheaper compared to name brands—and this goes for a lot of items, not just food. But to put it into perspective, say for instance you’re buying cereal. A name brand box like Fruit Loops could be 6.59 at Kroger and 5.99 at Meijer. But if you look to the side and see the big bag of Meijer/Kroger-branded Fruit Loops, that could be 3.49. The price difference might not seem like much but it is when everything adds up.