Saving Thanksgiving

I have a friend here in Vermont who is a parent of a son with a disability and she works full-time in a low-paying job. Caring for a child with disabilities can stretch your money thin any time of the year, but it’s much more difficult during the holidays. She mentioned that she doesn’t think she’ll be able to afford a turkey and the fixings for Thanksgiving. We have invited them to come with us but so far, she is reluctant. She said she feels some shame that she is in so much debt that she can’t put on her own dinner. Money issues are fraught with deep emotions.

I sat down with her and shared some seasonal money saving tips I culled from the web and from my own personal experience, hoping I could save Thanksgiving for my friend and her son. First of all, was she willing to join me in a Spenders Anonymous group and be my “money pal?” This way she would call me before she dropped a lot of money at Costco stores as she tends to do. I would ask if the purchases, especially Christmas presents, were really necessary. Or could she just “look” during the holidays and leave it at that? I have a “money pal” in the program that I call before buying expensive items like furniture or exercise equipment. This has forced me to be reasonable and in many cases, do without. I think it will work as well for my friend to give me a ring before ringing up.

Another idea is to use only cash as often as possible. It has been proven that using cash reduces your overall spending. When going to the mall, leave the credit cards at home and know exactly how much you have to rely on for the trip. As the web says, you will watch “40 dollars turn to 35 turn to 25 and so on.” Slower and more effective than a dashed-off receipt. With cash only, you automatically stick to a shopping budget.

Finally, when she shops for groceries, I urged her to buy store brands. Even consider purchasing a chicken instead of the pricier turkey. There are a lot of savings like these to be found in your supermarket. Maybe she can afford a Christmas dinner by relying on the cheaper but good quality brands.

I don’t know what she will decide but I hope she doesn’t skip Thanksgiving as she has said she’s planning to do. Our economy is in drastic shape if someone with a full-time job is talking about having to pass up the upcoming holiday. Student loans, mortgage, and truck maintenance have set her back into serious debt.

One thing I know for sure this holiday: she and her son are welcome to join my family as we give thanks. Hope you too can share your table with someone in need.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Cindy

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 Cindy Battles is a freelance writer based in Rutland, VT, winner of the National Disability Institute’s 2008 Blog Contest and a regular contributor here on the Real Economic Impact blog.