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Hosting Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t have to be an expensive proposition. Whether you’re serving a meal for 4 or 40, there are ways to save money. How?

1. Plan your menu ahead of time, and stick to only the items on your list.

2. When planning, look at ingredients. Avoid pricey dishes that require a lot of spices, unless you have the spices on hand already. Stick to the basics and you’ll save money.

3. Determine which dishes are less expensive to buy ready-made, and which you’re better off making from scratch. For example, it’s much cheaper to make mashed potatoes than to buy them pre-made. But it could be cheaper to buy a pumpkin pie than to make it yourself. (Because the pies are usually on special for Thanksgiving.)

4. If you’re in doubt as to whether or not you’ll have enough food, underestimate. Chances are high that you’ll have leftovers anyway, and with the number of dishes that are typically served at a Thanksgiving meal, people will be full by just taking a little of everything.

5. Take people up on their offers to bring something. Chances are guests are going to bring something anyway, even if you say they don’t need to. You may as well ensure that they bring something that’s needed.

6. Take advantage of sales and coupons. (It’s a good time to stock up on a few specialty items too.)

7. For future years, join frequent-buyer clubs at the grocery store you shop at most frequently. Many of them offer a free turkey once you’ve spent a certain amount.

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