Tips For Successful Holiday Planning

Writen by Tom Palange

Thanksgiving is a holiday for families and football, and a lot of hard work and money goes into preparing the feast! As the host of your family's Thanksgiving dinner try planning ahead this year.
Use these tips to help you save yourself some headaches and money:

Watch for supermarket loyalty programs.
Many supermarkets offer special incentive programs around the holidays that can earn you free groceries. Read your local newspaper and check the weekend circulars, and be sure to capitalize on the chance to earn free Thanksgiving turkeys!

Check wholesalers for better bargains.
For every day items and groceries, wholesalers don't offer the lowest prices. Many families however, hold multiple holiday parties from Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve. If you're hosting multiple parties this year, buy in bulk from Sam's Club, BJ's or Costco; you'll get more items for a cheaper price.

Vary your shopping.
Supermarkets recognize that consumers plan ahead for their holiday dinners. Stay on top of the weekly specials at various supermarkets in your area. You may save money on one item at a store this week and more money on another item a few weeks later.

Outsource your courses.
As host of the party, it is your job to cook, clean, decorate, prepare and entertain. Ask your guests to pitch in this year by bringing a side dish to Thanksgiving dinner. If you're cooking the turkey, stuffing and desserts, relatives will be more than happy to bring the potatoes, vegetables or cranberry sauce!

Tom Palange Education Programs Specialist American Consumer Credit Counseling ABOUT ACCC: American Consumer Credit Counseling is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering consumers to regain control of the quality of their lives through education, counseling and debt management. ACCC provides individuals with the practical solutions for solving financial problems and recognizes that consumers' financial difficulties are often not the result of poor spending habits, but more frequently from extenuating circumstances beyond their control. As one of the nation's leading providers of financial education and credit counseling services, ACCC works with consumers to help them with the best plan of action to reduce their debt and regain financial stability. For more information or to access free financial education resources log on to http://www.consumercredit.com.