NFCC Financial Education Blog ? Managing Your Meal

By Jana Castanon

Thanksgiving is the time of year where excesses in food and money can lead to a downward spiral that lasts until the first of the year.?And you know what happens then??You make a New Year?s Resolution to lose weight and implement a ?budget? to save money.?But, you don?t have to wait until January 1^st to begin to make better decisions.?Here are some suggestions that will keep more money in your wallet, and who knows, maybe fend off a few extra pounds.?

Determine how much food you need.? Think about last year.?How many leftovers did you have, and did you eat all of them??This year, determine what would be the perfect size turkey.?Sixteen pounds for 4 people might be too much.? Keep your portion sizes realistic also. Perhaps shop with a friend, and split items that you only need a small portion of.?? That will save money, and do you really need all those extra items in your pantry?

Plan your side dishes. Grandpa always has to have ambrosia salad, Uncle John sweet potatoes with marshmallows, and Tommy can?t live without his mincemeat pie.?Everyone looks forward to their favorite dish.?But, how much does it cost to appease them? Some possible solutions would be to purchase these items premade, or promise to make them at an upcoming meal. That would save on cost, and everyone could still get what they want.

Start a new tradition. How many times do you do the same thing because that?s what you?ve always done??It doesn?t have to be that way this year.?Prioritize and focus on what?s important for your family. And, don?t feel guilty about it!? Thanksgiving is maybe more than slaving away in the kitchen, stuffing yourself, and dreading the piles of dishes that need to be cleaned.?? ?

Jana Castanon is the Community Outreach Coordinator for Apprisen. Apprisen is a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. To schedule an appointment with a certified financial counselor call 800.355.2227, or visit Apprisen?s website at www.apprisen.com.

Views expressed are the personal views of the author, and do not represent the views of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, its employees, its members, or its clients.

Source: http://financialeducation.nfcc.org/2012/11/20/managing-your-meal/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=managing-your-meal

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