Thanksgiving tips from moms across the country to help you save money on the year's biggest meal

Moms from across the country share their tips on how they save money creating a Thanksgiving meal the whole family will remember. (This video contains some content created in association with an advertiser.)



Renee from cutiebootycakes.com shares her southern style and flair that she brings to her traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Her collard greens side dish is a family favorite and budget-friendly because she finds an inexpensive "bunch" of collard greens will serve 10-12 people. Instead of meat for flavoring she adds heat - fresh jalapeno pepper and crushed red pepper are her secret weapons. She also adds garlic and sometimes chops up some onions to add to the mix too. Saute the collard greens in olive oil with the pepper and garlic for about 10 minutes, adding some organic apple cider vinegar for a little extra flavor. And when the collards have wilted, removed from heat, add a little sea salt and serve!

Mercedes from commonsensewithmoney.com tells us that Thanksgiving dinner wouldn't be complete without sweet potatoes. Mercedes uses canned sweet potatoes to save money and time, and she's sharing her quick and clever recipe. The simple ingredients are two 32 oz cans of yams, 1/2 cup packed of brown sugar and one bag of marshmallows. After you open the cans of sweet potatoes, drain the juice inside them on a small sauce pan. To this juice add the half a coup of brown sugar. Bring to a boil while stirring and then simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir frequently. Pour the cans of sweet potatoes inside your favorite casserole dish. Pour the syrup that has been simmering for 30 minutes over them. Separately cut marshmallows lengthwise in half. Then cover the casserole dish with them and put in the oven to bake for 25 minutes on a preheated oven at 350 F.

Lynnae from freelancehomeschoolmom.com knows how to get more for her family and stretch her dollar when it comes to shopping for the Thanksgiving turkey. Lynnae says she buys a turkey at Walmart that's just a little more than she needs to feed her family, because for a few extra dollars, she has at least one extra meal that will feed her whole family. As a tradition, she bakes her turkey in a roasting bag because she says it keeps the turkey moist, and always delicious.

Jenn from frugalupstate.com had some creative and inexpensive ideas for the Thanksgiving table centerpiece. She bought her base materials at Walmart keeping in mind that most of them she can re-use for other holidays and purposes for years to come. Then Jenn heads to the backyard to gather free centerpiece "filler" and makes it a truly memorable family experience by inviting the kids along to help. They'll be proud later to point out their contributions in the finished piece. Collect plant cuttings like ferns, seed pods, winter berries, interesting twigs and small branches with green or colored leaves.

Tara from dealseekingmom.com finishes her Thanksgiving meal with pumpki pie, making it homemade for generations. Tara says she can make two pies for what she'd spend on just one from the store. Check out her blog for the exact recipe that's been passed down form her mother, a tradition that she hopes her kids will carry on with their families too.