DES MOINES, Iowa — The next month will be an expensive one for most of us with traveling, gifts and meals. It's less than a week until Thanksgiving, and if you're someone who cooks through the week, you have even less time.
But, the big banquet doesn't have to cost you big bucks. According to the American Farm Bureau, this year's Thanksgiving will be cheaper on average than last year.
The bureau surveyed several retailers and found that this year turkey is going for about $1.60 per pound. A can of pumpkin pie mix goes for a bit over $4, as does a typical family serving of stuffing.
Even with the slight decline in prices, families may still be struggling to afford the turkey and all the fixings.
Local 5 went shopping with a $50 budget to see what we could find.
First stop was Hy-Vee, and we found their Family Meal Deal. The deal comes with a bag of potatoes, a 13lb turkey breast and traditional sides like dinner rolls, green beans, cranberry sauce and cream of mushroom soup. The deal is completed with half of a pumpkin pie. All of those items ring up to be $30.
With $20 left we made a stop at Dollar Tree where we found an aluminum roasting pan, two-pack of aluminum dessert pans, turkey baster, some yams, cranberry sauce, potatoes and stuffing. The total cost was a little over $10, bringing our grand total to $43.