Anyone who has ever prepared a holiday dinner knows how hectic shopping for food a few days before can be. Grocery stores are often packed, prices may have escalated and prized ingredients may be hard to find. It pays to shop early for holiday feasts.

For the best results, plan your dinner menu weeks before the holiday. Decide in late October what you’re going to serve for Thanksgiving, make a list of the items you’ll need and purchase a few with each regular shopping trip. Just make sure you check the expiration dates to ensure whatever you buy will stay fresh.

Shop at times when the store is not as busy-early in the morning, mid-afternoon or late in the evening. That way, you can take your time shopping and look for the best deals. Assistance might also be more readily available, should you need it.

Shop for real values. Retailers sometimes mark up merchandise before major holidays, so make sure the items you buy truly are on sale. If need be, be a cherry picker, that is, a person who purchases only the advertised specials. Yes, you may have to make an extra trip or two to the store, but the savings could more than make up for the money you spend on gas.

Be wary of buying items in bulk. While you might save several cents a pound on fresh produce bought in bulk, the savings won’t do you any good if much of it spoils before you have time to use it. Buy in bulk items you can freeze or store in the cabinet for a long time, like meats, bread, rice, beans and paper goods.

Save yourself some headache this year and make a difference in your bottom line. Plan and shop for your holiday dinner early!

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