How to Spend the $400 You Win for Thanksgiving Dinner

Inside the Point Clique, we have your chance to win $400 towards this year's Thanksgiving dinner.

Depending on how many people you have over, that should be enough to prepare the most fabulous of meals! Here's what you'll need:

My family is huge, and we usually have at least 15 people, so let's assume you're entertaining that many too!

Turkey

We start with the bird. If you can't get one free from your local store, this will likely be your largest purchase. You'll need about a pound of turkey per adult, and the fresh ones always taste better, so plan on $35-$45 right there.

$355 to go.

Signature Cocktail

Next up? Apple Pie Sangria. It's a total crowd pleaser, and it's something you can absolutely make a day or two in advance. (In fact, I suggest it, as it gets better the longer it sits!) Get the recipe HERE. Total cost for 15 people? $50-$60 depending on the cost of wine/vodka/apples...don't get super pricey wine for sangria. It's a waste!

$295 left!

Stuffing

What's Thanksgiving without stuffing, right? Sure, you can get a big box of the packaged stuff for a couple bucks, but in my house, it's all about Grandpa's sausage stuffing recipe. My absolute favorite Thanksgiving dish. It'll run you about $25-$30, and it's worth every penny!

$265 left!

Candied yams

Thanksgiving is not Thanksgiving without candied yams. Depending on how your family rolls, (with or without marshmallows, etc.) it'll cost $5-$10.

$255 to go.

Cranberry sauce

A point of contention, I prefer my cranberry sauce jellied, complete with indented ridges from the can it came in. $5-6.

$249 remaining.

Green veggie of some kind

I know a lot of people do that weird green bean casserole, which always sounds better than it tastes...if you go that route, it'll cost you about $10. I prefer roasted brussels sprouts, which should run about $5.

Erring on the side of caution, $239 left.

Mashed potatoes

Mashed potatoes and gravy. Not everyone does this, especially if you are serving the candied yams, but just in case, budget $10!

$229 to go.

Now that's most of the main course, but wait, let's go back to the beginning...

Bread

Dinner rolls! Approximately $10-$15 depending on what kind you buy, plus $5 for butter!

$209 left!

Salad/Appetizers

My Italian family would be lost if we didn't start a meal with an antipasto...Mama C. does hers with lettuce, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers, sopressata, olives, sundried tomatoes, and a bunch of other goodies. Depending on your salad/appetizer situation, yours might be cheaper...I would never give up mine, and it'll cost about $30.

$179 remaining.

Let's not forget the best part of all...

Dessert!

Thanksgiving dessert absolutely requires pumpkin pie. Depending on if you make your own or buy it, it can run you anywhere from $3-$15 per pie...and since there are some crazy folk who don't like pumpkin pie, you'll need other dessert options. Whether it's homemade, store-bought, or a combo of the two, budget about $30 to satisfy everyone's sweet tooth!

$149 left!

Beverages

Along with the crazy people who don't like pumpkin pie are the crazy people who don't like apple pie sangria. You'll need to supply alternate adult bevs for them, be it beer, wine, or the hard stuff...and of course if there are any kids around, you'll want sodas, juices, or other non-alcoholic liquids they will drink. Better safe than sorry, budget $100 for your drink needs.

$49 left.

Everything else.

At this point, you'll want to fill in the holes in your menu. Duzzy's family is ALL about the hors d'oeuvres, so they'd probably spend it on that. Maybe your family will need it for booze (you're my kind of people!) Maybe you want to spend it on festive napkins and turkey-shaped butter.

Regardless of how you're spending your $400, make sure you're entered to win it first! You have until Wednesday, November 11th to enter, and you can earn one entry for each of the activities you complete below. Happy Thanksgiving!