Thanksgiving

10 Delicious Ways to Use Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Andrea Karim — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 11:36:30 +0000

Mashed potatoes are a holiday staple that are awesome in their original form, but what if you end up with tons of leftovers and get tired of the same old mash? Here are 10 delicious, and mostly easy to prepare ways to repurpose your leftover mashed potatoes. (See also: 10 Tasty Ideas for Leftover Turkey)

1. Mashed Potato Bar

If you have a pot of plain mashed potatoes (that is, cooked with minimal adornment), you can fancy things up by treating your mashies like a baked potato and covering them in all kinds of goodness. Think chopped scallions, all kinds of cheese, smoked salmon, bacon bits, sour cream, spicy pepper jelly, or freshly chopped herbs. You can also add cooked beets (or yams or sweet potatoes) and remash for a sweeter take on mashed potatoes.

2. Pseudo Latkes

Latkes, traditional Hanukkah fare, are pancakes made from potatoes. OK, the traditional recipe does call for shredded potatoes, but you can fudge it a little bit with this mashed potato latke recipe from Slashfood. If you want something even more exotic, try out this recipe for Korean potato pancakes.

3. Potato Croquettes/Muffins

If you have the capacity and the will to deep-fry your food, consider the wonderful, creamy goodness of a mashed potato croquette (doesn’t that sound better than “mashed potato ball”? I think it does). The good news is that you are already a couple steps into this recipe, since your potatoes are already mashed.

If you're more into baking than frying, you can still enjoy a decadent, crispy-edged mashed potato treat with this recipe for loaded baked potato muffins.

4. Shepherd's Pie/Casserole

A classic casserole that’s easy to make and popular with everyone, shepherd’s pie is that much easier when you already have a supply of mashed potatoes at the ready. If you’re not a meat eater, you can try a vegan version of shepherd’s pie.

5. Potato Lasagna

Mashed potatoes can be awesomely creamy and replace dairy products fairly easily (whether you’re lactose intolerant, vegan, or just feeling adventurous). Try out a vegan lasagna recipe (or meat lasagna) with mashed potatoes in place of the tofu or ricotta cheese. Add crushed, roasted garlic to the potatoes to really pack a wallop of flavor.

6. Potato Bread

I'm not sure what it is exactly about potatoes that make for such delicious, fluffy bread, but if you can bake, you can turn your mashed potatoes into a brilliant loaf. This potato bread recipe is pegged as Eastern European, but you’ll love it regardless of where your palate hails from.

7. Potato Cheddar Soup

Mashed potatoes are a fantastic soup thickener — if you’re like my mom and use your Thanksgiving turkey in soup, you can make it a real stew by throwing in a big spoonful of mashed potatoes.

If you want a real potato-centered soup, mashed potatoes are the main ingredient in potato cheddar soup, a decadent staple of winter eating. Like a couple of the other recipes here, you’ll find that you’ll save a couple of steps, since your potatoes are already mashed.

8. Mashed Potato Moussaka

Moussaka is a traditional Greek casserole made with eggplant; it’s very filling and a great dish for winter or fall. Potatoes are often added for texture, and this moussaka recipe includes mashed potatoes. Since you have the mashed potatoes ready to go, you get to save significant time!

9. Potato Perogi

Perogi are a Slavic dumpling — different from gnocchi in that they are a distinct filling encased in a wrapper. These mashed potato-filled dumplings allow you to be especially creative with additional fillings, like chives, bacon, fish, or spices. Top with butter, sour cream, or spicy garlic salsa.

10. Gnocchi

Gnocchi is probably the most obvious use of leftover mashed potatoes, but they are just so amazing that I had to save them for last (since they’re the best). This recipe for mashed potato gnocchi is fast and easy, and it makes the perfect meal for a cool evening.

Written by Andrea Karim and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Best Money Tips: Tips to Save on Thanksgiving Dinner

Ashley Jacobs — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:36:49 +0000

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found some stellar articles on tips to save on Thanksgiving dinner, part-time jobs that pay well, and making extra cash for the holidays.

Even More Black Friday Savings Tips From Shopping Experts

Mikey Rox — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 10:36:44 +0000

Black Friday is widely regarded as the unofficial start to the holiday buying period, and for good reason — most retailers offer deep discounts the day after Thanksgiving to jump-start sales in anticipation of Christmas and Hanukkah. You can browse the Internet endlessly trying to find the best tips and tricks to help you make the most of Black Friday (and Cyber Monday), but that would seriously cut into your turkey and family time. To save you a headache, I’ve reached out to financial and frugal-living experts to compile this comprehensive list of their best advice. When the pie is polished off and the dishes are put away, I hope you’ll remember these savvy shopping tidbits to help you walk away a winner as you usher in the holidays. Happy shopping and happy holidays! (See also: Black Friday Tips From Money-Saving Experts)

Price Matching

Andrew Schrage, founder of Money Crashers, advises to keep an eye on price-matching offers while making sure you’ve read the find print:

Price matching can be tricky. Retailers love to advertise price matching, but when you get down to the fine print, you may find a number of caveats. For example, many stores require you to provide a physical ad displaying the better price in order for the retailer to honor your request.

However, Walmart has led the way with consumer-friendly price matching. Last year, Walmart instituted a policy stating that if you purchased something from one of its locations during December and then found it elsewhere at a reduced price, you would be refunded (with some exclusions) as long as the better deal was offered before Christmas Day. It remains to be seen if it will offer a similar program this year.

Boost Your Buying Power

Swagbucks, a top online rewards destination, has launched a new program called Shop & Earn, which helps budget buyers stretch their money by offering exclusive discounts to more than 300 big-box retailers like Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Apple, Kohl's, and Macy's, among others.

As an incentive for participating in the program, users earn Swag Bucks ("currency" redeemable for gift cards and products from these stores), which help boost consumers' holiday buying power. In addition, for peak shopping periods around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Swagbucks will double and triple its Shop & Earn rewards on Friday, Nov. 23, and Monday, Nov. 26.

Shop In-Store, Buy Online

Leslie Linevsky, co-founder of Catalogs.com, thinks taking part in the Black Friday is a good idea, but you can save time by avoiding the long lines and making the actual purchases online:

Avoid back-breaking heavy bags, skip the check out lines, and pay for everything all at once. How? Enjoy your shopping experience: go to the store, try on, touch and make your selections — putting everything in your online shopping cart at the store's website. Check out while you relax at the food court and have all your purchases delivered right to your door.

Use Black Friday Sites to Streamline the Process

Black Friday veteran Jon Vincent is the co-creator of BlackFriday.info and Black-Friday.net, both of which recently merged with BlackFriday.com. Vincent says that Black Friday-dedicated sites make it easier for shopper to plan their attack by providing email alerts, all the ads in one place, and the ease of comparing prices between stores. Another weapon in Black Friday sites’ arsenal is social media. “Social media is another way to keep on top of breaking ads,” Vincent says. “Follow or ‘like’ Black Friday sites or the stores you want to shop to get updates on ad breaks.”

Just Say No to Credit Card Offers on Black Friday

Jeanette Pavini is the resident household-savings expert at Coupons.com, and she warns that while it may be tempting to sign up for a store credit card on Black Friday to score even more savings, it’s a trap you should steer clear of unless you plan to pay off the balance immediately.

“Every time you have your credit checked you may be lowering your credit score which can have long-term ramifications, like paying a higher interest rate on a car
purchase or a home refinance,” Pavini says. “Only open a card in store if you can pay the entire balance off when you get the bill — paying interest is not saving
money.”

Stock Up on Discounted Gift Cards to Pay for Purchases

This tip from Andrea Woroch, who provides consumer advice to top news outlets like “Good Morning America,” CNN, and the New York Times, is often overlooked; but it can help you keep more money in your pocket when you’re at the cash wrap.

“The best way to enhance your savings is by using discounted gift cards to purchase items on Black Friday” says Woroch. “Sites like GiftCardGranny.com offer gift cards at less than face value to popular retailers like Kohl’s, Target, Macy's, Best Buy, and more with an average savings of 12% off.”

Black Friday Can Help You Save on Things For You, Too

While you’re out buying for people on your list, also keep an eye on items you may need for yourself and your home, says Cherie W. Lowe, aka The Queen of Free: “Not all Black Friday sales are about gifts. Kitchen appliances, bath towels, coats, and countless other items drop to their lowest prices of the year the day after Thanksgiving. Keep in mind that you might not see these items so cheap until next year.”

Beware of Doorbusters

Brad Wilson of BlackFriday2012.com maintains that while doorbusters can be a boon to savvy shoppers, they can also be a source of a major headache during the morning rush.

“Be wary of Black Friday doorbusters with quantity limits,” Wilson says. “If a store only has 10 items at that price, go elsewhere. Remember that you only need to hit the stores early if the object of your desire is a doorbuster. If you aren't after a $5 coffee maker or a $200 flat screen, you can probably skip the morning rush and hit the stores in the afternoon once things have calmed down.”

Stack Your Savings

Couponing expert and founder of cash-back rewards site BeFrugal.com Jon Lal reminds us that sometimes, you can use deals on top of deals. “When you shop online on Black Friday, you can often get free shipping offers... [and] use an online coupon code, plus earn free cash back.”

Shop Differently on Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday

“From our 13 years of Black Friday experience, tech gadgets and other ‘hard goods’ will be at their lowest prices on Black Friday. Cyber Monday is the day to get the best deals on 'soft goods’ like clothing, makeup, home décor, and more,” says Julie Vlahon from TechBargains.com.

Make the Most of Mobile Apps

Shopping apps have become a huge part of Black Friday over the past few years. Here are a few to look into before heading out to shop till you drop:

Extra! Extra! is a new app that curates deals from thousands of sites and retailers in one place. It’s perfect for shoppers looking for quick and easy coupons while they’re out holiday shopping. Forgot to clip coupons from the paper? No problem! If you have Extra! Extra! on your phone, you can redeem deals like 20% off at Famous Footwear, $10 off a purchase of $30 or more at Bath and Body Works, or a free chicken sandwich at Sonic. These deals are instantly redeemable via mobile devices and require no extra effort from shoppers. The average user saves about $100 a month. Best of all, it’s absolutely free to download on iOS and Android.

List Bliss is the best way to organize your holiday shopping this season. Let’s say mom and dad are tag-teaming a shopping list for their kids. List Bliss syncs their shopping lists in real-time, so you always know what your significant other has already purchased. Split up at the mall and shop in half the time, while staying up to date on what’s in your partner’s basket. It also helps families stay on budget — you would never shop online without knowing the cost of your "shopping cart," so why do so in real life? List Bliss is free for iOS and Android.

CheckPoints is the premier shopping rewards platform that “gamifies” the shopping experience and awards consumers just for checking out products in over 2 million U.S. stores. No other shopping rewards app is available in as many retail locations. CheckPoints users have earned nearly $2 million in rewards thus far, and there’s plenty more to go around!

While apps are an excellent additional savings resource on Black Friday, PayPal shopping specialist Claudia Lombana advises that you still need to practice common sense:

Stay safe when using a mobile device to shop this season,” she says. “Use a PIN/password that is set to time out so the phone locks automatically. Don’t click on links sent via SMS (text) that ask you to verify personal information; call or log on to those accounts directly instead. If you download apps, do so from reputable sources only. Respond to all upgrade notifications on your mobile device promptly (whether for an operating system or an app). And check your account transactions regularly so you can address problems right away.

Look Into Debit Rewards Programs

Make money while you save money — that's the advice of Jessica Howell, a rep with Ally Bank:

When it comes to saving money during the holidays, an area of savings often overlooked are debit rewards programs. Ally Bank’s program, Perks, automatically gives our (free) Interest Checking Account customers money back when they make qualifying purchases at participating retailers (think: Crate & Barrel, Best Buy, Target and Whole Foods) — nothing to sign up for, and no cost. Our national offers are published weekly on our Straight Talk Blog.

This is just an example of what one bank is doing to help soften the holiday-shopping blow to its customers, but there are plenty more. Check with your banking institution to see if it offers a similar program.

Understand the Return Policy Before You Buy

It’s easy to get blinded by deep discounts, but Steven Zussino at GroceryAlerts.ca warns you to be informed about return policies so you don’t get stuck with something you don’t want.

“Make sure you are not stuck with any purchases that do not meet your expectations by reading the return policies in advance. Some retailers allow you to return online orders to a local store at no extra cost, while others may charge you for return shipping as well as a restocking fee."

Be Mindful of Identity Theft When Shopping Online

One of the best ways for your holiday season to be ruined is to have your identity stolen. That’s why you MUST heed this advice from Jodi Burack of LifeLock Consumer Education:

“’S’ is for Santa and security. When it comes time to insert your personal identifying information (name, address, phone, credit card number, etc.) when shopping online during the holidays, be sure that the URL on the site begins with https://. The ‘s’ lets you know that your information is encrypted during the transmission.”

Be Vigilant With Daily Deals

Tricia Meyer from Helping Moms Connect offers this helpful tidbit for daily-deal lovers: "Be wary of ‘daily deal’ sites and check that the prices are actually better than usual. For example, one daily deal site today is advertising a ‘special’ on a product for $9, but perhaps you can buy that same product any day for $5. Just because a site says it's a special for that day only, does not mean that it is. You still need to compare.”

These are all excellent tips from Black Friday and shopping experts, but there are plenty more tips and tricks to keep in mind. If you have a good one to share with Wise Bread readers, let me know in the comments below.

Written by Mikey Rox and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Dishes

Elizabeth Lang — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 10:36:51 +0000

Thanksgiving can be stressful enough — lots of relatives in town, too much food to cook (in one tiny oven), and of course, timing it all to be ready at just the right moment. Thankfully, one of the best ways to decrease stress on Thanksgiving day is to make dishes ahead of time. (See also: Five Last-Minute Thanksgiving Fixes)

Rather than rely on my relatively few years of experience preparing Thanksgiving, I called the ultimate expert in make-ahead Thanksgiving dish advice — my mom. My mom has always managed to pull together an amazing Thanksgiving feast where the only thing not homemade is the cranberries (my brother prefers the jelly cranberries in a can) despite working full-time and juggling two hectic kids' schedules.

So, what are Mom's tips for dishes to make ahead? She offered her top three dishes in terms of time savings and what was least likely to affect the taste of the dish, along with several other make-ahead dishes and information that is just as important — what not to make ahead.

Top Three Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Dishes

These three dishes require a fair amount of work, and the taste isn't overly affected if you make them ahead of time.

Apple Pie

Apple pie can be made a week or two ahead of time and frozen. When you bake it the first time, don't bake the pie all the way through. When you reheat it in the oven, the pie will finish cooking. Also, put some bread crumbs in the bottom of the pan under the crust — this way, when you cook the pie again after it has thawed, the breadcrumbs will absorb the extra liquid.

Stuffing

Stuffing requires a lot of peeling and chopping. But dressing (as in a dressing casserole, not a kind you make in the turkey) can be made the day before and reheated on Thanksgiving day.

Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes can be made the day before and microwaved on Thanksgiving day. They are almost as good. (Mom's words, not mine. In fact, she always makes hers the day of, but if you need extra time due to the amount of work required to peel potatoes, they can be made ahead of time.)

Other Make-Ahead Dishes

While the following dishes might not be quite as good made ahead as the above three, they're still great. Do these next if you need to save more time.

Cranberries

Homemade cranberries should be made one to two days before and refrigerated, so that they are cold in time for the Thanksgiving feast.

Turkey Breast

If your family eats a lot of turkey breast, bake a breast separately (in addition to the full turkey). You can bake it the day before and store in the fridge in some turkey juice. It will absorb the juice and not dry out when you reheat it.

Rolls

Dinner rolls can be made one to two weeks ahead and wrapped tightly in tin foil and frozen. When you reheat them in the oven, be sure to keep them in the tin foil, as this will trap the steam and prevent the rolls from drying out.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes can be made one day ahead of time and reheated in the microwave. Just wait to add any marshmallow topping until the dish is almost hot. Otherwise you will end up with exploded and sticky marshmallows coating the inside of your microwave.

Don't Try These Ahead of Time

There are a few dishes to always make on Thanksgiving day.

Turkey

There's just no way around it — you need to get up early and put your turkey in the oven on Thanksgiving morning. Besides the wonderful smell and better tasting meat, a turkey made on the day of Thanksgiving reduces the risk of food poisoning.

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie doesn't freeze well because it's a custard. The only exception would be if you own a commercial freezer that will flash-freeze the pie. But like with the turkey, the smell of freshly baking pumpkin pie is a staple of Thanksgiving.

Veggies

Every family has their own unique Thanksgiving vegetable. Whether it's salad or green bean casserole, it is best made on Thanksgiving day.

Whipped Cream

You can whip your cream most of the way on Thanksgiving morning and then finish whipping it right before serving. But you don't want to make whipped cream too far in advance, or it will turn back to liquid.

If You Do Nothing Else, Do This

Even if you can't or won't make dishes ahead of time, do these three things to save money and stress on the big day itself.

Take Stock

Two weeks before Thanksgiving, take stock of your cupboards and dishware. Determine exactly what dishes you'll need, so that if you need to borrow from a friend or family member, you can give them advance notice. Also determine which recipes you are going to use, and make lists of the ingredients you'll need. Chances are as the time gets closer to actually go shopping, you'll remember items you might have otherwise forgotten.

Set the Table

You can set your Thanksgiving table up to a week in advance. To easily get the wrinkles out of your tablecloth, spray a very fine mist of water on the table cloth. By Thanksgiving morning the wrinkles will fall out. (Don't spray too heavily, or you will mold the table or turn it white.) You can also put out all the silverware and dishes you'll need a week ahead of time.

Make Your Centerpiece

Either order your centerpiece in advance, or make a cheap centerpiece a few days to a week before Thanksgiving. A clear glass bowl of different colored apples is a favorite cheap, easy, and festive centerpiece.

With these tips, you'll be on your way to a stress free Thanksgiving. For great make-ahead recipes for anytime of year, also check out 5 Awesome, Easy to Freeze Meals and 9 Make-Ahead, Freezable Breakfasts.

Is there anything I've forgotten? What tips do you have to save stress on Thanksgiving day?

Written by Elizabeth Lang and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Get Ready for Christmas: 7 Things You Should Do Today

Craig Ford — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 10:24:34 +0000

Take your current schedule and imagine adding Christmas shopping, Christmas parties, and holiday travel all at once. I suspect you'll thank yourself come mid-December if you use the extra time you have now to get ready for Christmas. (See also: Early Holiday Shopping: Why I Finish by Thanksgiving)

1. Set and Fund Your Christmas Budget

Every year there is a segment of the population that simply charges their gifts on their credit cards and then spends the rest of the next year trying to get caught up on their payments. Before you do any Christmas shopping, you need to determine how much you can afford. From there, decide who to include and exclude from your list. To make it easy, try setting a per-person budget. For example, you'll buy $75 worth of gifts for each kid and $35 for each niece or nephew. You're much less likely to overspend if you've predetermined how much you'll spend on each person on your list. Don't forget to check it twice.

2. Start Making Homemade Gifts

Homemade and personalized Christmas gifts are the most memorable gifts you can give. Why? Because the recipient knows that you've invested a significant amount of your time. I often think about doing homemade gifts, but realize I don't have the time to complete a project. By brainstorming homemade ideas now, you're more likely to have the time necessary to complete the project.

3. If You Do Christmas Lists, Ask People to Get You Their Lists

My family does lists, and my wife's family does not. If you do ask people for Christmas lists, go ahead and contact them now. Inevitably, there is going to be one person who takes their time getting a list to you. That's less likely to be frustrating if you have an early start.

4. Start Watching for Sale Items

If you don't subscribe to the Sunday paper, you might want to pick one up over the next few months. Set aside 10 minutes every Sunday to glance through the ads and coupons. If you find an item on your list, snag it while it's on sale. Otherwise, what's probably going to happen is that you'll run to the store on the 24th and pay too much on a gift you don't want to buy.

Our personal goal is to have all our Christmas shopping done by the last day of November. That way we don't have to fight against the holiday crowds.

5. Get Started on Your Christmas Cards

Imagine how amazing it would feel if all your Christmas cards were ready to send by Thanksgiving — wouldn't that be a relief? Go ahead and set a target goal of when you'd like to finish all your cards. Then create some type of plan to be done by that date. You could either mark off a morning on your calendar or do a little bit at a time.

6. Fill Up the Freezer

There are a lot of great meals that you can freeze ahead of time so you have food available when the holiday season gets really busy. One way to fill the freezer is to double or triple some of your recipes you'll be preparing in the next month. Serve a single portion, and freeze the extra portion. Another option is to block out a full cooking day where you make as many meals as possible and freeze them for the busy holiday season.

7. Practice Saying 'No,' and Offer an Alternative When Necessary

Most people I know spend their Christmas season busy doing things they didn't want to do in the first place. Start today by saying no to commitments you know will cause you stress over the holidays.

If saying no is hard, then offer an alternative. I won't be able to ____, but it would work if I could ____ instead.

With an early start, you can survive the hectic holiday rush. I'm sure that in December you won't regret any of the time you've spent while the pace of life is comparatively slower.

Written by Craig Ford and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Best Money Tips: Ways to Make Thanksgiving Fun

Ashley Jacobs — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 10:48:34 +0000

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found some awesome articles on ways to make Thanksgiving fun, investments that protect you from inflation, and resume writing tips.

News & Events

The Wealth Builder Carnival — Don't miss The Wealth Builder Carnival, featuring some of the best posts about building wealth!

Be sure to check out our News & Events Calendar to see all the awesome upcoming events in the personal finance world!

Written by Ashley Jacobs and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

All About Black Friday

Linsey Knerl — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:36:25 +0000

Whether you're a dedicated deal-hunting warrior or you try to avoid the crowds entirely, around this time of year, it's hard to not hear about the shopping frenzy known as Black Friday. From some history on the event to how to handle it and more, read on! (See also: 3 Ways to Beat Holiday Shopping Stress)

When Is Black Friday?

The “busiest shopping day of the year” traditionally takes place on the day after Thanksgiving, although longer shopping days and earlier store hours have now taken the one day holiday into the “Thanksgiving zone.” Some stores are now set to open as early as 11:59 p.m. on turkey day itself, and Black Friday-like sales can be found happening online beginning November 1st. A few select stores have also dabbled in replacing the annoying “Christmas in July” marketing strategies with their own misplaced “Black Friday” promotions, which have appeared throughout the calendar year. The purists, however, still claim that there is one day (the Friday right after Thanksgiving), and anything else is just a marketing ploy.

Why It's Called “Black” Friday

Investopedia (and most everyone else) credits the dark name to the fact that stores are likely to turn profitable for the first time on this shopping holiday, and that their business ledgers would actually see their numbers go from “red” (indicating a fiscal loss) to “black.” Others (specifically, anti-commercialism groups) have more recently taken some of the most newsworthy incidents that have occurred on the holiday (store tramplings or robberies, for example) and have assigned new meaning to the “black” portion of the term.

Deals Offered on Black Friday

In addition to “door buster deals,” which claim to offer shoppers up to 60% off popular items like TVs, toys, and clothing, there are special promotional perks, such as in-store refreshments and giveaways. Many who participate, however, just like the rush of the deal, waiting in line, and communing with other deal-seekers.

Wise Bread has covered the topic of Black Friday and its deals extensively over the years, including articles such as Black Friday Tips From Money-Saving Experts, 5 Things You Shouldn't Buy This Black Friday, and 6 Ways to Spend Black Friday at Home.

Black Friday Facts

In addition to the essentials of how and why, I thought it would be fun to share a few random facts about the shopping holiday.

Cyber Money is the online version of Black Friday, offering shoppers exclusive deals at their favorite dotcoms; many of the best prices, however, are still available only on Black Friday, and most stores have moved to sharing the best deals online on the day after Thanksgiving.
In all of Black Friday history, 2008 was the only year to see a drop in electronics sales.
In recent years, Canada has held its own version of Black Friday to discourage border-hopping on the big day. As their deals haven’t been as aggressive as many U.S. retailers, however, many Canadian consumers have continued their “field trips” across the border to buy up good deals on consumer goods.
In an effort to control the messaging of their deals (and to pre-empt the “leak” sites that have been sharing deals before their official release), many major retailers, including Walmart, have taken to officially “leaking” their own sales. For example, this year customers were asked to sign up for a special email list to be among the first to view an official Black Friday ad — weeks before the ads were distributed in newspapers and online.
The emphasis on buying has caused some groups to rebel; AdBusters will again this year celebrate their own “Buy Nothing Day” to coincide with the hype of commercialism that Black Friday often brings about.
Mobile payment technology has created growth in the Black Friday market; just last year, PayPal reported an increase of 27% over 2009’s transactions (thanks, in part to the 310% increase in mobile shopping).

If you are not already tired of hearing about this year’s “Black Friday” event, chances are good that you will be. The hyped-up holiday, however, is an important part of many stores’ annual budget, and cash-strapped shoppers will always be looking to take advantage of the deals.

Will you venture out this year?

Written by Linsey Knerl and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Ask the Readers: How Do You Save On Thanksgiving?

Ashley Jacobs — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:36:51 +0000

Editor's Note: Congratulations to Diane, Monica, and Jason F for winning this week's contest!

Thanksgiving is right around the corner which means it’s time for the three f’s: family, feasting, and football. Putting together a delicious Thanksgiving meal can cost quite a bit of money. Throw in the need for some festive decorations, and the cost of Thanksgiving can really add up! Luckily, many people have their tried and true tricks to make their Thanksgiving celebrations affordable.

How do you save on Thanksgiving? Do you have guests bring a dish? Is there a special market you go to in order to save on Thanksgiving necessities? How do you make your home festive without breaking the bank?

Tell us how you save on Thanksgiving and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards

We're doing three giveaways — one for random comments, one for random Facebook "Likes", and another one for random tweets.

Mandatory Entry:

Post your answer in the comments below

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Go to our Facebook page, "Like" us, and leave a comment telling us you did, or
Tweet your answer. You have to be a follower of our @wisebread account. Include both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" in your tweet so we'll see it and count it. Leave a link to your tweet (click the timestamp for the individual URL) in a separate comment.

If you're inspired to write a whole blog post OR you have a photo on flickr to share, please link to it in the comments or tweet it.

Giveaway Rules:

Contest ends Monday, November 21st at 11:59 pm Pacific. Winners will be announced after November 21st on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.
You can enter all three drawings — once by leaving a comment, once by liking our Facebook update, and once by tweeting.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered, or associated with Facebook.
You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited.

Note: Due to recent changes in Facebook's promotions guidelines, we have restructured the entry format of our giveaways.

Good Luck!

Tell us how you save on Thanksgiving and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Written by Ashley Jacobs and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Kick-Ass Alternatives to Canned Cranberry Sauce

Andrea Karim — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:00:06 +0000

Fine, I'll say it: Canned cranberry sauce is one Thanksgiving tradition that I could do without. Whenever I fill my plate and sit down for Thanksgiving dinner, cranberry sauce is afforded minimal, if any, space in front of me.

In fact, I often wonder why anyone bothers with cranberries at Thanksgiving at all. The tartness is obviously meant to cut through the richness of the rest of a Thanksgiving feast, but canned cranberry sauce simply hasn't won me over. Cranberries themselves are delicious and healthy, but there's something about that canned taste that I can't get behind.

But because my family would revolt if there wasn't SOME kind of tangy berry-like condiment at Thanksgiving dinner, I have found a variety of stylish, tasty ways to get around the canned cran. Are these alternatives cheaper than the can? No. But they are infinitely more interesting and impress everyone at the table. (See also: 5 Last-Minute Thanksgiving Fixes)

Basic Homemade Cranberry Compote

If you don't think that you can do without a fairly traditional cranberry sauce, basic homemade cranberry sauce is easy to make. Savory Sweet Life has some good photos of the finished product and the cooking process. You can add other ingredients, like ginger, champagne, shredded coconut, honey, dates, red pepper flakes, cardamom, rosemary, sage, rose essential oil, black pepper, or anything else that suits your fancy and that changes the flavor a bit. Cranberries themselves are so chock-full of flavor that subtle seasoning might not come through, but add any experimental ingredients according to taste until you have the kind of sauce that will make your mouth sing.

Spicy, Bright Pink, No-Cook Cranberry Relish

Looks can be deceiving, and photos of this cranberry relish do not do justice to its flavorful majesty. Spicy, creamy, sweet, and sour at the same time, it is a prefect accompaniment to roasted turkey. Forget gravy! The relish rules the roost. So what if it looks like Pepto Bismol?

The recipe for pink cranberry relish is incredibly easy — no cooking involved, just blending! You can prep the relish before Thanksgiving and freeze it or chill it in the fridge for 24 hours before serving.

Indian-Style Cranberry Chutney

Indian food is, hands-down, my favorite cuisine, and pre-mixed Indian spice packets have salvaged more than one meal in my house. Although I don't frequently use chutneys, they do go extremely well with roasted meats, and this cranberry chutney is no exception (link includes video!). This recipe calls for "jaggery," which is a solid chunk of sugar that is often used in South Asian cooking. If you can't find jaggery, you can use regular sugar, but you'll need to add several tablespoons to make up for the compact nature of jaggery.

Cranberry Apple Salsa

Another no-cook option, cranberry salsa can be eaten with Thanksgiving dinner (or with chips as a snack — who says that cranberries are only good for Thanksgiving?). Although this would be especially good for those who are celebrating Turkey Day in warmer climates, who can turn down salsa, even when it's cold outside?

Boozy Berries

If you're already imbibing in order to survive the holidays, spare a little Grand Marnier for the cranberries with this easy, breezy, orangy cranberry sauce that is made in the oven.

Non-Cranberry Sauce

Sure, cranberries might be the tradition, but there's no reason to limit yourself to them! Tart dried cherries are available in the winter, and you could easily whip up a cherry sauce with balsamic vinegar.

Not interested in these options? Well, here are five MORE fantastic alternatives to plain ol' cranberry sauce. Tired of other traditional Thanksgiving dishes and looking to try something new? Check out Myscha's article on Thanksgiving dinner alternatives.

Written by Andrea Karim and published on Wise Bread. Read more Food and Drink articles from Wise Bread.

Five Last-Minute Thanksgiving Fixes

Meg Favreau — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:00:06 +0000

Think you've ruined part of your Thanksgiving meal? No way. As someone who has personally lived through several Thanksgiving mistakes ranging from smoke-alarm-ringing pies to almost-broken hands (my father ate dinner one year with a hand swollen to nearly twice its normal size), I can assure you that almost any Thanksgiving error can be fixed. So if you're near tears over a dish gone wrong, don't throw out your food — here's how to salvage some last-minute Thanksgiving snafus. (See also: 4 Meals You Can Make With Thanksgiving Leftovers)

Pie Problems

Your filling is fine, but your crust — as delicious as it may be — somehow got screwed up and is about as easy to roll as pushing a semi truck up a hill. Instead of making an ugly pie, make a beautiful galette. This rustic tart is basically a free-form pie, which means you can use the exact same crust and filling, but that the little bits of dough you're shoving together by hand instead of rolling out smoothly are part of its charm.

Dry Turkey

The Sahara, the Mojave, the bird on your table — they're all bone-dry. Unfortunately, there isn't a great way to re-moisturize a dehydrated bird. But unlike the Sahara and the Mojave, your turkey can be covered with rich, juicy gravy (well, you can try to cover the deserts, but it seems like a waste of both time and delicious turkey fat). Make sure your gravy is good (AllRecipes has a whole collection of worthwhile ones to try), and push it on your guests like a middle schooler trying to win top prize in a magazine drive.

Uninspired Side Dishes

Butter and cream are your friends. From underwhelming mashed potatoes to over-wilted asparagus, there are few side dishes that can't be helped by the addition of some good ol' dairy fats. The power of butter and cream not enough? Complete the trifecta of power with freshly crushed garlic.

Wet Stuffing

If you cook your stuffing in the bird, it's pretty easy for it to come out soggy. If this is the case, remove the stuffing from the turkey and place in a baking dish. If it's really, crazy wet, sop up some of the extra liquid with paper towels. Then place the uncovered dish in a 350°F oven until it dries out a bit, stirring occasionally.

Awful Wine

The bottle of wine you just opened is...terrible. Follow Elizabeth's advice and serve it with soda water. Plus it'll make the wine last longer...although you might not want it to!

Have a great last-minute Thanksgiving save? Share it!

Written by Meg Favreau and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Turkey Dinner for Two

Little House — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:00:08 +0000

For many years my husband and I have lived in a fairly large city far from any relatives. Over the past few years, when the holidays rolled around, we've bounced back and forth between each others parents' homes spending time with our families. However, recently we've grown tired of always having to travel some place else for the holidays, so we've come to create our own traditions that often include only the two of us.

The Thanksgiving holiday often poses a challenge in deciding how to handle the traditional feast we've grown accustomed to. We've had to think creatively to continue to satisfy the pumpkin pie urges and marshmallow-glazed sweet potatoes on a smaller scale.

The Deli

My husband is a wonderful cook. But I can barely boil water, so cooking for two all on our own for as large a spread as Thanksgiving demands is usually out. One alternative we've found that works for us is purchasing pre-cooked turkey or ham from the deli at our grocery store, then preparing the side dishes at home.

Living in a large city gives us plenty of deli options to choose from. Not only does our local grocery store have a large selection of pre-cooked meats, but the Honey Baked delis are also a great option for ham and turkey as well. The price per pound is slightly higher, but since it is just the two of us, it makes more sense to purchase a reasonable amount of meat than a huge turkey that may never get eaten.

Dinner at the Beach

Many people feel Thanksgiving dinner is one to be spent with family at home, and not in an impersonal setting such as a restaurant. However, over the years we've hunted down a few quaint restaurants with superb atmospheres that make up for the missing home-sweet-home atmosphere. One such place happens to be a restaurant on the beach that we've come to enjoy. The prices are reasonable for a traditional Thanksgiving meal, and the walk on the beach after dinner makes for an amazing sunset ending to a thankful holiday. We even took our parents to this restaurant for Thanksgiving a few years ago, and they were delighted by the view, not to mention relieved they didn't have to cook.

Of course not everyone has the luxury of living near the coast, but there may be a restaurant that offers Thanksgiving dinner specials in a beautiful setting near you.

A Weekend Getaway

For many, Thanksgiving is the start of a long weekend. Instead of spending it at home or traveling by plane through over-crowded airports, I've used this time for camping and exploring towns a few hours from my own hometown. Not only are campgrounds and state parks not very crowded, leaving on Thanksgiving Day often means less traffic on the roads. Preparing roasted turkey can still be done on a small camp stove and pumpkin pie can be purchased per slice from a deli for portability. Enjoying the holiday weekend outdoors before the weather turns colder is an excellent alternative to a traditional holiday trip.

Many people will be traveling to visit family and friends this coming weekend. But if you are one of the few who isn't planning family visits this time around, these are just a few suggestions that may pique your interest.

Written by Little House and published on Wise Bread. Read more Food and Drink articles from Wise Bread.

Managing a Holiday Potluck: How to Keep Things Under Control

Thursday Bram — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 14:00:06 +0000

Thanksgiving, for my circle of friends, is at my house every year. A few friends and I start cooking early in the day, handling the big stuff, like the turkey and the mountain of mashed potatoes. Everyone else brings different things, making for a huge potluck. After a few years of this sort of holiday meal, there are a few tricks I've picked up on that keep a potluck meal from winding up with ten desserts and no salad.

Who's in Charge?

There has to be someone in charge of any potluck with more than four people bringing dishes. Someone has to answer that ever-present question of 'What can I bring?' and keep track of who is already bringing what. There are plenty of convenient online tools these days, although I stick to sharing a Google Doc with assignments. (I've found that some folks don't always remember what to bring, so having a reminder is useful.)

You don't have to be overbearing about being in charge — you just have to keep things manageable.

Keep Track of the Details

On that same spreadsheet where I keep track of who is bringing what, I make notes about allergies and dietary restrictions. Not only do we have several specific dietary restrictions in our group (vegetarian, kosher, and other diets) but we have several folks who are allergic to different things, including, unfortunately, garlic. There aren't that many people who will eat everything on the menu, but if you're willing to make suggestions about ingredients like using a vegetable-stock base for gravy, it's not too tough to make sure that everyone will still get a full meal.

I've also built up an idea of what my friends expect in terms of food over the years. The first year we all got together for Thanksgiving, I didn't make stuffing because it was never a big deal in my family growing up. Since then, a friend with her grandmother's secret stuffing recipe has been responsible for that part of the meal. There are a few other specialties that are simply permanently assigned.

Stock Your Pantry

Provided you've got a well-stocked pantry, someone forgetting something small isn't a big deal. We've had friends bring chicken soup and forget the noodles — I just dived into a cupboard and let them sort out putting the rest of the soup together. On the big day, I don't want to worry about whether everyone remembers everything and having a well-stocked pantry means that filling in holes isn't a problem. There's always someone hanging around the kitchen who can put together some fast biscuits or a quick pie if you can point them in the direction of the ingredients and find a little more room in the oven.

Written by Thursday Bram and published on Wise Bread. Read more Food and Drink articles from Wise Bread.

5 Creative, Simple, and Frugal Recipes for Leftover Turkey

Sarah Winfrey — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:00:02 +0000

It's that time of year again. No, not the holiday season. The time when everyone and their mother tells you what to do with all that leftover turkey you're going to have in a week. Not wanting to be left out of such honored company, here are some of the best ideas I've heard (and had!) for using up those extra bits of bird. Besides being tasty, they might not be anything you've had before, they whip up quickly, and they use ingredients that most people have on hand. (See also: 8 Fancy Ways to Use Leftover Food)

1. Turkey Bar-B-Q Sandwiches

These are a great spin on the overdone after-Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches. Simmer some turkey in your favorite bar-b-q sauce. Add some onion and garlic if you're feeling particularly adventuresome. Meanwhile, lightly toast some bread (those leftover dinner rolls will work, too). When everything smells fabulous and tastes the way you like it, put the turkey mixture on the rolls and consume the goodness.

2. Turkey Marinara

Some people put boring old meatballs in their spaghetti sauce, but not you. Nope, creative fiend that you are, you use turkey instead. If you're feeling really ambitious, you can chop your turkey really small or put it through a grinder, mix it with some onion, garlic, and other spices, and cook your meatballs in a pan or your oven until they've glommed together in that special way meatballs do.

If you're still sleeping off the first turkey dinner, just add some turkey and spices to your spaghetti sauce and simmer until the flavors mix. The taste is about the same, though meatballs are just more fun.

3. Turkey Broth

Before you say, "Bor-ring!" and walk away, hear me out. Broth is infinitely useful, obviously great for soups and gravies, but also useful as a marinade, in rice, or anytime you want to add a little extra meaty flavor. And the best thing about it? You can freeze it and save it forever! So you won't have to use all your turkey in a week. Instead, you'll consume it over months.

To make turkey broth, simmer your turkey or turkey carcass (yup, making broth lets you use even the carcass!) in water with spices you like. I'd suggest garlic, parsley, basil, salt and pepper, but you can choose whatever works best for you. You can also add chopped veggies, like celery and onion. Simmer for several hours, then use a strainer to remove any bones. It's up to you whether or not you leave bits of meat in — some people like it this way and others don't. Set aside any that you'll use within the next week and freeze the rest for later.

4. Turkey Divan

I'm not sure what "Divan" means, but I've always guessed it must be related to "divine" because of how amazing this meal tastes. Seriously, food of the gods, folks. I made up a recipe for this once-upon-a-time, but that was before I found this one. And honestly, there's nothing in mine to recommend it above this one. Just swap out the chicken it mentions for your turkey leftovers and you may never want to eat anything else again.

5. Turkey Tortilla Soup

I love me some good tortilla soup (and I hate the bad ones!). There's not much better on a cold day than some spicy, substantial soup for lunch. If you're sick, there's not much that works better for clearing those poor sinuses, either.

Just add some turkey to your favorite tortilla soup recipe (doesn't every cook have one?), or use this one and substitute your turkey where it says "chicken." As a bonus, you can also use your fresh turkey broth here, too (see, I told you it'd be useful).

Instead of this just being me blathering on and on about what I like to eat, tell me what you do with your leftover turkey (or the rest of your leftover holiday spread, for that matter). After all, with Christmas just around the corner, it's not like we won't have ample time to try out all the recipes!

Written by Sarah Winfrey and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Thanksgiving: 3 Ways (This Thanksgiving We're Going to Party Like It's 1621)

Max Wong — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:03 +0000

Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday. I prefer it to the December holidays, New Years, and even my birthday. I prefer it because it is one of the only holidays that have not succumbed to commercialization and become a special day for candy and home decor companies to push their wares. Even though it's now a secular holiday, after three centuries, Thanksgiving is still a celebration that's centered on being a generous, grateful, and compassionate human being.

A lot of Thanksgivings are about family dysfunction and weird, terrible food involving aspic and marshmallow topping.

That is not how I roll.

I'm celebrating Thanksgiving three times this year. (Which really isn't that weird considering Florida, Texas and Virginia all had Thanksgiving celebrations before the Plymouth Colony made it a yearly holiday in 1621.) And really, wouldn't this country be better off if we focused more attention on harvest festivals that are about being thankful for what we already have and not holidays that center on deep discounts at the mall? In the spirit of the Plymouth colonists' and Wampanoag Confederacy's first dinner, I'm going to follow their example on what makes a good party.

In addition to wild turkey and a variety of winter vegetables, the guests at the first Plymouth Thanksgiving also enjoyed swan, venison and seal. Taking a cue from what is surely the ultimate pot luck dinner, I hosted a Thanksgiving pot luck for my Chowhounds foodies group, on November 15th, before everyone went home for the real deal. Last year's foodies party was so epic that I ended up with 40 pounds of leftovers, including four untouched pumpkin pies and two turkey carcasses that I turned into five gallons of turkey and rice soup. It was enough to cater three Thanksgiving Redux parties, which was tiresome, but delicious.

Although I managed to successfully entertain fifty guests in my 1000 square foot house, we almost immediately ran out of protein. I thought that two twenty-pound turkeys would be enough for all the carnivores to have a decent serving of white or dark meat. What I didn't count on was how much the birds would shrink during cooking.

Instead of spending hours basting and fretting over the oven, I delegated the turkey preparation to the neighborhood bodega that is famous for its Armenian-style rotisserie chicken. For $20 they agreed to rotisserie my two turkeys. The roasting was perfect. The birds were succulent and juicy with dark brown, crackly skin that melted in your mouth...but at half their original mass.

This year I'm planning a little better, first by asking all my guests to bring some Tupperware for leftovers, so I don't have so much surplus. In addition to turkeys (that will be rotisserie cooked again), I'm also serving a Honey Baked Ham purchased with an expired $50 ham gift certificate from 1997 that my mom found stuck to the back of her kitchen junk drawer. (Thanks to an awesome law in California, gift certificates have no expiration, a legal loophole that my mother can't exploit in Arizona.) Now if only I can get other people to bring some eel and lobster as alternate main courses...

Strays Party

My actual Thanksgiving dinner will be an all-day event I call the Strays Party. Up until two years ago, I hosted a Strays Party where I would start cooking at 10 in the morning and wouldn't stop until 10 at night. In the fabulous Wampanoag Indian tradition of snacking all day, people who were alone for the holiday could show up, eat and leave whenever they wanted. (Each year I also pick up a number of friends who eat at my house to subsidize what they know will be a disastrous meal cooked by mom. At least they know they'll eat well at least once that day.) The Strays Party is super fun, because I never know who is going to show up when, so every hour it's like a different party with different guests. Over the years my Strays menu got more and more elaborate and byzantine. I made elk meatloaf sandwiches on focaccia. I made Ovaltine gelato. I made Turducken.

Thanksgiving Breakfast

Two years ago I wised up — I realized that the thing my friends were dying to eat every year wasn't my Thanksgiving dinner, it was my Thanksgiving breakfast which consists of baked curried fruit salad and Swedish pancakes topped with my homemade cranberry preserve and creme fraiche. So, for the past two years, I've still had a Strays Party but only served the pancakes with different toppings all day. Let me just say that my kitchen stays much cleaner with all-day Thanksgiving Breakfast and my friends are still excited to come over.

Thanksgiving Redux

During the first week of December I am going to host Thanksgiving Redux. This is a potluck dinner where everyone brings his or her Thanksgiving leftovers to share. This a great way to squeeze in one more dinner with friends before everyone's year end schedule gets too crazy, without spending any money on food.

(Author's Note: Squanto and Samoset were the two Native Americans who helped the Pilgrims survive after the colony nearly perished from the harsh New England winter. They taught the newly minted Americans how to fish for eel, fertilize their crops and grow corn. The 1621 Thanksgiving was a celebration of the colony's first successful harvest. In honor of Squanto's and Somoset's generosity, I am going to raffle off local honey and homemade organic preserves at this year's Thanksgiving Redux as a fundraiser for Heifer International that will provide ten communities in Tanzania with honeybees and specialized education in resource management and beekeeping.)

Guest Post Blurb:

This is a guest post by Max Wong, who blogs at My Roman Apartment. Read more by Max:

Written by Max Wong and published on Wise Bread. Read more Food and Drink articles from Wise Bread.

How many human lives is a flat panel TV worth?

Andrea Karim — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 11:20:11 +0000

I think that the iPhone is a neato gadget. I couldn't believe that people stood in line for them. The final Star Wars movie was decent - I waited for the DVD. Some people camped outside the damn theater.

There are very few things that are important enough, to me, to stand in line to purchase. This is partly because I don't like people, and thus try to avoid milling among them for any amount of time. This is also because there's just no purchasable item that I find worth my time. It's also, partly, a product of my upbringing. My mother is simply not much of a bargain shopper, and certainly never waited outside of a store for more than a few minutes (nevermind hours) in order to get inside and snatch up the first discounted television set that she saw.

This is why I am so completely baffled that a 270 pound man was trampled to death by rabid shopopers at a Wal-mart in Long Island this past Friday.

Now, stampedes happen. Whenever people desperately flee to a new area and arrive at a bottleneck of somekind, someone is going to get hurt. You hear about it occasionally on the news: pligrims trampled in Ramadan pilgrimage. Nigerians tramped in riot. These are stampedes that make a tiny bit more sense in m brain: religious pilgrimages are emotional events, involving lots of activity and numerous people. While I am not religious, I can see why this might happen in, say, Mecca. Or in a poor country where people are scrounging for food.

But this happened in Long Island. In the USA. Over Walmart merchandise.

Let me repeat this: a man was trampled to death. A temporary employee of Wal-mart, Jdimytai Damour, was crushed under the feet of shoppers eager to get their hands on cheap. Chinese-made goods. Shopper literally broke down the glass doors to the Wal-mart where Damour was working, and he remained under the door as hundreds of people clambored over the top of him. Imagine stepping over a man lying prone beneath a sheet of glass. Can you fathom that? Could you? For what? What could possibly allow human beings to behave like homicidal lemmings.

I don't doubt that many people shop at Wal-mart in order to save money, but I seriously doubt that this insane mob of people consisted mostly of suburban mothers looking for jumbo-sized diaper packs. No, these were people looking for slashed prices on electronics, outdoor gear, and clothing. These were bargain shoppers, for sure, but no one who stepped on Damour's chest was there because they had run out of bread and heating oil.

What have we come to? Is 20% off of a LCD television really worth the life of a man like Damour? Is it worth anything? How can anyone stand in line for this stuff? Wal-mart, really? Listen, I know I can be an elitist sometimes, but I occasionally shop at Walmart. But regardless of how good the deals are, how could any, or all, of the merchadise inside a Wal-mart be worth the life of a single person?