6 Frugal Things to Do in November

There are a lot of reasons to love November. With Thanksgiving on the way, the holidays approaching with full force, and the last of the beautiful fall weather (here in New England, at least!), there’s a lot to look forward to and enjoy. Here are some of our best ideas for having fun and being productive in November:

1. Repurpose Leftover Halloween Candy

Are you drowning in leftover candy from Halloween? Or maybe you can resist the rock-bottom prices on leftover candy in stores? Well, make good use of that candy in the month of November. There are a lot of ways that you can use that candy to make impressive treats. We’ve even seen a sinful 7-layer-dip made from leftover Halloween candy. You can even just get a head start on holiday baking, substituting in your leftover candy for things like chocolate chips and nuts.

2. Prepare for Black Friday Sales (or Buy Nothing Day)

Black Friday is looming on the horizon, and whether you’re ready to hit the stores to find some deals or shopping from the comfort of your home, there are a lot of deals to be found. And if you’ll instead be celebrating “Buy Nothing Day,” you can spend your Thanksgiving weekend enjoying your leftovers in peace!

3. Turkey Crafts

In honor of Turkey day, there are a lot of fun crafts that can be worked on. FaveCrafts has some cool turkey projects that the kids will love to get creative with in the month of November.

4. Canned Food Drive

Many of us may be looking forward to what delicious food we’ll be eating on Thanksgiving, but there are those out there who don’t even know where their next meal is coming from. Now is as good a time as any to donate to those who are less fortune. Donate your time at a soup kitchen or raid your pantry and donate some canned goods to your local food bank.

5. Make Food Ahead of Time for Thanksgiving

You can get a head start on Thanksgiving to minimize stress and potentially save money when Turkey day comes. Here are a couple of ideas from Hillbilly Housewife, but you can easily take a look at your own menu and figure out those things that can get done ahead of time.

6. Work on Homemade Gifts

Use any free time you have in November to get a head start on those homemade gifts you’ll give out this holiday season! Here are some of our best tips with homemade gift ideas to try out: