So, you’re in charge of hosting Friendsgiving, but you’re a broke college student and all you have to spend is the $25 Target gift card your aunt gave you for your birthday last year (hypothetically speaking). While $25 might not seem like a lot, it’s enough to get you some sweet decorations and a show-stopping dessert that’ll have everyone begging you to host next year (and every year until you graduate).
A Word of Warning
Just in case you were wondering, $25 cannot cover an entire Thanksgiving meal. In fact, the average price of a 16-pound turkey is $23.04, which doesn’t leave you much room for other things. Thankfully, Friendsgivings are usually a potluck-style meal, so have someone else spend their $25 on the turkey (or this green bean casserole, or these mashed potatoes) while you cover the venue and the dessert.
Yes, Decor Matters
Target has some of the cutest, cheapest decor for all seasons, so it’s no surprise that it has the perfect Friendsgiving options, as well. To decorate, I first grabbed these foam pumpkins, which are cute and glittery and only $5. They could be used as a centerpiece for the table or, depending on how many friends you have, place cards for each person’s setting.
Next, I picked up these napkins, which are festive and fun and way better than plain white napkins.
And lastly, I got a roll of this wrapping paper, which can be used as a table runner. Since it’s paper, it can be written on safely, so, for a little activity, set some sharpies out and have your friends write what they’re thankful for (hopefully it’s you) on the wrapping paper.
Now, For Dessert
Wow your friends with a pie that looks like more expensive/more time-consuming that it really is! I used this recipe from Cincy Shopper for a no-bake pumpkin cheesecake, but I used a pre-made graham cracker crust to save time. Note: It makes a TON of filling, so I ended up getting two cheesecakes.
Cost Breakdown
Decor
-Pumpkins: $5
-Napkins $2.50
-Wrapping Paper (aka table runner): $3
Cheesecake Ingredients (all ingredients are Target’s Market Pantry brand)
-Pumpkin Puree (one 15 oz can): $0.89
-Cream Cheese (2 8oz packages): $2.94
-Heavy Whipping Cream: $2.47
-Granulated Sugar: $1.89
-Brown Sugar: $1.69
-Pumpkin Pie Spice: $2.34
-Pre-Made Graham Cracker Crust (9 in.): $0.99
Grand Total: $23.71
And there you have it! A cheap, easy, and Pinterest-approved Friendsgiving, with just a little help from Target