It’s Thanksgiving week, which is always an expensive one. The fridge is full, the calendar’s packed… and the internet is warming up for its annual Black Friday feeding frenzy.
Before you get buried in “unmissable” deals, I want to help you do something that actually moves the needle for your money:
Go on a Thanksgiving “found money” hunt and free up $50–$150/month — without feeling poorer.
Let’s get into it.
1. Clear out your “leftover” subscriptions
Think of this as cleaning out the back of the fridge.
Over the last year, most of us have picked up an extra streaming service, app, or subscription box we barely use anymore. Individually they’re $5–$20/month. Together, they add up fast.
Your 10-minute mini-mission:
- Open your banking app or credit card portal.
- Filter the last 2–3 months for words like “SUBSCRIPTION”, “APPLE”, “GOOGLE”, “AMZN”, “SPOTIFY”, “HULU”, “PEACOCK”, “PELOTON”, etc.
- Make a quick list of everything that repeats monthly.
- Circle one to three you could cancel without really missing them.
Even cancelling:
- 1 forgotten app at $4.99
- 1 streaming service at $14.99
- 1 subscription box or “trial” you forgot to end at $24.99
…is easily $40–$50/month back in your pocket.
You’re not banning fun. You’re just getting rid of stuff you wouldn’t notice if it vanished.
2. Give your cell phone bill a check-up
A lot of people are on plans that made sense years ago, but not now.
Maybe you’re paying for more data than you use, or your carrier has quietly bumped up your rate three times since you last looked.
Quick check (about 15 minutes):
- Log in to your cell carrier account.
- Check:
- How much data you actually use
- How many lines you’re paying for
- On the same page, look at:
- “Bring your own device” plans
- Lower-data or “loyalty” plans
- Multi-line or family options
Then either:
- Message or call your carrier and ask:
“Are there any cheaper plans that would fit my usage?”
or
- Compare your monthly cost with a couple of the big discount carriers you’ve actually heard of.
Even a $20/month cut here is $240/year for making one phone call.
3. Shop your insurance like you shop Black Friday
Except this time, the “deal” lasts all year.
If you drive or own a home, auto insurance and homeowners/renters insurance are two of the biggest recurring costs that people just let roll over.
Over the Thanksgiving weekend (30–40 minutes total):
- Grab your current policy details and premium.
- Run quotes with 2–3 reputable insurers or comparison sites.
- Compare apples to apples on coverage — don’t slash cover just to slash price.
- Call your current insurer and say:
“I’ve had a quote for $X with similar coverage — can you beat it or get close?”
A lot of people will find $20–$50/month just from not auto-renewing blindly.
4. Tidy up your “everyday spending” autopilot
Thanksgiving and the holidays are when small daily habits really show up on the card statement.
We’re not going full “no lattes ever again” — that’s miserable and pointless. Instead, make a small tweak that doesn’t hurt.
Pick one of these to test from now through December:
- The 24-hour rule
Anything over $50 that isn’t a true need goes on a list. You wait 24 hours before buying. Half of it will quietly fall off. - One category dial-back
Choose a category (e.g., takeout, Amazon orders, impulse snacks) and set a realistic weekly cap. Once you hit it, that’s it for the week. - Holiday grocery sanity check
Before you shop, write the actual meals you’re hosting and how many people. Buy for that, not for a small army of invisible guests.
Even trimming $25–$50/week of mindless spend is another $100–$200/month freed up, without feeling like you’re on a crash money diet.
5. Don’t let Black Friday undo your hard work
Here’s the tough truth: a “40% off” sale can still make you poorer if you weren’t planning to buy the thing in the first place.
Going into this weekend, use these simple rules:
- Make a short list of things you genuinely need or have been planning for a while (replacing a broken appliance, kids’ winter clothes, etc.).
- Set a max spend for non-essentials before you open a single promo email.
- When you see a deal, ask:
“Would I still want this at full price?”
If the answer is no, it’s not a deal for you.
The goal isn’t “no spending ever.” It’s making sure you don’t hand back the $100–$150/month you just rescued.
What to do with the money you find
Found money disappears fast if you don’t give it a job.
Once you have a rough idea of how much you’ve freed up (even if it’s just $30/month to start), choose one of these:
- Build up cash savings (for emergencies, unexpected repairs, or job wobble).
- Pay a bit extra toward a high-interest credit card or loan.
- Start or increase a small monthly investment if you’re already solid on the basics.
You don’t have to decide today exactly how to invest for the next 30 years. Just make sure this money doesn’t quietly slide into more random Amazon orders.
Your Thanksgiving “found money” challenge
If you try this, I’d love to hear how it goes.
This week’s challenge:
Find at least one saving today (even a $10 app you cancel), and make a note of how much you’ve freed up per month.
