Plan your menu early. Making menus in advance allows you to strategically pick up nonperishable items over time—spreading out your spending and taking advantage of sales. Julie ​Ramhold, a senior editor and consumer analyst at DealNews, recommends starting to watch supermarkets in late October for Thanksgiving sales and mid- to late November for the winter holidays.

Hit up warehouse stores. If you’re hosting eight or more people, you’ll generally save money by purchasing fresh produce from a warehouse store rather than a grocery store, says chef and TV personality Chris Valdes. While you’re there, you can also stock up on extra paper goods and cleaning supplies you’ll need while you have a full house.

Buy pre-owned serving dishes. Pretty platters and serving bowls can set the mood, but they’re expensive. You can often find high-quality, barely used items at thrift stores, garage sales and local buy-and-sell groups on Facebook, Valdes says. With just a good wash, they can add style to your table without a huge impact on your budget. When the season is over, you can save them for next year.

Scale back on appetizers. Hosts tend to overdo their hors d’oeuvres, and guests fill up before they even sit down for the main course, leading to wasted food. “Instead of spending a ton of money on 10 different apps, I would focus on one or two,” advises Renee Patrone Rhinehart, founder and CEO of Party Host Helpers. “Then it’s not overkill when dinner is served.”

Host a festive brunch. Brunch foods like eggs, pancake and waffle mix, and fresh fruit typically cost less than the ingredients for a sit-down dinner. Plus, you can limit alcoholic drinks to simple mimosas or Bloody Marys. “This is a great way to save a nice chunk of money,” Valdes says. “But you still get to celebrate.”

Have a leftover buffet. After a large family dinner, you may find yourself with a fridge full of leftover turkey, half-eaten salads and other odds and ends. Instead of letting them go to waste, spread your leftovers on the counter and invite the family to get creative.