Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger Dispatch

The cost of a Thanksgiving dinner is getting pricier.

A Thanksgiving meal costs an average of nearly $45 for a family of 10, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. This represents a $2.74 price increase from last year's average price of $42.26. With this year's unstable and unpredictable economy, many are finding ways to cut corners and reduce spending. Several area stores have special Thanksgiving deals, as well as coupons and money-saving tips to help shoppers save money.

At Save Mart in Martell, shoppers can get a free turkey, up to 15 pounds, when they spend $99 or more at the store. The free turkey is limited to one per family per purchase.

"A lot of people aren't even taking them," Marco Houston, Save Mart store manager, said of the free turkeys. "Instead, they are taking them over to the (Interfaith) Food Bank." The special deal will be going on until Dec. 2, he said. The store is also selling pre-made Thanksgiving dinners, which cost from $49 to $69 and serve a family of six.

According to the AFBF, this year's average cost for a Thanksgiving dinner for a family of 10 is equivalent to $20.65 in 20-year inflation-adjusted dollars; a 16-pound turkey, at $19.09 or about $1.19 per pound, shows an increase of 9 cents per pound compared to prices of turkeys in 2007.

At Cost Less Food Co. in Jackson, shoppers can get a "practically free" turkey, said the store's manager Rich Abbott. Shoppers who spend more than $25 - on all items excluding alcohol, tobacco, and fluid milk - per visit may opt to purchase a turkey from the store at just 38 cents per pound.

Some stores have pre-made Thanksgiving dinners for those who are pressed for time.

Sanghera's Market in Pine Grove prepares a "home-cooked"-style Thanksgiving dinner with a fully cooked 11-pound turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, a dozen dinner rolls and an 8-inch pumpkin or apple pie for $44.99. "We cook it for everybody (at the market) and send it home with heating directions," said the market's deli manager, Mary Hanson. Orders for the meals may be placed by phone at 296-3443 or in person at Sanghera's Market, 19394 Highway 88 in Pine Grove, and must be placed by Nov. 25 at 3 p.m. Turkeys sold at the market cost 89 cents per pound (frozen) and $1.39 per pound (fresh).

Raley's Supermarket meat cutter, Nevin J. Platt, said that people may pre-order their turkeys and keep them refrigerated at Raley's until they're ready to pick them up. Turkeys at Raley's in Jackson cost from 97 cents per pound to $2.19 per pound, he said. Those who purchase a fresh or frozen turkey and take them home should place them in their refrigerators; frozen turkeys usually take about a week to thaw in the refrigerator, Platt said. For safety reasons, people should pay attention to the dates on the turkeys and freeze their turkeys on the day stated on the package.

In addition to shopping around for an inexpensive turkey, other money-saving Thanksgiving tips, according to Associated Content, include:

- Planning ahead by making a list and creating a shopping budget

- Shopping early when prices are lower or even shopping in increments each time the paycheck comes around

- Using coupons, which can be found in newspapers, stores and online

- Sharing the costs by asking guests to chip in monetarily or by bringing one of the dishes

- Avoiding purchasing brands and instead scope out sales and specials

- Purchasing a Thanksgiving gift card for yourself to help avoid going over your budget

Safeway in Martell also sells pre-made Thanksgiving dinners from $39.99 to $49.99. These dinners feed six to eight people and include a fully cooked 12 pound turkey, two pounds of stuffing, 3 pounds of mashed potatoes, 24 ounces of gravy, 15 ounces of cranberry sauce, a dozen dinner roles and an 8-inch pumpkin pie. Those who are cooking their own dinners may purchase up to two turkeys from $5.99 to $9.99 (depending on its size) after spending $25 at Safeway. This special lasts until Nov. 27.