Nov 14, 2018   SOURCE: PR NewsWire

LendingTree's 2018 Thanksgiving Survey Measures the Financial and Emotional Costs of Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Those who host Thanksgiving sacrifice a lot of time and money during this holiday, but most wouldn't have it any other way, another reason to be thankful for Thanksgiving hosts. LendingTree conducted a survey of 1,040 people who are hosting Thanksgiving dinner in 2018 to gauge the emotional and financial toll involved in doing so and how hosts plan to manage Thanksgiving expenses.

According to LendingTree's 2018 Thanksgiving Survey, Americans will host an average of 11 dinner guests, spend an average of $251.11 on the meal itself, and buy an average of $83.23 worth of housewares like dishes, serving ware and decorations. On top of that, the survey found that Americans will take an average of 1.8 days off work to host Thanksgiving, resulting in an average of $587.62 in lost wages.

Although hosting Thanksgiving dinner means extra responsibilities, the survey found only 18 percent of hosts are very stressed about it; meanwhile, nearly half of respondents (46%) showed no signs of being stressed at all. And despite the stress and financial strain, 76 percent say they love to host Thanksgiving dinner.

Key takeaways

    --  With an average of 11 dinner guests, Americans will spend on average of
        $334 to host Thanksgiving, or about $31 per guest.
    --  More than one in four hosts (28%) say this Thanksgiving will be a
        financial strain.
    --  42% will take time off of work to prepare; of those taking time off, 56%
        will give up an average of $588 in pay to do so.
    --  28% will charge credit cards or borrow money to pay for Thanksgiving,
        and over one third don't expect to pay it off right away.
    --  One in four hosts wish they had more help around the holiday, while one
        in ten wishes someone else was hosting the dinner altogether. Over
        one-half say they have stress around the holiday.
    --  Despite the stress and financial strain, 76% say they love to host
        Thanksgiving dinner.

Trimming Thanksgiving costs

    --  Make it a potluck dinner. Asking guests to bring a dish could reduce
        costs and effort for hosts. Or, you can ask your guests to bring
        beverages, like their favorite wine and spirits, a significant portion
        of overall dinner expenses.
    --  Create a realistic budget. It's important to know how much money you can
        spend before spending any, especially with additional holiday expenses
        in the weeks ahead. LendingTree's Thanksgiving survey showed that most
        Americans aren't budgeting properly this holiday season:
        --  only 24% have a strict budget for holiday spending
        --  55% have a general idea of their budget
        --  21% had no budget in mind at all
    --  Stick to your grocery list. It can be tempting to buy all the treats you
        see displayed on the shelves, but if you have a clear list of what you
        need and adhere to it, you can avoid the unnecessary and unbudgeted
        expenses.
    --  Buy generic and use coupons. Chances are, no one will notice you opted
        for generic-brand cranberry sauce at the store. Even fewer will fault
        you for using coupons or modifying the menu to take advantage of sales.
    --  Pay your bills early. Many Thanksgiving hosts (around 28%) plan to use a
        credit card to pay for dinner-related expenses, with 64 percent planning
        to pay it off in about a month and another 20 percent within two months.
        If you can pay your bills before you start your holiday shopping (or put
        something toward the bills early on), it can help to not only alleviate
        stress, but also help you avoid paying unnecessary interest fees.
    --  Consolidate your debt after the holidays. While its better to avoid
        going deep into debt in the first place, it's not uncommon to overspend
        during the holidays. Depending on your financial situation, it may make
        sense to explore debt consolidation options. This can help you pay off
        debt sooner by potentially cutting the interest you pay over time.
        LendingTree's personal loan tool can help your explore loan options.

Methodology
LendingTree commissioned Qualtrics to survey 1,040 Americans who say they are hosting Thanksgiving dinner in 2018. The survey was conducted online from Nov. 2 to Nov. 6, 2018.

About LendingTree
LendingTree (NASDAQ: TREE) is the nation's leading online marketplace that connects consumers with the choices they need to be confident in their financial decisions. LendingTree empowers consumers to shop for financial services the same way they would shop for airline tickets or hotel stays, comparing multiple offers from a nationwide network of over 500 partners in one simple search, and can choose the option that best fits their financial needs. Services include mortgage loans, mortgage refinances, auto loans, personal loans, business loans, student refinances, credit cards and more. Through the My LendingTree platform, consumers receive free credit scores, credit monitoring and recommendations to improve credit health. My LendingTree proactively compares consumers' credit accounts against offers on our network, and notifies consumers when there is an opportunity to save money. In short, LendingTree's purpose is to help simplify financial decisions for life's meaningful moments through choice, education and support. LendingTree, LLC is a subsidiary of LendingTree, Inc. For more information, go to www.lendingtree.com, dial 800-555-TREE, like our Facebook page and/or follow us on Twitter @LendingTree.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Megan Greuling
megan.greuling@lendingtree.com
704-943-8208

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SOURCE LendingTree