You'll have more to be thankful for at Thanksgiving if you use a few smart strategies to cut costs:

• Don't do a thing - from grocery shopping to gift buying - without a plan.

Make lists, keep spreadsheets or download the Holiday Control Journal at www.flylady.net. She covers everything from getting (and keeping) the house clean, to creating a timetable for sending gifts during December so you won't waste money on last-minute rush jobs.

• Brine your bird.

You don't need to shell out big bucks for a fancy bird to have a tender turkey. Just buy a regular supermarket turkey (make sure it hasn't been injected with a salt solution) and brine it overnight for a moist and flavorful main dish. Recipes are readily available on the Internet.

• Put the kids to work on decorations.

Don't waste money on tissue-paper turkeys and leaves. Keep the kids busy making centerpieces and place cards. Have children make a hand-print turkey and write what they're thankful for in the "feathers." For more ideas, go to www.familyfun.go.com

• Know how much food to buy for your guests.

Download the Thanksgiving calculator at www.instructables.com to make a customized shopping list based on your number of guests. You can even factor in how many leftovers you'd like.