SALT LAKE CITY — It seems like putting an item in your shopping cart is simple, but recently, what you put in the cart holds a lot more weight.
FOX 13 asked several shoppers about the struggles of finding a good deal this year compared to Thanksgivings of the past.
“It's been hard. I've been on maternity leave, so I just came back to work and, financially, it's been tough,” said shopper Kenzee Logue.
"I'm a college student, and the broke college student is definitely a thing,” said Daylin Landry.
According to Walmart Market Manager Mathew Thomas, the rising prices following the government shutdown worried many customers ahead of the holidays.
"We have felt, all of us, just the difference this year with the way things are costing,” said Walmart market manager Mathew Thomas.
Marketing to the budget-conscious crowd, Walmart is selling a Thanksgiving bundle that they said can feed up to 10 people for just under $40, a cheaper total than 2024, but it also includes fewer items.
“It's definitely been a higher demand and a higher focus, not only for us to make sure that we have them and that they're at a great price, but that they're available,” Thomas said.
Some customers told FOX 13 they’re relying on this.
"It is a lifesaver, the green beans I was ready to come in and get just one, maybe two cans, and they were discounted, like, 50% off,” Landry said.
"It helps where we can provide food for our kids. So, that's one of the key things,” Logue said.
“That’s 100% why we're here. We were going to go get some things for Thanksgiving, and we’re like might as well go to Walmart and get it for the best price,” added Nicholas Redmond.
If customers can’t afford the full bundle, there are other ways to budget.
"You could always look at the weight of the turkey and see if we can get the weight of the turkey lower,” Thomas said, “a lot of that bundle includes two of this, three of that. So, if you don't need three of that, or two of that, you could just get the one."
"We really just picked what we liked, and then we went back to see if there was a cheaper or Walmart version,” Landry said.
At the end of the day, it’s about making sure everyone can have a memorable holiday season, no matter how much is in their wallet.
"All of my favorite core memories are around the holidays. So, you've got to make new ones,” said Dillon Landry.
The discounted bundles will also be available for Christmas.
