Would you like to learn how to prepare a cheap Passover Seder? Holidays are always difficult when you're on a budget. You want to serve friends and family a wonderful meal, but you also need to be frugal.

The Passover seder is both a religious ceremony and a time to celebrate connections with friends and family. While the people are the most important thing, you can have a budget meal that consists of more than matzoh and water.

This page provides tips and step-by-step instructions on how you can save money on the item's you'll need and how to have a cheap passover seder.

• Although families may each have their own special traditions, a seder plate normally contains certain symbolic foods. None of these are lavish or expensive, and can be incorporated in the seder without stressing a budget.

1. Matzoh: Symbolizes the speed with which the Israelites fled Egypt, which meant there was no time for the dough to rise.
2. Bitter herbs: Commonly horseradish, to symbolize the bitterness of slavery.
3. Charoset: Apples, nuts, wine, and cinnamon, which represent the mortar used by Jews when they were slaves working on labor crews in Egypt.
4. Roasted egg: To symbolize life.
5. Karpas: Usually parsley or celery, representing hope which is served with a bowl of salted water to represent tears.
6. Lamb shankbone: Symbolizing the sacrifice made during Passover.
7. Four glasses of wine: Representing the promise of redemption.

• Grocery stores generally cycle items through on sale every 12 weeks; certain Passover items will go on sale during the weeks before the holiday. Make your list of everything you'd like for the seder well in advance, and pick up staples when they are on sale.

• After making out your menu, take another look to see if you can replace items with less expensive choices.

1. Instead of a flourless torte for dessert based on expensive nut meal, why not substitute meringue cups for dessert? Eggs are cheap this time of year, and you could fill the cups with fruit for an inexpensive, and healthy dessert.
2. The Washington Post suggests a mock chestnut praline torte which uses canned sweet potatoes instead of more expensive chestnuts, and praline made from matzoh instead of nuts.

• If a guest offers to bring something, let them. Think ahead as to what you need the most so that you are prepared when they ask "What should I bring?" Rather than replying that you're all set be prepared with a specific item you need to round out your meal.

• Introduction
• Step 1: Seder Basics
• Step 2: Plan Ahead
• Step 3: Make Trade-offs
• Step 4: Accept Help
• Conclusion