The Holiday seasons have come once again and many of us aren't prepared so we end up spending more and purchasing gifts that we like not gifts that the recipient may enjoy. We purchase packaged products for parties and events instead of taking time to prepare a personalized dish at a much better price. We charge those credit cards freely to take full advantage of enjoying the holidays. At the end of the day, it all has to be paid for. Yes, the trips, gifts, holiday decorations, eating out, party items and even the extra utility bill for lighting up the home. It can become a very expensive time of year.

Setting aside just a few minutes of your time to plan your holiday spending can bring joy to your life when the holiday seasons have past. Spend time making a personal holiday gift using a hobby or a talent from the past can be very rewarding to you and the recipient that really appreciates this special talent of yours ( soap making, personalized bags, personalized gift baskets, etc.).

Below are more compiled list of more tips to assist you with discovering ways to save during the holiday season.

Making The Most Of Your Holiday Saving

The holidays can make a stressful financial situation a total disaster. But there are several ways to cut costs so your finances doesn't get any worse as you move forward. Consider the following money saving tips:

• Decorate your house by bringing the outside in, using pinecones and acorns! Sprinkle with a few drops of pine scented oil if you have it on hand, I know a lot of you just might!

• Spend a week end with the family to decorate the home and wrap gifts. Have a brunch in the morning give everyone a roll to play. Bake cookies, or everyone special treat while decorating. Enjoy holiday music while playing games with the kids and having your favorite treat.

• Instead of buying presents for every family member, suggest a gift exchange and draw names out of a hat.
  
• Agree on a spending limit for gifts for friends and family and stick to it.
  
• Make your holiday gatherings a potluck and assign each guest an item to bring.
  
• To control holiday spending, leave your credit cards at home and use only cash you've set aside.
  
• Consider buying the family one gift rather than each individual gifts such as a membership or movie tickets.
  
• Instead of holiday wrap, buy monochromatic wrap in holiday colors such as green, red, or gold that can be used all year.
  
• For young children, half the fun of holidays is often opening the gifts. Wrap small, inexpensive items separately - coloring books, crayons and picture books or novels, even stocking stuffers work well. Or recycle hand-me-down toys by wrapping them up and putting them under the tree.
  
• Instead of spending a lot of money on gifts from the mall, give homemade treats like fudge, truffles, cookies or jams and jellies.
  
• To cut down on postage and holiday card costs, send mail only to out-of-town friends and family you're not likely to see throughout the year. Or send e-cards, which are usually free.
  
• To keep your electricity bill down, use a timer to turn outdoor lights on and off at designated hours.
  
• If you know you won't be able to pay your credit card off right away, make sure you use a single low-interest card to make purchases - that way you can easily track them.
  
• When traveling during the holidays, try to fly on the day of the actual holiday (Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day). It's usually cheaper and there are plenty of seats.
  
• Subscribe to receive e-newsletters from your favorite online merchants. They will often e-mail coupons to use for savings on purchases and shipping costs. Or subscribers may receive private sale information.
  
• Sometimes buying an item online is cheaper than going to the store since many sites don't charge sales tax and offer free shipping. Use the savings to have the gift mailed directly to the recipient instead of standing in line at the post office.
  
• Instead of buying an expensive gift, make a donation to a worthy cause in a friend or family member's name.
  

More Holiday Saving Tips

By:Robert Vaughan:Nov 8, 2007