10 Tips for Surviving the Holidays With Your Budget in Tact:

We’ve all paid too much for holiday gifts - making costly choices with dollar signs in front of them. A lot of those decisions happen when we’re caught up in the stress and emotion of the Christmas season and procrastinate a little too long.

Here are 10 Christmas shopping tips to make this year different:

1. Prioritize.
   Instead of getting stressed out with all the parties, baking, shopping and decorating, in addition to your normal daily life, set some priorities before you’re bombarded with a million obligations. Think about which things are “must do” and which are “would be nice to do.” It’s all right to say no to keep yourself sane. Shopping is a lot more fun when you’re not completely stressed out.
2. Establish a Budget.
   Before you make a gift list and head out to shop, establish a reasonable budget for gift buying. Make a commitment that you won’t add more money to the pot every week just because you saw something cute that your niece would love.
3. Use Cash, Not Plastic.
   Once you have set your budget, stay away from credit cards and debit cards! You will spend an average of 15% more if you use plastic, and, if you use credit cards, you’ll be paying it off in 2009 at an inflated interest rate that adds even more to the amount that you shouldn’t have spent! Doesn’t paying with cash sound more appealing than having a credit card balance looming over your head?
4. Limit Your Gift Buying List.
   Do you really need to buy gifts for every extended family member and friend you have ever had? That can get overwhelming and expensive for everyone. Whittle away at your list until you have a doable number of people to buy for. Limit the amount that you spend on each person. Spend at the retail value – i.e., if the $20 sweater is on sale for $10, count it as a $20 gift and either save the extra $10 or apply it somewhere else in your budget. Talk with family members and coworkers about drawing names for gifts or donating money to a common cause.
5. Listen.
   Listen to the hints your loved ones drop about what they need or want. Maybe your Grandmother would really like someone to help her in the garden this year, or your brother keeps losing his guitar picks. A thoughtful gift like this will mean a lot more to the recipient than just buying any old thing off the shelf because you need a gift and it fits the budget criteria.
6. Make a List - On Paper.
   If you think you can spend time in “Retail Land” without getting distracted by all the shiny toys, you’re in for a big surprise! You’ll be more likely to buy impulsively if you do it that way. Write down what each person you’re buying for would like and stick to the list. Stay focused!
7. Shop Around.
   “Shopping around” doesn’t mean you have to spend valuable time and gas running from store to store to save an extra 10 cents. Take a look at your gift list and do some comparative price-checking online or with the sale fliers before you head out into the madness. This will save you money, time, and stress!
8. Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute.
   Procrastination is not the most appealing gift out there. Don’t find yourself stressed out on Christmas Eve just because you didn’t invest a little bit of time to plan. Buying under this kind of pressure will cause you to considerably overspend.
9. Plan for Next Year.
   Throughout the next year, look for outrageous sales on things your loved ones will like or need. If you time the sales right, and clip some coupons, you could land a huge discount on something you were going to buy for a birthday or wedding present in a few months anyway. Remember to have a list and budget for this, too.
10. Remember Why We Celebrate.
    If this season becomes all about shopping and gifts, you’ve missed the whole point. People—not things—matter.