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Plan ahead - Christmas is the same time every year, so there’s no excuses left. Decide early on who you want to buy gifts for, and how much you want to spend on each person—then stick to your limits.

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Forget the Christmas cards - Sure, they’re cute and charming, but they’re also completely unnecessary and often wildly overpriced. Send e-cards if you must!

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Cut out non-holiday spending - If you haven’t saved throughout the year, there are other things you can cut down on, like buying lunches or coffee, which can put more money in your pocket.

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Get creative - Instead of splashing out on tinsel that will surely be ruined and tangled, try your hand at some DIY Christmas decorations. Make it a family bonding event!

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Save up - The harder you work to save up a separate stash of cash for Christmas, the more careful you’ll be when it comes to spending it.

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Adopt inexpensive traditions - Christmas doesn’t need much to be warm and jolly. Simply baking cookies together, watching your favorite Christmas movie, or caroling with loved ones is more than enough. 

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Avoid shopping malls - Everything in shopping malls is designed to capture your attention with their supposed sales, their “perfect gift for him/her” signs, and their holiday window displays. But it’s a slippery slope.

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Regift - Regifting gets a bad rap, but it’s more like relocating a gift to its rightful owner. Just make sure you don’t give it back to the person who gave it to you.

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Put aside a day for cooking - If you plan ahead and start preparing a nice meal, you’ll avoid splashing out on store-bought food. You can also freeze things to save you time in the future.

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Skip the spendy turkey - There is no written rule that you have to buy a big turkey for Christmas, and you’ll probably find it won’t be missed either.

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Say no to random gift exchanges - Exchanging junk for junk in a game of white elephant among coworkers or club members can be a big waste of time, effort, and money.

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Buy gifts throughout the year - If you come across something that would be a perfect gift, but it’s not Christmas yet: buy it! You can cross them off your list, spread out your spending, and you won’t pay extra later when you inevitably forget what it was you wanted to get them.

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Organize a Secret Santa exchange - Instead of buying each friend or family member a gift, you’ll each only have to buy one. Set a limit for how much the gift can be, and others will certainly be relieved as well.

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DIY gifts - Instead of buying little gifts for everyone, try making something like a bath salt mix or chocolate bark yourself. You can make them in big batches, and they have a lot more heart.

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Reuse for no regrets - Wrapping paper and gift bags can be ridiculously overpriced, so make it a habit to reuse old supplies.

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Include essentials in children’s presents - Frivolous things are nice for Christmas, but getting the essentials like socks and nightwear can save you money in the long run.

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Have a potluck - Instead of taking on the full responsibility of cooking, divvy it up among everyone. Same goes for booze!

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Cut off online shopping closer to the date - Shipping costs tack on a huge expense, so set a date before which you have to get it all done.

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Compare prices - Before buying anything, even if it has a big “on sale” sign, compare it with those available at other shops and online, as you might find a cheaper price.

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Track your spending - If you can regularly see how much you’re spending, you’ll be much less likely to overspend.

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Swap skills -

If you can’t bake but you make great decorations, trade your skills for someone’s cookies and you’ll both save.

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Leave the kids at home when you shop - It’s hard enough to restrain your own spending without kids begging you for every colorful thing they see.

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Spend time instead of money - Be intentional about being with loved ones, and dedicate time instead of money to them. Choose conversations (even online ones) instead of clutter, experiences over accessories. 

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Dedicate one year to charity - We get many Christmases in our lives, so if the budget is tight one year, declare a charity year where instead of buying gifts, everyone donates whatever they can to a charity of their choice. Save money, and feel good about it.

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Wear the same party dress - We often splash out on new party wear for the holidays, but no one will remember you wore the same thing last year!

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Wrap creatively - Don’t waste money on colorful paper that’s going to end up in shreds on your floor. Instead, go for something upcycled, eco-friendly, and creative. 

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Coupons - Even if you’re not familiar with couponing, Christmas is certainly the time. A simple search online can save you big bucks.

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Think before you shop - Don’t just browse the stores for gifts. Plan out what would be good for each person beforehand, and go in with a purpose.

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Don’t forget what Christmas is about -

When you start to get stressed, and you feel the need to overspend, take a deep breath and remind yourself of the true meaning of Christmas.

See also: Which office Christmas party stereotype are you?

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