Most people would agree that it is easy to get carried away and overspend during the holiday season. While it is a time to be generous, it is also important to be mindful of your spending habits so that you do not find yourself getting into major debt once the holidays are over. While it is normal and expected that you are going to spend more money in the month of December, there are definitely savvy ways to allow for your dollars to go further.

Send Digital Holiday Cards (or Make Them) – Everyone nowadays loves to create holiday cards with a family photo. While this is a nice tradition, you can easily create a digital one or even take a photo of a hard copy of one of the cards and then send them to the people you care about via text or email. Personally, I only order maybe 10-15 holiday cards at max to send to close family and then everyone else will receive a digital greeting or a regular card. This will save you a ton of money on the cards itself along with postage. You can also make holiday cards which is a wonderful gesture. Both of these options still show that you care without breaking the bank.

Set a Budget on Gift Giving – When you make a list of everyone you are buying presents for, it is also important to determine a budget for each person and to think about the maximum you are willing to spend all together. This will help you make better spending decisions because you know what your limits are. By taking the time to actually create a budget, this will make you more conscientious of what you are spending. If you happen to go a little over budget, there is nothing wrong with that! Let’s not forget that this happens to be the season of giving after all.

Shop Around and Compare Prices – I know this probably goes without saying but with so many shopping options, it is best to really shop around to get the best deals. You would be amazed at how much you can save from one store to the next. Timing is also everything in which you usually get the best deals on Black Friday and then the weeks leading up to Christmas. While online stopping tends to have the best deals, sometimes going to a store in-person, you can find some good deals as well.

Secret Santa Gift Exchanges – If you have a large family or a big group of people to shop for, it is a good idea to set up a Secret Santa gift exchange where everyone picks a name and shops for one person as opposed to having to buy for every single person. This can be fun as you won’t know who your “Santa” is until the day of the gift exchange. This is not only a fun tradition but allows for you to save a lot of money.

Pot Luck Meals – If you decide to have a holiday gathering, it can easily add up when you write out a list of all the foods and drinks that you need to get along with any other party decor that you might need. That is why making it a pot luck where everyone is assigned a dish to bring is a great way to cut down costs while also allowing for there to be a variety of dishes that you might not have thought to make yourself. Most people are usually okay with this arrangement so you shouldn’t feel bad to ask your guests to bring something.