It is well known that most people spend far too much during Christmas, but with a little imagination and budgeting you can still enjoy Christmas on a budget. Here are 10 top Christmas money saving tips to help you enjoy the holiday season without the worry of being hit with a huge credit card bill in January.

1) If children are demanding the latest expensive ‘must have’ gift and you can’t afford it, you should start to manage their expectations well in advance. This will let them know what is possible and prompt them to make more realistic Christmas lists.

2) If money is tight you can have an agreement that only the children receive gifts. Sort the kids you want to buy something for into groups, such as siblings, or nieces and nephews, and decide a budget for each category.

3) Set your budget for presents and leave your credit card at home, draw your cash and deal in cash only for each shopping trip. Let’s face it if you don’t have the money with you, you can’t spend it.

4) When on a tight budget, there is no need for buying wrapping paper that will be ripped and thrown away at first instance. You can buy a dozen sheets of colourful tissue paper instead which is easier to dispose of and much better for the environment. Also don’t buy gift tags but instead recycle old Christmas cards by cutting around the main image, punching a hole and adding some ribbon.

5) Christmas cards can be quite costly to buy and post especially with loved ones abroad. Instead you can send free internet cards through various sites on the internet.

6) Instead of just thinking Christmas money saving you could instead spread the cost by arranging for a special treat in the New Year. Good examples include going for a meal to a fancy restaurant, making a trip or evening at the theatre. You can wrap a memento of the proposed teat and give it as the present to retain the excitement during Christmas.

7) Home-made treats are another way to save money and fill stomachs. Making jam, cooking special cakes, shortbread biscuits or just gingerbread men you will be showing off your culinary skills and creating a point for discussion.

Make sure you check out Christmas money saving deals on the internet. The internet has revolutionised shopping making it easier to compare prices and is frequently cheaper than buying on the High Street.

9) You can shop for good-as-new items in car boot sales, charity shops and local papers but you will find a greater selection on the internet. Look for specific items at sites like Amazon and auction sites like e-bay for nearly new unwanted gifts. If you are selective about the quality, the goods can be as good as new.

10) Make use of discount vouchers and money off coupons available from dedicated websites, newspaper and magazine adverts, leaflets or flyers. One of the best ways for Christmas money saving online is discount voucher codes sites which entitle online shoppers to money off, or some other incentive such as free delivery and it all helps to stretch the budget further.

Robin Lancaster is a UK based freelance writer on money saving ideas and online shopping.

• Use throws: Use cozy throws for table toppers, or drape them on chair or sofa arms.
• *Light your fireplace: Nothing’s more beautiful or soothing on a crisp, cool day or evening than the orange glow of a fire. Be sure to place some cookies and tea or cider on a nearby table for visitors to snack on. It adds to the overall visual effect.
• *Use candles: Place a few autumn leaves on a surface and then start piling on a grouping of a few candles in staggering heights. (Make sure that you’re not piling so many on that you cause a fire hazard!) Toss a few nuts (in the shell), cranberries, and/or some moss at the base of the candles, and you’re set. Even better, use battery-operated candles for worry-free ambiance.
• Reuse uncut Halloween pumpkins: If you used an assortment of pumpkins for Halloween decorations, and they remained uncut, reuse them in a fall arrangement. You can also place these in a simple grouping of three or more for an impact of color in your décor, or stack them vertically (on top of each other on a sturdy garden urn) for an instant pumpkin topiary.Core apples and mini pumpkins for impromptu candleholders: Carve out the centers of each and place taper, votive, or tealight candles in each one. If you’re worried about tipping, place each apple or pumpkin in a martini glass, or wedge them into the cups of an old muffin tin and cover the exposed tin areas with moss and small red berries.
• *Add a table runner to a dining or sofa table: Purchase or make one in velvet or soft, scrumptious chenille in autumnal colors such as dark gold or aubergine. This tiny splash of color adds a big punch to your décor.
• *Arrange a few bare branches in a pot or urn: Place them in a corner or on top of a dining table for a dramatic statement. If you have a chandelier, weave the branches in between the arms to reach toward the ceiling. The light will cast shadows and highlight the branches beautifully on a cool Thanksgiving evening.
• *Gather birch logs, twigs, and pine cones in large baskets: Set them by the fireplace. Not only are they great for stoking the fire, but they also add a casual touch of nature in a beautiful way. Scent them by adding a few drops of cinnamon or vanilla oil for an added bonus!
• *Add small touches in neutral colors: Filling a tall clear glass vase with acorns, pecans, and other assorted nuts in shells adds an autumnal touch that really makes a big statement in smaller spaces.
• Enlist the kids for these decorating tasks:Gather autumn leaves: Shove a rake in the hand of every willing and able body to gather autumn leaves for decorating. Freshly fallen leaves are perfect ¯ flaws and all ¯ for spreading out on a table around candles and centerpieces or stringing one on top of the other for a stacked leaf garland.Create centerpieces: Kids will love creating individual centerpieces. This project is quick and easy to do ¯ perfect for placing on small tables and keeping little hands busy. Gather an assortment of mini pumpkins, gourds, nuts, batter-operated candles, and baskets or plates for each child. Place a large pillar candle in the middle of the basket or plate and then let each child start placing the items around the base of the candles until he or she gets the desired look.

Everyone must make that extra effort to stay within their budget. Some of the things that might help you are:

• Plan the menu for the month.
• Then go through your coupons and see how you can apply them and put them in an envelope for production when you shop.
• Check the local grocery shopping options and who is having sales and make use of them.
• If they offer a membership which entitles you to a discount, then take it.
• When sales are available, buy more and stock them for the next month.
• Shop only once a month.
• Write out a list of your requirements. More often than not, you can use the same list with a few variations.
• Buy the store brand wherever possible unless well known brands are on sale for the same price or even less. There is no reason to pay for the advertising of well known products when you can buy the same thing with an unknown brand.
• Watch the cashier when she is entering the items as you may able to catch an error while being billed.
• Check the markdown area for items that are sold for next to nothing. You will be able to buy the meats also at a lesser price if it is marked down.
• Select items which are needs versus wants.

If you would like a free budget worksheet please email me, I can send you one via email.  Its one that I believe is better than any one out there.  Ours if completely free too.  So if you would like one please email me.

• Small filled baskets make nice gifts. These can include a loaf of homemade bread in a basket, holiday kitchen accessories or other small items. The basket is included as part of the gift along with anything in it. Tie a colorful fall bow to the handle.

• Thanksgiving themed decorations make lovely gifts. A few ideas include Thanksgiving figurines, a Thanksgiving themed kitchen towel and oven mitt, pilgrim salt and pepper shakers, silk plant or cornucopia.

• Candles are almost always the perfect gift. They add a welcoming elegant touch to the home of the hostess. Candles in orange, brown, tan and other warm fall colors are especially good. Scents in pumpkin, spice and cinnamon are good choices.

• Specialty teas or food make a nice gift. Put a small package of imported cookies and individual free trade coffee or a few tea bags in a mug. Wrap everything in clear cellophane and add an orange bow. Alternatively, put a box of cookies together with the coffee or tea. Wrap in cellophane or use a cello bag. Tie with ribbon.

• For the hostess who enjoys reading there is no better gift than a book. Choose a book of poetry, an inexpensive inspirational book about Thanksgiving, a book of quotes or a small book about something the hostess is passionate about.

• A small candy dish or trinket box that can be used all year is often appreciated. Select a crystal box or glossy ceramic box.

• What’s better for storing memories than a photo album or frame? These are inexpensive but thoughtful. They can be picked up almost anywhere and are sure to be appreciated by any hostess.

Understanding drug store deals can be complicated at first. Each store has their own sets of rules, coupons, and rebate systems. Walgreens and CVS use an instant rewards system, whereas Rite Aid uses the mail in rebate system.

Walgreens drug store deals often include Register Rewards. Register Rewards or RR’s are Walgreen’s form of an instant rebate. The Register Rewards are often used in conjunction with store sales. Many times items are free after the Register Rewards or can be free with the combination of coupons and Register Rewards. The down side to Register Rewards is that they generally cannot be used on the same product. For example, if you buy product xyz and get a $5 Register Reward, you cannot use the Register Reward to buy xyz again or you will not receive another $5 Register Reward. Register Rewards expire two weeks from the time they are printed.

Walgreens also allows customers to use a Walgreens coupon and a manufacturer coupon on the same item. Walgreens coupons are most often found in their monthly coupon book or in the weekly sales ad. These are called instant value coupons. The Walgreens cash register does limit customers to one coupon per item. This means if you are using a total of 10 coupons including Register Rewards, that you must buy 10 items.

CVS drug store deals include Extra Care Bucks or ECB’s. Extra Care Bucks are printed right on the cash register receipt after purchasing eligible products when using your Extra Care Card. Most items that produce Extra Care Bucks are limited to one item per card. Extra Care Bucks are used just like cash to purchase other items. They expire one month after they are printed.

CVS customers can use CVS coupons and manufacturer coupons on the same item. CVS coupons can be found in their monthly coupon book or occasionally in the weekly sales ad. CVS does not limit the number o coupons you can use. For example, if you are buying 5 items, you can use 5 manufacturer coupons, 5 CVS coupons, and Extra Care Bucks on your order.

Rite Aid drug store deals include the Single Check Rebate. Customers submit their receipt information either online or by mail to receive their rebates on eligible products. Rebate checks are then requested at the end of the month and come through US mail, generally by the middle of the following month. Most items eligible for the Single Check Rebate are limited to one per customer or rebate.

Rite Aid allows customers to combine Rite Aid coupons with manufacturer coupons on items. Rite Aid coupons can be found in their weekly flyer, on the Rite Aid website, or occasionally they put out a special coupon booklet. Rite Aid does not limit the number of coupons customers can use. If you are buy 10 items, you can use 10 manufacturer coupons and 10 Rite Aid coupons on your order.

All the drug store listed above occasionally offer coupons that are off of a certain amount spent. The most common for all three stores is the $5/$25. Walgreens requires that their coupon is use after all other store or manufacturer coupons. Rite Aid and CVS both allow their coupons to be used before any store or manufacturer coupons.

Budget. Say it loud enough and it’s a word that makes even the toughest people cringe, if only just a little. The common misconception is that budgeting is hard, time consuming, and super-restrictive. The good news is that none of those things are actually true — budgeting is as hard as you make it. Fortunately, in the technology age, there are plenty of tools and tips out there to make budgeting pleasant and maybe even a little fun. There are five steps to building a budget the right way from the ground up, as building a budget the wrong way or too quickly can cause you to fall out of it very quickly.

Many people start budgets the way they start New Year’s Resolutions: in great haste, with a hazy goal at the end of it but nothing specific enough to take action upon. They start out excited but as challenges creep in, they get discouraged, distracted, and downright disillusioned with achieving their goal. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Tip #1: Start With Your Mindset about Money

You should begin thinking about your budget from the top down — a budget is all about the state of mind you’re in, as well as how you feel about money. What are your feelings about money? Do you believe that money is plentiful, or that there’s never enough to go around? If you think that there’s never enough money, then it will be difficult for you to develop a savings-oriented mindset. If money is scarce to you, then you will always find it difficult to hold on to money. On the other hand, if your mentality is that money has no value, you can lose it quickly by making impulsive decisions.

Tip #2: Set Realistic Goals for Your Money

Your money has more destinations than just your wallet, but the truth is that having a strong set of goals for your money helps you make better decisions. It becomes easier to pass up impulsive buys when you know what you ultimately want your money to do for you. A goal doesn’t have to be anything serious, though serious goals are important as well. A goal can be a new wardrobe, a new car, a better apartment, getting your teeth whitened, or even buying a flashy new cell phone. The sky really is the limit when it comes to building goals, but it’s important to make them realistic.

Realistic goals differ from their unrealistic counterparts in one major way: achievability. It’s a nice goal to have to be a millionaire tomorrow, but most people cannot become millionaires overnight. Same with purchasing a home — it is difficult to purchase a home without a down payment. A more realistic goal is to retire a millionaire by saving over time, or buying a home in 5 years by saving a certain amount per month.

Tip #3: Find Out All ‘Money Leaks’

Most people are concerned about where their money goes, with good reason: there never seems to be enough of it! The paycheck comes in, but it never really looks like you could have spent all of the money so quickly. These days, people tend to carry debit and credit cards more than cash. To figure out where your money is going, go back and look at your bank’s statement or credit card bill. The biggest expense that seems to accumulate very quickly is food — not just the necessities, but lunches and dinners out with friends and loved ones. This makes it easy to curb back expenses a bit by eating in. However, food is not the only expense. Look through old magazine subscriptions, newspaper subscriptions, extras on your cable or phone bill, and online purchases. It’s easy to spend a small fortune on eBay under the illusion that you’re getting a deal out of it.

Tip #4: Find Out All Sources of Income

Having multiple streams of income makes it easy to reach your goals faster — even if the secondary streams of income aren’t enough to replace your primary source of income, they provide a comfortable cushion against emergencies. You don’t have to be a Harvard MBA to create a secondary source of income — think about what you love doing. If you’re into arts and crafts, there are plenty of sites online to sell your homemade items. If you can create music or write, there are sites to sell music and unique content. There’s plenty of ways to make extra money, and providing a service in your spare time is a great way to bring in a little extra money.

If you’re not ready to take the leap into building a second stream of income, perhaps you can look to see what can be done with your primary stream of income. If you’re working for someone else, you may be able to ask for a raise based on your performance with the company. Be prepared to present a strong case for a raise and/or promotion, such as the direct value your contributions bring to the company.

With the economy in the slumps and consumers leery to spend their hard earned money, it’s hard to imagine a very merry Christmas. However, it’s still possible to spread the joy that comes with gift giving when you use a few tips to get your through the holidays while on a tight budget. Even the most frugal college student can afford something small for his or her parents if certain guidelines are made – and kept.

Here are a few ideas for staying in budget this holiday season.

Whittle Down the Shopping List

Often out of guilt or a feeling of necessity, we buy endlessly each year for the people we know. Brothers, sisters, cousin, aunts and uncles and even distant relatives end up with a gift because you’re afraid they’ll feel left out. This year, try limiting who you purchase for. Together with your entire family, decide to have a “Secret Santa” gift exchange, where each person draws another name and buys only for that person. Or decide to only buy for each others’ children and leave the adults out of it. Chances are, everyone else is on just as tight of a budget and will be happy to try something new.

Stick to a Monetary Guideline

Although you may have cut the list of people you are shopping for, you should still limit what you buy for those people. Having only two people to buy for will not save you money if you spend a $100 on each. Give yourself a budget for each person and be sure to stick to it. For adults, you will find that $40 will go far, while you can find good buys for children in the $25 range. Some inexpensive ideas for adults and children include books, board games, movies, magazine subscriptions or music. Resist the urge to go over budget. The gift recipient will be please to receive anything, and will not be thinking about how much your gift cost you.

Bake Instead of Buying

One popular alternative to gift giving is backing homemade gifts instead. Nobody complains about receiving a tin full of Christmas cookies and fudge. Buy a few empty decorative tins, some wax or parchment paper, and some colored cellophane wrapping with ribbon. You can find these items everywhere during the holidays. Though the cost of all the treat ingredients may seem high, consider how many tins of goodies you can make for less than half the price of buying gifts. Making cookies and bars and fudge is also something the entire family can get involved with. Children will love helping out, and you can truly say your gift is given from the heart, from all of you.

• Change a light bulb; the ordinary incandescent light bulb remains the most favorite, yet over 95% of that electric current is turned directly into heat instead of light. People usually associate CFL (Compact fluorescent Light) with the one squiggly design, but the truth is they now have lots of styles and sizes.  These can be pretty expensive if you look at it in terms of the entire house so try to do it one room a month.   The initial investment can seem daunting but once it is done, your electric bills will definitely reflect the change within the first few months and they last an average of 5 years. As for Duval County, JEA actually has a program called “green partners” that will not only take your used CFL light bulbs; but you can often get up to $1.50 off your next CFL purchase.   Check your JEA website for more information on this program.
• Change your filters; we change our filters every month due to the number of animals that live with us, but six times a year is good.  You could probably find the “permanent” filters at your local home improvement store so that you can just wash instead of replacing them every month.
• Washing machines; heating the water is where 95% of the energy is used.  Washing only in cold and when you have a full load can save you a bundle.  Washing in hot water is considered less efficient and uses as much electricity annually as keeping your refrigerator door open 24 hours a day for a solid year.
• That’s a wrap; for about $25.00 you can purchase a wrap for your hot water heater called a tank blanket.  This can be found at almost any home improvement store and can save around 10% on your heating costs.
• Fix that leak; some scientists actually believe that water will be our next big crisis.  I don’t know about that but I do know that a faucet drip however small can account for hundreds of gallons of wasted water a year.  Let’s say your small leak dripped 15,140 drips every day which is equal to one gallon of water, now what if 3 of your faucets dripped? At this point you might want to remember that you pay for the water in your home twice, once when it enters and again when it leaves.
• Dryers; These are energy drainers, if you absolutely cannot use a clothes line outside because of allergies or neighborhood rules then here are some other ways you can save.  String a line in your garage or use a few well placed hangers, if you plan your wash accordingly you can keep all delicates drying on hangers inside, this can save 2 to 3 loads a week on your dryer.  When you do use your dryer, clean the lint screen before each use.

1. Gourmet coffees with a personal coffee cup

2. Pound of pistachios
3. Child’s artwork, framed
4. Journal with special inscription inside
5. Teacup with box of herbal tea
6. Deck of cards and book of card game rules
7. Homemade cocoa mix in a pretty jar
8. Collage of special photos
9. Gel pens and pretty stationary
10. Bottle of sparkling cider
11. Home baked bread, include recipe
12. Disposable camera or rolls of film
13. Basket filled with deli cheese and fruit
14. Craft supplies
15. Holiday serving bowl or platter
16. Pretty basket filled with special jams or mustards
17. Decorative napkins and napkin rings
18. Fancy chocolate bars tied with a ribbon
19. Gardening gloves with a plant or flower seeds
20. Photo album, hand decorated is even better
21. Makeup tote
22. Prepaid photo developing envelopes
23. Homemade cookie mix with instructions for baking
24. Variety of bread mixes
25. Special coffee cup filled with candy
26. Fancy magazines tied together with a pretty ribbon
27. Gourmet popcorn and flavored oil
28. Locally made barbeque or steak sauce with basting brush
29. Pancake or waffle mix and a bottle of real maple syrup
30. Movie theater gift certificates
31. Board games
32. Jar of sourwood or pure honey with biscuit mix
33. Note cards and book of stamps
34. Picture frames, buy them on sale!
35. Specialty cookbook
36. Pretty glass jar filled with candy
37. Collectible sports cards
38. Muffin mixes with muffin pan
39. Books, there are still a few for under $10
40. Set of dish towels and dish cloths
41. Nail polish kit
42. Pretty night shirt
43. Basket filled with kitchen gadgets
44. Video rental gift certificates
45. Pepper mill and fresh peppercorns
46. Handwritten copies of your favorite recipes
47. For the pets, gourmet dog biscuits or cat treats
48. Baking pans and supplies
49. Prepaid long distance phone cards
50. Small clock or radio
51. Pretty box for keepsakes
52. Colorful Post-It notepads
53. Address book
54. Christmas ornaments
55. Puzzles
56. Blank video or cassette tapes
57. Sewing supplies
58. Flashlight with batteries
59. Favorite quote embroidered on a nice handkerchief
60. Makeup brush set
61. Expensive socks, still under $10
62. Special soaps and bath puff
63. and don’t forget home baked cookies!

I hope you will be inspired by this list, after all, it’s not the amount of money you spend for a gift that matters the most, but that you cared enough to give something special.

Commodity prices have increased over the last year and several major manufacturers of grocery products both food and beverage are increasing their wholesale prices to grocery retailers. That means the prices at your local grocer will be rising as well. Since your income is not going up and maybe has been reduced due to voluntary salary reductions or involuntary layoffs how do you keep your food costs within your budgeted limits? Here are several ways how to get free grocery coupons. You can turn to private label store brands or you can start clipping coupons. Many grocers offer to double manufacturers’ coupons to fifty cents.

Giant Eagle is an exception and offers double manufacturers’ coupons to ninety nine cents. If you can combine your local grocery shopping to items on sale and with coupons you can keep your grocery expenditures to a minimum. By signing up for their rewards card and using manufacturers’ coupons not only will you save on your grocery bill but you will get twenty ($0.20) cents of a gallon of gas for every $50 you spend at Giant Eagle stores.

There are a number of sites that you can sign up for that will notify you when new grocery coupons like couponmom.com, coolsavings.com and others. One – coupons.smartsource.com is the online version of the coupon tab that comes with the Sunday paper. Instead of having to flip through all the pages and clip which coupons you want to keep, you can view them online and print only the coupons you want to use.

There are four other printable coupon sites that will allow you to print directly from your computer instead of having to use the regular paper versions. Coupons.com says you can print one hundred ($100) dollars of coupons from Huggies, Kelloggs, Kraft, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker and more. Upromise offers e-coupons for sixty ($60) dollars from Huggies, Post, Palmolive, Little Debbie and many more. Smart Source offers seventy ($70) dollars from Dole, Aquafresh, Scott, Betty Crocker, Huggies and more. Finally, Red Plum offers thirty ($30) dollars in coupons from Vaseline, Hefty, Advil and many more.

All of these sites say that there is no registration necessary. When you click on the particular banner ad to get to the coupons you will be taken to a page with coupons you select to print. On the first page at coupons.com you have to enter your zip code to get the coupons allowed in your region. All coupons are bar coded and can be set to only be able to be redeemed in certain areas of the country.

Once you have entered your zip code all of the available coupons are displayed eight to a page. On the first page there is a $1 off coupon for one bottle of Welch’s fruit juice and $1 off the new Oscar Meyer Lunchables with water. To print the coupons of your choice you will need to click on the box at the lower left of each lucky coupon that says “Clip Coupon”. Currently there are one hundred forty seven (147) coupons listed. If you live in an area where your local grocery store doubles coupons like Giant Eagle I would suggest looking at any coupons less than $1. I noticed a fifty five ($0.55) cents off of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. That would be $1.10 off at Giant Eagle.