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Now that Thanksgiving is over, you know what’s up next, don’t you? Gift shopping! I have a love/hate relationship with the concept of holiday gifts: On the one hand, I love to get gifts, and I also love to give them and make my loved ones happy. But on the other hand, gift giving does come with it’s fair share of stress and budget busting, and that’s never good. Here are some tips to help make gift shopping easier on you, and kinder on your wallet:

1. Plan your budget. This might seem like a no-brainer, but how many people actually do it? Figure out how much you have to spend, and then stick with that magic number!
2. Prioritize your list. Do you really have to give a gift to every neighbor on your street, or every co-worker? Think hard about who you really want to (or absolutely have to) give to, and pare down that list. Then set a budget for each person on your list.
3. Start early. Good planning will help keep you on track and you won’t find yourself scrambling at the last minute, overspending out of desperation. Spend a little time comparison shopping so you’ll know where to get the best prices.
4. Shop with cash. Have a certain amount of cash available for shopping and use only that! This way you’ll know exactly how much you’ve spent and won’t be surprised when your credit card bill comes. If you’ll get better discounts when you use a credit card, or it’s not convenient for you to use cash, make sure there’s enough in your budget to pay off the whole bill. And use cards that will earn you rewards!
5. Use coupons. Obviously! You’ll save a lot if you take advantage of coupons, special deals and promotions.
6. Skip the extras. If there’s a fee for wrapping, skip it. You can get wrapping paper at the dollar store and wrap gifts yourself. Save ribbons from old gifts and reuse them. Try to get free shipping whenever you shop online.
7. DIY. It’s cheaper, and everyone loves a gift that’s made especially for them. You’ll also get to flex some creative muscle in the process. And who wouldn’t love to get a basket of home-baked cookies?
8. Cut spending in other areas. Don’t completely rebudget your life to pay for holiday gifts, but you may consider saving on some things to make room in your gift-shopping budget: watch movies on Netflix instead of going out, brown-bag your lunch if you usually order it.
9. Keep it simple. You don’t have to give blockbuster gifts to make an impression. And you certainly don’t have to overextend your budget to make a statement! Give a simple gift that shows that you care. It really is the thought that counts and most people will be touched to know that you were thinking of them.
10. Talk to your people. Have a conversation with your circle of family and close friends about gift-giving. They might all be willing to forgo it this year, or at the very least agree to a price cap.

Holiday gift-giving can be a positive experience if you make up your mind to not let yourself go crazy! What are your favorite tips for gift shopping on a budget?

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