Holiday shopping spree can take its toll especially if you have a very limited budget.  However, you do not need to get yourself into debt just because it’s Christmas.  The New Year celebrations can still be merry and meaningful without overspending or taking on credit card debt.  Consider these practical tips on how you can stay debt free this coming holiday season:

Recycle.  There’s no need to buy new décor to light up the house and feel the season.  With imagination and creativity, you can re-use old decorations from last year or create holiday ornaments out of old things.  Before purchasing craft material, do an inventory and see what you’ve got.  You might already have a supply colored papers, ribbons, glitter glue, and paper wrappers left-over from the past year.

Re-gift.  Some people may not feel comfortable with the idea of re-gifting.  However, there are some good reasons why you should consider giving a gift you received to someone else.  For instance, someone might have gifted you with a set of art materials but the truth is you’re not really into arts yourself.  Perhaps you prefer other activities that involve action like sports.

If something has just been sitting in your closet for a long time and you honestly do not have any plan of taking out again, why not give it to a person who will be more appreciate, in fact, will be happy about having it?  Re-gifting can be a great way to make someone happy without spending money.  However, it should be done with a lot of thoughts, and you have to be careful not to re-gift the item to someone who personally knows the person who gave it to you.

Send it in a letter.  A special gift does not always need to be in the form of an object.  A heartfelt letter or a card with a personal message can be a great way to show how much you care and love the person.  Have you thought about writing a letter to your parents or to your spouse?  You might even be surprised at how happy they would be upon receiving something as personal and meaningful as a letter.

Make a list.  You might need to make a few purchases for the holidays but if you plan ahead, you will be able to significantly minimize your expenses.  List down the items that you NEED to buy.  Remember, there might be some things that you want to buy and you can jot them in another column.  Afterwards, calculate the total amount of the items under the NEED column and compare it with your budget.  If you have some money left with your holiday budget, then you can pick the most important item from the other column that fits the excess.

Keep it simple.  If you are hosting a party for your family or a group of friends, there’s really no need for a lavish feast.  Look for simple and budget-friendly recipes from the internet and use ingredients that are in season.  A gathering can still be fun and memorable even if you there’s only two kinds of courses and one dessert waiting on the table.

About the Author
Melanie Mathis is a credit analyst and a writer for 8 years. She has been participating in the programs of http://www.newhorizon.org such as their continuous effort in giving out Free Credit Repair and Building Ebook. NHBS also has a list of recommended Credit Cards for People with Bad Credit

Information in these articles is brought to you by www.newhorizon.org. Banks, issuers, and credit card companies mentioned in the articles do not endorse or guarantee, and are not responsible for, the contents of the articles.

About Melanie Mathis

Melanie Mathis is a credit analyst and a writer for 8 years. She has been participating in the programs of NHBS, Inc such as their continuous effort in giving out Free Credit Repair and Building Ebook. Connect with Melanie Mathis on Google+