Cutting down on holiday spending, doesn't have to mean cutting down on holiday fun. Here are twelve ways to plan a fun and affordable holiday:

    1. Create a Budget

    A cheaper Christmas starts with a solid spending plan. Look over your finances, and decide how much you can afford to spend on Christmas. Then, divide this amount among your various Christmas expenses – gifts, food, decorations, etc.

    2. Make a Gift List

    Bring focus to your gift spending by creating a list of all the people you plan to shop for. Then, set a spending limit for each person, and jot down gift ideas before heading out to shop.

    3. Trim Down Your Gift List

    Have more people on your gift list than you can afford to buy for? Then, it's time to give that list a trim. Look over your current list, and decide whom you have to shop for and whom you don't. Remember: a shorter Christmas list is always better than adding debt and stress to your life.

    4. Start Early

    Black Friday may be the official start to the Christmas shopping season, but it doesn't have to be the start to yours. Start shopping for gifts as soon as you can afford to do so, and you'll have more time to bargain shop and feel less pressure to buy at any price.

    5. Shop Smart

    Giving a nice gift doesn't have to mean spending a lot, so shop with your budget in mind:

    6. Shop Second-Hand

    There's no rule that says gifts have to be bought new. Scour thrift stores, yard sales, flea markets and other second-hand sources for gift-worthy items at prices well below retail. Just a few possibilities: unburned candles, antiques, collectibles, vintage jewelry and books.

    7. Make It Yourself

    Homemade gifts are every bit as nice as store-bought gifts, and sometimes nicer. Put your creativity to work, and knock off everyone on your gift list.

    8. Don't Shop for Yourself

    All of those holiday deals make it easy to adopt a "one for me; one for you" mentality. Set a rule that you'll only shop for the people on your list – and not yourself. The pay off: less stuff in your house and more money in the bank.

    9. Skip the Christmas Cards

    Christmas cards are nice, but the cost can really add up. First you've got to buy the cards; then, you've got to pay for all the postage to mail them. Double ouch! To make your Christmas budget go further, consider skipping the Christmas cards this year, or at least trim your mailing list down to a more manageable size. Still attached to the tradition of sending cards? Here are several ways that you can minimize the expense:

    10. Skip the Pricey Gift Wrap

    Gift wrap has gotten so expensive – sometimes adding as much as $5 to the cost of a present. Wow! Fortunately, it only takes a bit of creativity to avoid this expense entirely:

    削减你节日的开支并不意味着削减你节日的快乐。这里有十个方案可以帮助你度过更愉快更'便宜'的节日。

    1、整理预算

    一个实惠的圣诞节开始于一个有预算的消费清单。查看你的经济情况，然后决定在这个圣诞节你将支出消费。这个清单中包括你所有需要购买的东西--礼物，食物，装饰品等等。

    2、列出你的礼品清单

    当你在准备出发前往商场购买礼物之前，让我们好好想想，这个节日，你需要买些什么礼物送给你的亲朋好友，列一个友人清单吧，你会发现它大有裨益。

    3、整理你的黎平清单

    哦！天那，有太多的人被列到了你的清单里，但你又怎有这么多的钱，来负担这些呢？现在就是我们给这个清单做一个缩水的过程了。想想看，谁是你必须要送的人，而谁则不是，记住一个缩减的圣诞节清单要远远好与应为圣诞节而积累下的债务，将你日后的日子压的喘不过气来。

    4、早点做准备

    黑色星期五也许就是多数人开始为圣诞节购物的日子了，但是这里面决不包括你。开始购物之前先要考虑那正是你的承担范围之内的事情，而不是让价格的压力束缚你。

    5、购物时髦

    购买精致的礼品并不就意味着你就要花费很多的钱，所以在你的脑瓜里，先列出清单吧。

    6、去二手市场看看

    并没有谁规定过礼物一定要是新的。去逛逛跳蚤市场或者二手市场也是你的选择，美丽的礼物，实惠的价格。可以是为燃的蜡烛，古董，老样式的珠宝，或者是书。

    7、自己动手做

    自己做的礼品总要精美于商店里货品架上的，发挥你的想像里，并把它列在你的礼品清单里。

    8、没必要自己亲自去购物

    所有这些为你准备的建议会让你的节日过的轻松而愉快，列出一个清单，只需要在别人购买的时候给他们带上你的清单，而不是你自己去。对你更少的压力，存更多的钱在银行。

    9、跳过卡片的节目

    圣诞节的卡片真是美丽，但是拥有就意味着消费的上涨。削减你的卡片支出可以为你减轻更多的经济压力。

    10、跳出昂贵节日礼物的束缚

    礼品的价格越来越贵，有的价格要比平时贵出5美元多，喔！幸运的是，你，我都可以来一点小小的创意，跳出昂贵价格的陷阱。