We all know the holidays can be expensive. Between parties, gifts, and decorations, money seems to disappear this time of year. If you’re gearing up for a season of spending, consider these money-saving tips to keep you on track with your financial goals.

Outdoor Décor

If you’re looking to spruce up your Christmas décor this season, all you need to do is look outdoors for inspiration! Grab some pinecones to use on your tree, cut some boughs of holly to decorate your mantle with, and pick some rosemary to make your whole house smell like Christmas – real tree or not!

Secret Santa

If you have a large family, you know how expensive it can be to purchase Christmas gifts for everyone. Before you know it, you’ve dropped hundreds if not thousands of dollars on gifts that will probably be forgotten or overlooked by the end of January. If you’re tired of that same song and dance, consider starting a secret Santa gift exchange with the adults in your family. Set a spending limit for the gifts, draw names, and give your family time to pick out a great gift for your secret Santa!

Cash Only

If you don’t want to do a gift exchange and still want to buy everyone on your list a gift, a great way to stick to a budget when you’re Christmas shopping is by using cash only. Get your cash before you head shopping and don’t dip into your credit cards the whole time. If you choose to shop online, use a debit card instead of a credit card to enforce a budget for yourself.

Shop Early

One of the oldest tricks in the book is to shop for Christmas gifts early. Shopping early has many benefits – the stores are not as crowded, you can spread out your spending over a couple of months, and you can truly enjoy the holiday season without the mad rush that comes when you procrastinate your shopping. So, here’s your friendly reminder to get your shopping done early! Wouldn’t it be amazing to not have any gift shopping to do in the month of December?

Spend less time stressed this holiday season and more time enjoying your loved ones!