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:

    削減你節日的開支並不意味著削減你節日的快樂。這裏有十個方案可以幫助你度過更愉快更'便宜'的節日。

    1、整理預算

    yigeshihuideshengdanjiekaishiyuyigeyouyusuandexiaofeiqingdan。zhakannidejingjiqingkuang，ranhoujuedingzaizhegeshengdanjienijiangzhichuxiaofei。zhegeqingdanzhongbaokuonisuoyouxuyaogoumaidedongxi--禮物，食物
，裝飾品等等。

    2
、列出你的禮品清單

    當(dang)你(ni)在(zai)準(zhun)備(bei)出(chu)發(fa)前(qian)往(wang)商(shang)場(chang)購(gou)買(mai)禮(li)物(wu)之(zhi)前(qian)，讓(rang)我(wo)們(men)好(hao)好(hao)想(xiang)想(xiang)，這(zhe)個(ge)節(jie)日(ri)，你(ni)需(xu)要(yao)買(mai)些(xie)什(shen)麼(me)禮(li)物(wu)送(song)給(gei)你(ni)的(de)親(qin)朋(peng)好(hao)友(you)
，列(lie)一(yi)個(ge)友(you)人(ren)清(qing)單(dan)吧(ba)，你(ni)會(hui)發(fa)現(xian)它(ta)大(da)有(you)裨(bi)益(yi)。

    3、整理你的黎平清單

    哦！天(tian)那(na)，有(you)太(tai)多(duo)的(de)人(ren)被(bei)列(lie)到(dao)了(le)你(ni)的(de)清(qing)單(dan)裏(li)
，但(dan)你(ni)又(you)怎(zen)有(you)這(zhe)麼(me)多(duo)的(de)錢(qian)，來(lai)負(fu)擔(dan)這(zhe)些(xie)呢(ne)
？現(xian)在(zai)就(jiu)是(shi)我(wo)們(men)給(gei)這(zhe)個(ge)清(qing)單(dan)做(zuo)一(yi)個(ge)縮(suo)水(shui)的(de)過(guo)程(cheng)了(le)。想(xiang)想(xiang)看(kan)，誰(shui)是(shi)你(ni)必(bi)須(xu)要(yao)送(song)的(de)人(ren)，而(er)誰(shui)則(ze)不(bu)是(shi)
，記(ji)住(zhu)一(yi)個(ge)縮(suo)減(jian)的(de)聖(sheng)誕(dan)節(jie)清(qing)單(dan)要(yao)遠(yuan)遠(yuan)好(hao)與(yu)應(ying)為(wei)聖(sheng)誕(dan)節(jie)而(er)積(ji)累(lei)下(xia)的(de)債(zhai)務(wu)

，將(jiang)你(ni)日(ri)後(hou)的(de)日(ri)子(zi)壓(ya)的(de)喘(chuan)不(bu)過(guo)氣(qi)來(lai)。

    4、早點做準備

    黑hei色se星xing期qi五wu也ye許xu就jiu是shi多duo數shu人ren開kai始shi為wei聖sheng誕dan節jie購gou物wu的de日ri子zi了le，但dan是shi這zhe裏li麵mian決jue不bu包bao括kuo你ni。開kai始shi購gou物wu之zhi前qian先xian要yao考kao慮lv那na正zheng是shi你ni的de承cheng擔dan範fan圍wei之zhi內nei的de事shi情qing，而er不bu是shi讓rang價jia格ge的de壓ya力li束shu縛fu你ni。

    5、購物時髦

    購買精致的禮品並不就意味著你就要花費很多的錢，所以在你的腦瓜裏，先列出清單吧。

    6、去二手市場看看

    bingmeiyoushuiguidingguoliwuyidingyaoshixinde。quguangguangtiaozaoshichanghuozheershoushichangyeshinidexuanze
，meilideliwu，shihuidejiage。keyishiweirandelazhu，gudong，laoyangshidezhubao，huozheshishu。

    7、自己動手做

    自己做的禮品總要精美於商店裏貨品架上的，發揮你的想像裏，並把它列在你的禮品清單裏。

    8、沒必要自己親自去購物

    suoyouzhexieweinizhunbeidejianyihuirangnidejieriguodeqingsongeryukuai，liechuyigeqingdan
，zhixuyaozaibierengoumaideshihougeitamendaishangnideqingdan，erbushinizijiqu。duinigengshaodeyali，cungengduodeqianzaiyinxing。

    9、跳過卡片的節目

    聖誕節的卡片真是美麗
，但是擁有就意味著消費的上漲。削減你的卡片支出可以為你減輕更多的經濟壓力。

    10
、跳出昂貴節日禮物的束縛

    禮品的價格越來越貴，有的價格要比平時貴出5美元多，喔！幸運的是，你
，我都可以來一點小小的創意
，跳出昂貴價格的陷阱。