Find other ways to cut back expenses with an extra effort right now – bring lunch to work, turn the thermostat back even further, whatever . . . sure adding debt is not great, but family is more important.

The past two years my siblings and I have decided that we’re not exchanging gifts. Last year it was my idea and nobody got gifts and this year it was my sister’s idea and only our parents are getting gifts.

If folks know that you’re tight with money right now they “should” understand a no gift suggestion (the earlier you announce, the better) and you could couch it in “quality time” terms rather than “stuff.”

Just a thought.

Spending money you don’t have will make the year ahead harder and the chance of being able to get your friends and family a present next year even harder!

Try giving them vouchers this year for your time. “This voucher entitles you to…”: “A day out with me”: “A drink and a chat in the bar”; “A lift to the cinema”.

Be creative, be personal and have fun.

This guy can help you save a lot of money. It really is worth taking a look and signing up to the email.

IW

There is a middle ground between spending $30 per person and not giving anything.

The gift of your time can be free to you and valuable for your recipients. You can offer your babysitting or housecleaning or gardening or cooking services to a friend who needs that help. For example, I”m cleaning my boyfriend’s apartment for Christmas and he’s so excited about the prospect of living in a clean place again-way more excited than he’d get about a couple CDs!

Another way to save money is to give a gift to the whole household instead to each person. A fun game like Apples to Apples or Pictionary make good gifts.