Surviving the Holidays with a Little Left Over

The holiday season is that time of year that gets you right in that tender spot - your pocket. Let's face it: some of us are still paying off last year's gifts while trying to buy new ones for this year. Sometimes it seems like you're just doomed to debt, but with this little guide you can help take some of the pressure off your pockets. Here are some ways that I've used to help keep the dollars down and the gifts coming in!

1.) Dollar Store: Looking for a gift for your "favorite" boss or co-worker? Go to the dollar store. They have some of the cutest little figurines and gifts and you would never know they were from the dollar store. In fact you could buy a couple holiday mugs, a bag of holiday candy, tissue paper and a small spool of ribbon (totaling about $10). Put some candy in each mug, wrap the mug in the tissue paper and tie it up with the ribbon. Presto! Instant little gifts for 5 co-workers that cost you $10 instead of $30.

2.) Lottery Tickets: This time of year, they sell lottery tickets in packs for cheaper than buying them individually. Instead of buying a lottery ticket for each person, buy a pack or two. Then go to the dollar store (or what ever store you prefer) and buy a box of cards. Open the packs of tickets and put a lottery ticket in each card for your friends and co-workers. It won't cost much and if someone wins, maybe they'll share it with you.

3.) Freecycle: Go to www.yahoo.com and look up Freecycle. Freecycle is a Yahoo! group that is free to join and is in just about every area of the country. This group is designed to keep things out of landfills. What you do is post a message that says you either have something to offer or something is wanted. You can set it up so that every time someone posts a new message it's e-mailed right to you. You join a local chapter and pick up the items directly from the person offering them. Some of these things are brand new (never used) and range from furniture to toys to food! The best part about this site - everything is free!