HEATHER LESSITER: Nifty Thrifty Thursday: A Very Thrifty Christmas

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For many people, Christmas is the time of year to splurge. We buy the best food, we spend more than we budget to get that special someone "something really nice", we go overboard all in the name of showing our appreciation. We feel that giving a thrifty gift is somehow an insult to the recipient. That if we don't spend enough or buy something nice enough or give a certain number of gifts that our message of love will not get across.

I say, get that stinkin' thinkin' out of your head right now! The economy is too bad and we have too much debt to allow that kind of mentality to run our lives and feed our impulses! Let me assure you that every single person on your gift list is going through the same thing right now. It is okay to cut back to save money on Christmas this year.

So before you map out your Black Friday shopping route, let me help you have a thriftier Christmas this year. Read on.

Give cash.

~Pioneer Thinking has some fun ideas.

~These creative ways to give coins to someone who uses coin-op machines (college students, apartment dwellers) are worth checking out!

~Fun Ways to Give Money as a Gift

~Wrap Money for Christmas: 4 Creative Ways

Shorten your list. It may seem hard to shorten your list without earning the nickname 'Scrooge', but it can be done. As I said, everyone is going through this.

~Simply mention to your siblings or friends that you don't really need anything this year and you'd rather just give to each others' kids. This works well in our family.

~Pare down by removing people you rarely see or who do not reciprocate when you give them gifts. If you usually give to your neighbor down the street, but they can't even remember your name, you shouldn't feel bad about removing them from your list. Have a basket of generic wrapped gifts for those who might drop by with a gift for you, but skip on going door to door yourself.

Even if you think you can't, you can make some gifts. Yes you can!

~Gather your crafty friends for an afternoon of making ornaments, stationery, scarves or other crafts.

~ Check out Make It From Scratch for plenty of ideas!

~Use your hobbies! Do you take great photos? Frame a few for a gift. Do you stamp? Make next year's Christmas cards for someone. Do you bake or cook? Give an "____ of the month" gift. Bake or cook something special for the recipient each month.

Tighten your budget.

~Split in on a gift. For years we have all chipped in whatever amount our budget allows to buy something really nice for my Grandma. One year, we bought her sink top when she was remodeling a bathroom.

~Give one nice gift and give your time or talents for the rest. Print out coupons from your computer for things like babysitting, cooking, scrapbooking, lawn care or house cleaning. These are things that are appreciated more than you might think.

Change gift exchange tactics. Gift exchanges are popular, but you can make yours more frugal by changing it up a bit:

~Have a Book Swap- Everyone brings books they have read to swap (Bring two, take two. Bring 5, take 5.) and everyone goes home with something new!

~Switch to a Creative Gift Exchange.

~Have a White Elephant Gift Exchange

Postpone the gift giving portion.

Get together Christmas Day for dinner and have your family's gift exchange in January. Take advantage of the after Christmas sales!

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That's all for this week's edition of Nifty Thrifty Thursday. Now get out there and GIVE!

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