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It's September, school started and summer is over, but also what's a head of us are the holidays. If you're anything like me, the Christmas spirit will hit you the week before, and you find yourself broke the day after.

This year is going be different because we're going to look at a proactive approach to handling money for the holidays.

Put a list together and price limit:

You should write down the names of people that your going to give gifts to and have a price limit. If you don't make a lot of money, than be realistic and don't go for broke. If you make a lot money, still be realistic and what you'd get in return. Amazing still, folks get upset on giving an expensive gift when they get back is cup of coffee.

Now here's my personal motto, a Christmas gift should never out do a person's birthday nor should give a gift in return of something greater. We're all adults, we all work, and if there's something that you want, then you need to go get it yourself.

Gift cards:

You can never go wrong with gift cards, but you can go broke if you wait till December. And it can be tacky gift, you don't check out the pricing of items in the store. For example a 25 dollar gift card can go far in Old Navy, but that same amount may not be able use at Saks.

So from now till December set aside money from every pay check for buying one or two gift cards.

The busy friend:

If you're busy or have a friend that's been busy all year, then you know that the holidays are the time of year when everything slow down and start taking folks out to lunch and dinner. Start putting money away now for those lunches and dinners and think about where you want to take folks out to dinner. Having money set aside so you won't be use your credit card, and going into debt.

Also start getting movie gift cards now. Most busy people would probably want to have a movie before or after meal, have the money set aside for movies. If you save 25 dollars a month for movies. By December you'd have 100 dollars to spend for the holidays.

The Office Party:

If you department traditionally have secret Santa, start shopping now. Gift cards, again is life saver, but the wrong kind probably can leave resentment for a full year. Get a general one, like Wal-Mart and Target, and think of presentation. Go to the local dollar store, find something that can be card holder or office adornment.

This isn't fool proof but if there's going to be a gift giver, that's going to give you a gift, and they were not on your list-you will not be breaking your bang. With this planning, you'd know that you have money for those little surprises around the holidays.

Learn more about this author, Stanley Joseph.
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