by Isadora Jones

Created on: December 19, 2007

Although it may seem like you have tons of people to buy Christmas gifts for, it is possible to keep everyone happy without going broke. There are a few easy strategies that can really help you to save money but at the same time all you to safely cross everyone off your list.

First of all, decide on a total budget. Remember to factor everything in. For example, if you're going to make someone a gift basket, include the cost of tape, ribbon, etcetera. Everything should get counted into your budget unless it's already in your house. A quick tip for next Christmas is to get your wrapping paper and gift cards after Christmas this year. You can save big-time and store it until next year. It'll also save you time next year!

Once you've got your total budget, allocate dollars to each person. Be sure to include tax and shipping (if applicable) in the number that you assign to each person. It's important to stick to the dollar amount you assign to each person. However, if you assign $10 to your grandma and $20 to your Dad but you only end up spending $5 on your grandma, feel free to re-allocate your extra $5 to your Dad or to whoever else as you see fit.

Now that you know your limits, you need some ideas for cheap spending. For children on your list, a thrift store or the dollar store are great places to start. Things like coloring books, chalk boards, bubble blowers, and other such toys are fun and cheap. You can make up goodie bags for the kiddies on your list.

For the older kids on your list, a used DVD is a great gift that you can find on websites such as www.netflix.com. Drugstores are also good places to look for things to put in a gift bag for an older child. For example, for a teenage girl, you could buy 2 or 3 nail polishes and put it with some hair accessories or bubble bath.

For adults, www.half.com is a great resource for finding new and used books. You can often get discounts by buying more than one book from a seller. That way, you can get everything shipped together and parcel everything out and wrap it yourself when you receive it. Depending on the person's tastes, you can shop around for deals and find something appropriate. For a gardener, you can hit a garden center and find a shrub or plant on clearance. For a computer-lover, a mouse pad with your picture on it would be a good idea.

For co-workers, a small plant for their office, a stress ball for their desk, a desk organizer, or an engraved pen, are all budget-friendly ideas. For coaches, personalized

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