When you do Christmas shopping, the list should never be absent. The list would contain the names of the individuals for whom which you will be buying presents. Christmas shopping can cost a bundle if you don't pay extra attention on the costs of your purchases. To help you save on costs set your spending limit next to each name on your list. Review the limits if the total shall end up being quite an amount.

A Kris Cringle arrangement enables you to save since you will be purchasing a gift for one person in the group instead of for each and everyone in the circle. In this type of arrangement everybody in the group will draw names from a hat and you buy a present for the person you have picked. You can add some creativity to it by drawing names on the first week of December. Each week you shop for a Christmas present based on the theme chosen. For example, this week's theme might be giving something that is "soft. For "the present" set a price limit in order that others may not go overboard the set limit.

It doesn't always have to be gifts, having dinner, going for a picnic; spending time together can be your Christmas present.

As much as possible avoid Christmas shopping at the very last minute. You can actually buy presents throughout the year most especially during sales to save money. Definitely shop with a list for you don't want buying too many gifts or overlooking certain people. With a list you don't blow the budget you have allotted, spending it on useless presents or blowing it on other items just to be able to take home something.

You can focus your Christmas shopping on giving presents to kids instead of the adults. For relatives or friends that you don't get to meet until January, you can actually hold off buying the presents until the sales in January.

Free gift wrapping services are provided by certain stores and shops when you do your Christmas shopping there. Take advantage of these and you don't have to hassle yourself of wrapping the presents yourself.

It is important to ask and know about a store's return policy just in case a certain gift is not suitable and you want to return it or have it exchanged. Keep your receipts in case it may be needed. Having a sinking fund can help with your Christmas shopping expenses. Saving as little as a $100 a month can give you $1,000 by December.