Keep holiday spending merry and bright Published Nov. 4, 2010 By Airman 1st Class Heather Holcomb 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Some of the strongest and most magical memories are tied to the holidays, but for many people the holidays aren't the joyful time they remember from their childhood. The pressure of providing extravagant gifts and expensive meals can cause unnecessary stress and transform the holidays into a burden. However, with careful planning, the holidays can retain that childhood shimmer and warmth. The airman and family readiness center has a few tips for making the holidays affordable: Create a written plan for holiday spending a month or two in advance. Include possible gifts, dollar amounts and alternative choices. Also include the cost of parties and holiday meals. Establish spending limits for each person's gift and start looking for bargains early. If it's been a challenging year financially, shrink holiday gift lists, suggest not exchanging gifts or agree to mutually observe much lower dollar-limits on gifts. Wait for lower prices. Increased food and energy costs this year could bite into holiday spending, so sales and clearances may come earlier than usual. Ask retailers when items are going on sale. Most retailers will reveal sale dates because they don't want consumers to shop their competition. Sometimes shopping later in the season for smaller gifts, wrapping paper and accessories will yield lower prices over-all. If holiday sales are sluggish, discounts and clearance sales will appear earlier this season. Liquidators, buying clubs and factory outlet stores usually offer lower prices. Pay with cash and avoid using credit cards. Charge cards tend to promote indiscriminate spending. Credit card users often say they had no idea how much they spent on the holidays until the credit card bills arrive in January or February of the next year. Sometimes writing checks can get out of hand, especially when you fail to record each check or calculate the balance after writing a check, and this can result in overspending. Consider gifts that don't cost money. Giving a card to a young family entitling them to emergency baby-sitting time will result in savings for both families. Other suggestions include doing laundry, ironing, taking them sight-seeing, gardening, housecleaning or washing their car. Retail stores offer employee discounts in addition to early information about upcoming sales, so keep them in mind when considering a seasonal job. At office parties and other holiday functions, suggest that instead of gifts everyone bring canned food for the disadvantaged. Save on holiday greeting cards and postage by sending only to those who won't be visiting over the holidays. Make some gifts at home. Suggestions include freshly baked goods, art, crafts, needle work or collages. Or, put together a do-it-yourself baking or craft kit that includes everything they need to complete a project. Instead of giving money, especially to younger children, give U.S. Savings Bonds. They cost one half of the face value, will not be immediately spent, encourage savings, and are interest bearing and tax free until redemption. For more information on budgeting and finances, call the airman and family readiness center, 377-8500.