It’s that time of year again…Christmas time (though still a little early for some of you). With the state of the economy, everyone is trying to save a couple of bucks here and there. I myself am no different than anyone else. The key to shopping smartly is making your money go far; here are some tips.

1. Start early. You should have been putting away a little bit every month in preparation for the shopping event of the year. Granted, you may have to delve into your savings but at least you thought ahead and started saving early. Planning early is essential but if you didn’t achieve your goal this year, it’s still not too late.
2. Make a list and allocate how much money you want to spend on each person.
3. Sell some of your old stuff. Garage sales, eBay, Craiglist, and the like are great places to get some quick cash. Like they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
4. Search the Internet. Deals are right there under your nose, you just need to find them.
5. Pay attention to deals and sales. If you purchase something, keep hold o f the receipt. See if that item is discounted within the next 14 days or so and get a price adjustment.
6. Shop early for hot season items. The more demand for them, the more expensive they will become.

Keeping these tips in mind will keep you on budget and feeling good this holiday shopping season. In the end though if you’re still tight on cash, there’s always handmade gifts (nothing wrong with them).