A January 2018 article on Marketwatch.com stated that shoppers in the U.S. racked up an average of $1,054 of debt this Christmas season — a 5% increase over 2017. A MagnifyMoney survey found 44% of shoppers racked up more than $1,000 in holiday debt, and 5% accumulated more than $5,000 in debt.

So, here are a few ideas to stay out of debt this Christmas.

Have a plan. Plan out who you are buying gifts for and what organization you will be giving too. Create a budget. How much are you going to give, spend etc?
Here’s a good tool.

Use technology to your favor. There are several great websites that will help you save money. Here are a few
• Giftcardgranny
• Retailmenot
• Honey

Give your time. Babysit, clean, or do whatever you have the skill to do. Let your time be your gift.

Make something. If you’re crafty this may not be a problem for you. If not, get on youtube and learn how to make a birdhouse or whatever. One year I learned how to make a monkey fist keychain. (google it)
Make Treats. Almost everyone loves treats this time of year. So, bake something good to give.

Sell something. If you need a little extra cash. Don’t go into debt. Sell something on letitgo, offerup, or ebay. One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.

Make a commitment. Write it down. Speak it out loud. I will not go into debt this Christmas. 

Christmas is a season for giving not a season for debt.