Thank you to Groupon for sponsoring this post! All opinions given are entirely my own.

Every year I promise myself (firmly!) to stick to my Holiday budget, and for years I found myself quickly forgetting that promise while being swept into a marathon of gift buying. With some resolve and firm rules I found these holiday money saving tips helped me stay on track through the holiday season preventing me from starting the new year in debt. These eight easy tips have been my guide for the last couple holiday seasons – I can truly say that debt free is stress free!

Holiday Money Saving Tips:

1. Purchasing Holiday gifts through group-buying sites such as Groupon can help you stay within your budget and save money. Some of our favorite deals through Groupon Coupon are:

Babies-R-Us
Diapers.com
Toys-R-Us
Build-A-Bear

2. When drawing up your shopping list, go beyond gifts. Prep for all the additional expenses from travel, to greeting cards, to shipping, to meals…Don’t forget the babysitter!

3. Don’t touch. If you are anything like me you have more than likely said this to your kids while shopping. Truth be told this needs to apply to you too! Researchers at the University of Madison and UCLA have found that holding, even ordinary items, increase our desire to buy it- and willingness to pay up to 10% more for it. So stick to your list and keep your hands to yourself.

4. Price match. Some of the best deals I have found have come from a little pre-planning and research. Take the time to search out where you can find the best deals for the items that are on your list and then price match them all to one location (if possible) to help save on gas.

5. Don’t buy for yourself! Believe me I know just how tempting it is to pick a little something up for yourself as you browse the racks and sales. Stop and remind yourself that you will be receiving gifts from others this holiday season – your pocket book will thank you.

6. Challenge yourself to put your creativity to work. It is not the price of the gift, but the thought behind it. Frame a favorite Instagram photo for grandma, give a date night to a family friend who you know doesn’t get to go out all that often, help an unemployed friend network and get their resume out, or even just drop off your famous dish to a family in need. I can guarantee you that thoughtful gifts will mean much more to loved ones than expensive ones.

7. Send e-Cards. They’re free — or only cost a couple of dollars — and don’t require postage. Some even play music, making them a fun, free way to catch up with far-flung friends and family.

8. Remember the reason for the season! Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, keeping the holiday’s spiritual message front and center is a good antidote to the holiday gimmies. Instead of spending weekends leading up to Christmas in the mall, it would be a lot better gift to spend your time with your family.