Rachel Ramsey Cruze with secrets for Christmas spending

Rachel Ramsey Cruze, daughter of Dave Ramsey, shares some great ways to be smart with your money during the Christmas season.   More tips from Rachel:   Make a holiday budget.

• • Make a list of everyone you are buying a gift for.
• • Put a dollar amount next to their name.
• • Make sure to include extras like parties and gifts for coworkers.
• • Check out mychristmasbudget.com: a free, online tool for budgeting.

Don’t panic if you haven’t started saving!

• Once you’ve created your budget, see if you’ll be able to set aside enough cash. • If you’re short on cash, pick up some extra work to make extra cash. • Give of your time and talents. • Let friends and family know your situation if you can’t afford gifts.

Don’t go into debt for gifts.

• Put the amount of cash you plan to spend in an envelope. • Once the money is gone, stop shopping! Avoid signing up for credit cards to get “extra” savings. • Don’t go overboard – your kids won’t remember every single toy they received and they won’t be traumatized if they don’t get the latest “it” item.