Like many of the other posters said, I often try and avoid shipping costs by purchasing from Amazon or other places with free shipping and get the gift send directly to them. I used to like getting things sent to me so i could wrap it and make it personal and then send it to my friend, but it just doesn’t make sense to pay for shipping twice!

Also my best wishes to your family member serving in Iraq. It must be a very hard time of year to be away from the ones you love.

Also, here’s a part of our Christmas budget strategy: we have six nieces and nephews (and one on the way). My husband and I don’t spend more than $10 on each of them, and we don’t buy gifts for the adults who have children, except our generous parents. We simply can’t afford it. With shipping, that all really adds up! Also, we only use cash, and we save $25 each month through the year into a Christmas fund account to help defray costs each December.

In the past, it has been pretty stressful to come up with presents for 8 nights x 3 kids (no adult gifts). This year, I tried to encourage my kids (12, 10 and 7) to agree on 1 big, expensive gift instead of a bunch of little gifts. My reasons were two fold: For one thing, I have found myself buying “filler” gifts in the past, which drives me nuts. Secondly, my kids generally don’t really want that many things. They each might come up with two or three things they want, but really don’t have a big list (which can lead to filler gifts)! Well, they chose NOT to do that, so I had to come up with another idea.

Here’s what I did: this year I really relied on my relatives to buy them the gifts I knew they would really want! In the past, I felt that it was important for the “special” gifts to come from us. Not so! Instead, when people called me in a panic, wondering what to get the kids, I suggested the things I knew they actually wanted! This made my relatives happy (so simple…they knew exactly what to get to make my kids happy). For example, my sons love Pokemon cards. I won’t spend my money on them. My sister, however, was thrilled to get them Target gift cards…easy for her, perfect for them.

My parents are very generous, so I relied on them to help out with things that were needed. For example, my stepmother and dad got my oldest a new robe, which he both needed and wanted. My mom and step dad got him a new winter coat. Again, they were happy to give him things he wanted and needed. My mother and aunt took my daughter clothes shopping. They all LOVED it! I think they all knew that helping us out was better than any gift to my husband and I, which we told everyone was unnecessary.

As it worked out, it was the best Chanukah ever. We paid cash, and really didn’t need to spend too much. We bought books, and a few other gifts on sale. We even gave them underwear and socks! The kids never noticed the difference, because they were so happy with all of their presents! And no wasted junk!

One last thing…a tip for long-distance giving. Many of my relatives live far away, too. I rely heavily on free shipping (LL Bean, Lands’ End, etc.) I also bought magazine subscriptions for a few kids. Gift cards can be great, too, if you’re not opposed to them.

Have a great Christmas!

My grandmother used a system that has worked well for us, although I don’t recall her having coupons — just store savings.

I bought a double pocketed coin purse separate from my billfold and filled one side with the cash we budgeted for groceries. Then after each grocery trip, I calculated the amount of coupons I’d used and added the store specials savings and “paid” myself by moving that amount to the second pocket of the coin purse. The cash stayed in the purse in case of some “grocery emergency”; but, surprisingly, none seemed to arise. The money also never was mixed with what I kept in my billfold. At the end of the month (or twice a month), I deposited the money in my “coupons” savings account at the bank and by Christmas had a very tidy sum readily available for presents. Being able to pay cash for Christmas is a wonderful feeling.

Now if I can just make myself start shopping earlier and avoid the last minute rush … Maybe next year!