A short telephone call, email, or card can go a long way. It takes 15 seconds to thank someone or just say hello, 15 years for them to forgive you when you don't.

Some of the ways you can stretch your budget are giving gifts only to children and agreeing to exchange cards instead of gifts with friends. Persuaded your extended family to draw names to purchase one gift rather buying everyone gifts or even cooking, baking or making holiday goodies.

When purchasing a gift of course always look for the "sale" but also consider recycling old photographs and having video tapes of holidays gone by transferred to DVDs as a gift. The best gifts can be shared precious common memories.

Even if you are a cash strapped business, using the holidays, as an advertising promotional chance should not be overlooked. Sending cards or e-mails to clients you have not heard from in a long time can easily result in new business to make up for any advertising expenses incurred tenfold.

Finally charging items while sometimes necessary often is not the best approach, as January does come right after December. Adding interest to your holiday purchases may make you wish you restrained the impulse spending and second-guess yourself on why the purchase was made, when the bills become due.