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Six Ways to Enjoy Christmas without the Debt by nikki ducas W hen my husband and I were DINKs – dual income, no kids – we were carefree with our money and didn't really think much about the amount we were spending at Christmas. That all changed after the arrival of our son and my stay-athome mom status. Please, don't read me wrong. Even when we had the security of dual income and no kids, we still lived within our means and paid off our credit cards. We just had different priorities. With Christmas right around the corner my 3 anda-half year-old son is wanting, asking and begging for every train he doesn't have in his collection. I must make wise, frugal and conscious decisions regarding how I am going to intelligently explain Santa Claus, buy the gifts I choose to purchase and stay within my budget. By making a few simple changes in our shopping habits, I will avoid going into 2013 in debt. Even before 12 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • December 2012 I start shopping, I will do my homework. I will have my list of who I am buying for, how much I can spend and, most importantly, where I can find those gifts on the cheap. While some like to start shopping on Black Friday, I prefer to be done shopping before Thanksgiving. I pick up gifts as I see them throughout the year and needless-to-say I am a lot less stressed and my holiday bills are paid by the first of the year. Some of this is by necessity. We spend Thanksgiving with my husband's family and since they are not local we've created a new tradition of doing our gift exchange on Black Friday before returning home. Here are a few quick tips you can use to keep your holiday bill simple and manageable: Cash is King. Pay cash, but if you must use credit cards, use them to your advantage. Many credit card companies offer cash rewards for using their card. I use one credit card and that card gives me points that I can exchange for gift cards. I "buy" gift cards as presents throughout the year for birthdays and Christmas. My family gets to buy what they want and I don't have to go into the store. Add Gifts to Your Budget. Do a little shopping after each paycheck or designate a percentage of each paycheck for Christmas presents. If you have discipline, put cash in an envelope or create a separate checking account that the money is automatically withdrawn from. This little trick automatically puts you on a budget.