Between the presents and family gatherings, it’s quite easy for anyone to get a bit carried away with their holiday shopping. This could be so much that by the festivities are over, you may have incurred huge credit card bills and sunk deeper into debt.Fortunately, there are ways to avoid going through the same holiday madness.

Here are eight steps on how you can have still go holiday shopping without incurring huge bills or debts:

Limit your holiday shopping list

One of the biggest reasons why many people sink into debt after the holidays is that they try to give gifts to everyone they know. Limiting your shopping list to only include close family, relatives and friends will help you cut back on your holiday spending.

Have a fixed budget

One way of keeping your holiday shopping expenses is to set a specific budget per person. This may require a bit of bargaining skills and footwork on your end. However, it’s a small price to pay to ensure that you don’t go beyond your budget or get indebted.

Start your holiday shopping early

Instead of doing your holiday shopping once the season rolls in, spread out your shopping throughout the year. That way, you’ll be able to go through your holiday shopping list item after item and pay for them before early enough.

Buy in sets, give individually

Instead of buying six individual gorgeous looking mugs or towels for your friends, purchase bundled set pieces. These end up being cheaper due to bulk discount. 

Go for DIY’s

If you love doing a bit of art and craft, this is another great way of cutting back on your holiday shopping expenses. Since these gifts are handcrafted, that personal touch adds so much value to the gift. This will make your friends and family appreciate them much more than those that you’d buy from the store.

Send a card

It may sound a bit cheesy and cheap. However, in this day and age, hardly anyone sends anything by regular mail. Therefore, receiving a handwritten card is more appreciated now than ever. Cards are also much cheaper to send if the recipients live in another state or abroad.

When in doubt, get a gift card

Gift cards are heaven sent for those worry whether their family or friends may or may not like the gift at hand. They are also relatively inexpensive and may be enjoyed for a very long time.

Use your reward points

Credit cards have reward programs that enable you to earn points. You can use these points to “pay” for different items, which you can use to give as fancy gifts to your friends and family.