By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

The holidays are marching toward us much faster than we can imagine. We treasure those special moments with family and friends, but menus, activities, parties, shopping, and decorating can rob our enthusiasm plus put a dent in our budgets.

We embrace all the wonder of the big three holidays:

Thanksgiving
Christmas
New Year

Careful planning is essential so we’re not mentally, physically, and financially drained. So how can we prepare for the most anticipated events of the year and manage the stress of staying within our budget?

12 Ways to Enjoy the Holidays Without Blowing Your Budget

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Take a look at the following to see where you can save this holiday season.

Establish how much can be spent reasonably. We all make sacrifices when occasions call for it, but overspending during the holidays leads to regret.
Use a spreadsheet to keep track of expenditures and stick to the budget.
Shop with coupons. Whether it be food or gifts, coupons save money.
Skip grabbing an expensive coffee drink while out running errands and instead make your favorite brew at home and put it in a to-go container.
Avoid self-gifting when purchasing gifts for others. If we really want something, chances are it will be on sale after the holidays.
Buy with ease by selecting items online. Many apps are designed to make holiday shopping easier and at a cost savings.
Start early and look for sales from local merchants! At our house, we search for bargains year around.
Attend a church choir’s celebration of the season.
Love to cook? Scale down your menu for tasty foods that appeal to guests and your budget.
Create homemade gifts that are memorable. Cleverly designed crafts, art, food items, and photos uniquely framed make wonderful gifts. If you’re musically inclined, record your special talent.
Consider e-cards for holidays. These can be animated, personalized, no-postage required, and the recipient can still save the paperless variety.
Discover all the fun of using Pinterest for every aspect of the holidays.

The excitement of the approaching holidays is building in all of us. With a little effort, we can treasure the season and smile at our checkbook when January 2 rolls around.