(ARA) - Sticking to a well-orchestrated budget while hunting for the must-have gifts of the season, planning the perfect holiday meal and arranging flawlessly timed travel are not tasks for the novice. This time of year can drain even the savviest shopper's budget, but there are easy ways to save and even earn money this holiday season.

When Jonni McCoy became a stay-at-home mom, she learned first-hand how to manage her family budget with only one income. Since then, she has written three books and launched a Web site (www.miserlymoms.com) teaching others how to make frugality a lifestyle for the entire family, especially during the holidays.

Try to avoid a holiday shopping hangover this coming January and start with a financial game plan to tackle holiday decorating, gifts, travel and entertaining. Take time to prepare your budget, draw up gift lists and comparison shop for the best deals. Here are some more tips from McCoy to help you make the most of your holiday spending.

Deck the Halls - For Less

* Stay simple. Use evergreen trimming as a table centerpiece and sprinkle silver confetti over it for some sparkle.

* For unique holiday home decor, buy terra-cotta clay, roll out 1/2-inch-thick pieces and use cookie cutters to make ornaments. Let them dry overnight, paint and then decorate.

* Display your holiday cards in a festive basket or punch holes in the cards and string ribbon through them to hang around your home.

Shopping Wonderland

* Make a detailed shopping list of who you are buying gifts for. Set a dollar limit and the type of gift you would like to purchase next to each name. Total up the amounts and make sure you can afford what you are planning to spend. Once you fit the gifts within your budget, carry the list and stick to it while shopping.

* Save money while you shop by using credit cards with special holiday promotional offers. For example, if you sign up for the Shell Platinum MasterCard from Citi by Jan. 4, 2009, you can earn double rebates for the first 60 days, which means 10 percent rebates on Shell gasoline purchases for holiday travel and 2 percent rebates on all other purchases -- such as holiday gifts.

* Spend a few minutes online at your favorite retailer's Web site and search for Web deals. Some offer better prices and free shipping.

Give From the Heart, Not the Wallet

* Think outside the gift box and make creative and personal gifts. Easy and cost-effective ideas include baked goods arranged in decorative containers and themed gifts for those on your list such as the movie or pet lover.

* With large groups or family, draw names for gift-giving and set a spending limit. Giving one or two people a very nice gift is often better than giving many people a small gift.

* Make your own gift tags from last year's greeting cards. Use scalloped scissors to create edging.

Most importantly, stop shopping once you have neared the end of your budget and you have purchased all of the items on your list. It is very easy to keep shopping with all of the retailer promotions during this time of year. It's never too early to begin thinking about next year. Stocking up on decorations and gifts during the after-holiday sales will get you ahead of the game and help keep you within budget next year.

Courtesy of ARAcontent