I know like most of us, I am sitting here starting to dread the holidaze. You know it from when you were working, the period of time from the week before Thanksgiving to New Years Day. It seems that every dime you make evaporates into thin air but you have great Thanksgiving Day Feasts, Fantastic Christmas Gifts under a huge tree and a Sparkling New Years eve. Well dread no more you still can have some of those things. Look into relief agencies to see what they are doing. But even if you do not qualify you can change your menu slightly to still have the feast without the waste. This what I started to do when my Hubby join the military and I was celebrating T-day with two young girls that did not eat much at all. I bought a Duck instead it was smaller yet still special. I only made dressing (one that came the duck and a simple vegetable. Now the gift giving, this one I have the most trouble with. But one way to still have gifts under the tree is to get the things that you would be buying in the near future anyway and wrap them up. It is amazing but just the act of wrapping them makes them special. But you are not out buying stuff. For example under our tree for hubby will be the uniform items he will be needing for January. The girls will be getting clothes that I did not buy for the school year(school clothes). For New Years Eve after spending way too many apart we will celebrate with a inexpensive bottle of Champagne and Brandy Milk Punch. The point I am making is you can enjoy the Holidays with out the Holidaze. By the way I have tried all these methods at one time or another just not all in one year.

But I am sure that all of you have ways to save the Holidays with out spending carelessly, So please come to this thread and share for those who are scrimping for the first time and feel horrible for not being able to spend their way through the Holidaze.