The Christmas season is upon us. Radios are playing Frosty the Snowman, our t.v. sets are tuned to “The Year Without Santa Claus” and those three Tim Allen “Santa Claus” movies. Lights are going up and retail stores are decorated and ready. Everyone else is ready to go for the holiday season, but are you?

Money is tight this year so to help out here are five easy tips to save a few dollars this Christmas.

1. Yes Hallmark is known for their “sentimental” greeting cards. They have cute poems, professional photographs and artwork, some sing and play music when you open them, they light up and now you can even record your own voice and leave a personalized message. All this is the reason why Hallmark is in business, but all these features come at a price. Cards these days run anywhere from (at best) $0.99 up to $5.99. If you are buying a card for your mother, father, sister, brother, girlfriend/wife or boyfriend/husband, your two loving children and your grandmother then you are looking at  9 people and up to nearly $50 on just Christmas cards. That does not even include aunts and uncles, nieces, nephews, and other friends and family.  To save some money here many retailers sell basic cards in packages of 20 or 30 for the price that it costs to get one or two cards. The cards are more basic, but you can personalize them with your own messages in the inside letting your loved ones have a unique experience when the read. There is even the option of using computer programs to create cards or to hand make the cards yourself.

2.  We all know the image of stockings hanging from the chimney. Often filled with smaller gifts and candy, these can be a great opportunity to save some money as well. Instead of going out and buying the novelty deluxe candy that comes out only at Christmas time each year to fill up the stockings, just go to a local dollar store and buy bags of candy, candy canes and small nick nacks that hold meaning such as miniature nativity scenes.

3.  Being thoughtful about your gifts can also save some money. I am not saying you have to be cheap,but being thoughtful can go a long way. Yes your kids are going to want the latest Halo game and Nintendogs that will cost you an arm and leg after all the accessories and systems are sold to you, but look to older more mature family that can more fully understand thoughtful gifts. Wouldn’t your wife love for you to surprise her with some mistletoe and something romantic over the ridiculously priced designer shoes you had been looking at? Or wouldn’t your mother love a photo album put together with all your memories together in one book?

4.  Most areas do not do neighborhood decorating contests, so no you do not need to keep up with the Jones’s. Instead of buying these 7 ft inflatable snowmen, animated and lighted reindeer and have every inch of your house strung up with lights you can go with a more traditional look of lights on bushes and in the windows.

5.  If you are in a close family, it may be expected of you to fly all the way from New York to Florida to see the in-laws, but the flights cost money. Try instead inviting them to your place and if that is unfeasible simply make a phone call on Christmas morning instead wishing them a good holiday. It is not the same thing of course, but it stil shows you care and is thinking of them and lets you save hundreds of dollars.