Each week we cut through the noise to bring you smart, practical recommendations on how to live better \u2013 from what is worth buying to the tools, habits and ideas that actually last.<\/p>\n
The Guardian\u2019s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link.\u00a0Learn more<\/a>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the most wonderful time of the year. And for many of us, the most expensive. Simply thinking about the gifts that need to be purchased or the expensive flights that we still haven\u2019t booked can feel overwhelming, to say the least.<\/p>\n Setting a holiday budget sounds great, but it can be hard to know where to start.<\/p>\n So, I called on the expertise of content creator and founder of the online platform Break Your Budget<\/a>, Michela Allocca<\/a>. She shared tips for stretching our dollars and making smart decisions with our money during this spendy time of year.<\/p>\n Her advice, ranging from nixing obligatory gifts to creating a holiday \u201csinking\u201d fund, is something I wish I\u2019d heard sooner. (Alloca starts saving for the holidays in January, but it\u2019s not too late for the rest of us.)<\/p>\n Alloca also shared a few of her favorite budget-friendly gifts, including a luxurious-looking laundry detergent <\/a>that I\u2019ve already added to my cart.<\/p>\n And if you\u2019re looking for a few additional thoughtful gifts that don\u2019t cost a fortune, we\u2019ve put together gift guides for thoughtful items under $10<\/a> and <\/a>under $50<\/a>.<\/p>\n *** Allocca advises tracking your purchases and making notes of the gifts you\u2019ve bought or the holiday sales you\u2019ve shopped.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring this time of year, people throw caution to the wind. What ends up happening is you start the new year with a major spending hangover. If you were tracking expenses now, you can stay on top of it, and it will help you make more agile decisions when you are out shopping or going to a holiday event,\u201d Allocca said.<\/p>\n *** Allocca starts putting aside money for holiday expenses, like gifts, in January. But if you\u2019re like me and haven\u2019t thought that far ahead, there\u2019s good news and bad news.<\/p>\n The good: She says that it isn\u2019t too late to start saving for your holiday purchases.<\/p>\n The bad: you might need to cut back on \u201cday-to-day little spends\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re planning to still buy gifts, I would do a two-week flash save where you\u2019re cutting out your morning coffee or skipping going out to dinner for two weekends in a row,\u201d Allocca said.<\/p>\n *** Gift giving is one of my love languages, but I\u2019m learning that doesn\u2019t mean that I need to purchase a gift for everyone I\u2019ve ever met.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to be more intentional about the money we\u2019re spending on other people,\u201d Allocca said.<\/p>\n It\u2019s OK to skip out on spending on a present out of obligation or feelings of guilt. Alloca recommends focusing on choosing thoughtful items for the most important people in your life.<\/p>\n And if you\u2019re looking for an all-purpose present for those unavoidable occasions where you simply must give something, Alloca recommended this laundry detergent<\/a>; it\u2019s fancier than what most of us would buy for ourselves, and you know the recipient will make good use of it.<\/p>\n *** I\u2019m a huge planner, often mapping out my entire year on 1 January. So, this next tip from Alloca is one that I\u2019m definitely stealing.<\/p>\n She advises taking advantage of cashback rewards sites and apps, which give you rebates or points that can be redeemed for cash. (While some of the particulars from this 2011 story are out of date, the advice about using these sites and apps sensibly<\/a> holds up). Instead of immediately spending the money you\u2019ve earned on gifts you buy this year, Alloca advises putting the cash into a high-yield savings gift fund. This will give you a huge jump start on budgeting for the next holiday season.<\/p>\n \u201cIt seems silly to plan for the holidays in January, but it will make your life so much easier by the time you get to the end of the year,\u201d Alloca said.<\/p>\n *** \u201cWe need to bring those back. I like giving sourdough<\/a> as a gift.\u201d<\/p>\n Read our guides here:Gifting help: for the style-obsessed Illustration: Sandra Navarro\/The Guardian<\/p>\n For our fashion gift guide, we rounded up a slew of fashion experts ranging from stylists to content creators, people whose closets we\u2019d definitely raid.<\/p>\n And they shared the 27 best items to gift this season, including a bomber jacket <\/a>to achieve the coveted model off-duty look and a trendy hooded scarf<\/a>.<\/p>\n Read our guide here: The 27 best fashion gifts in the US \u2013 curated by our favorite stylists and creators<\/a><\/p>\n On the go: global giftsglobe in focus with blurred background Photograph: Hotli Simanjuntak\/EPA<\/p>\n If you know someone with a serious case of wanderlust, but can\u2019t afford to fund their dream trip to Italy, consider one of the thoughtful travel gifts recommended by journalists from around the world. The Korean skincare<\/a>, cookies (or should I say biscuits)<\/a> from London, and 19 other unique gifts are the next best thing to a (much more expensive) plane ticket.<\/p>\n Read our guide here: The 21 best gifts beloved globally that Americans are missing out on<\/a><\/p>\n Gifting help: the person who already has everythingBoard games, puzzles, and jewelry shown as part of a gift guide display Illustration: Sandra Navarro\/Guardian Design<\/p>\n Sometimes gift-giving requires a bit of creativity. And this is especially the case when trying to find a holiday gift for the person who seems to already have a closet full of the trendiest items or all of the latest tech upgrades.<\/p>\n Lifestyle writer Marissa Miller offered some inspiration, recommending a classic pair of earrings that will go with everything <\/a>and a custom paint-by-number set<\/a>.<\/p>\n Read the full story here: The 15 best gifts in the US for the people who already have everything<\/a><\/p>\n One-stop shop: 163 holiday gifts for everyone on your listSocks, Chocolates, Sleep Masks, Notebooks and Puzzles as part of a Holiday Gift Guide Composite: Sandra Navarro\/The Guardian<\/p>\n Need a holiday gift idea or two? How about 163?<\/p>\n We curated a list of gifts recommended by the Guardian newsroom, Filter US<\/a> contributors, content creators, and kids<\/a> and tweens<\/a> \u2013 resulting in a one-stop shop of products to help you check off everyone on your list.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll continue to update our guide<\/a> throughout the holiday season, recommending even more gifts to help you avoid purchasing a last-minute gift card on the drive over to your office holiday party or family gathering.<\/p>\n
Protect your future self<\/p>\n
Start a holiday-specific fund<\/p>\n
Ask if you really have to buy it<\/p>\n
Use cashback rewards to plan for next year<\/p>\n
When in doubt \u2026 homemade gifts are great<\/p>\n