When spending for Christmas, make sure that you include the price of gift wrap, decorations and other small things that will definitely add up and break your budget.

If you have gift wrap from last year, use it. Before you buy any more, assess what you already have. Using gift bags instead this year? Take stock of how many you really need before making any new purchases.

Do you need to buy a box? Before the recession stores weren’t giving away boxes as much, so that means you may have to make a trip to the dollar or craft store to buy some boxes if you aren’t using other containers for your wrapping. If you are shopping at a store that does give away boxes ask for them. Especially if you have several gifts that are going to the same person in one box, you will definitely need a box at some time.

Don’t forget to compare prices. 

A basket or reusable bag may cost more but if your recipient can use it hundreds of times or use it as a household container this is a better deal than just buying a bag or using wrap that will be tossed out. Either way, you need to plan for this expense or you will have to wrap gifts in newspaper, or give them naked (sans wrapping).

It’s easy to get caught up the in the cute seasonal wrapping that is offered at the higher priced card/stationer shops. Go to the dollar store or craft store when it is on sale and buy wrapping paper. (Make sure that when gifts are being unwrapped, you put them in a bag for recycling.)