You cannot imagine how much money you can save for the Christmas holidays by starting to plan the day after – every year.

For example, the day after Christmas every store has sales galore! You can purchase cards, ornaments, Christmas stockings, wrapping paper, and other holiday items for up to 75% off. If you begin buying these items every year, you will soon have enough to last several years.

Instead of shopping for gifts in the fall, begin in early spring. Department stores have weekly sales and you can save hundreds of dollars shopping early.

Open a Christmas club in January or February. Putting away five or ten dollars a week can yield a nice check by October.

While it is true most of us get caught up in the everyday events of life, we forget that putting just a little money aside can add up at the end of the year. More importantly, if you are not a saver and shop at the last minute, you are spending more money you don’t have and cannot afford.

With the economy in a downturn, gift giving this year may be trimmed down quite a bit. But then again, Christmas isn’t just about gifts - it’s about family, friends, and spending time with people you love.

To make things a little easier on you and your family, start saving for Christmas now. Put the extra change you accumulate every day in a glass jar. If you have older children, perhaps they would like to take on a part-time job such as walking the neighbor’s dog or working in a supermarket after school.

They are many ways in which you can prepare for the holidays now without breaking the bank. Make it a family affair; get together and decide how all of you can chip in to save enough money for the holidays.

Prepare a gift list and trim it down as well as the ornaments for the tree. Create your own ornaments, make your own holiday cards utilizing the computer, and shop early and online to save time and money as well.

Tweak your household budget to find areas where you can put away some savings for the holidays.

If you plan ahead, you can have a wonderful holiday season that can be affordable and enjoyable as well.