You probably didn’t get all of your holiday shopping done on Thanksgiving weekend — and that’s ok!

In fact, you may be better off for it, financially speaking.

According to The Conference Board Holiday Spending Survey, consumers in the United States plan to spend an average of $985 on holiday-related items in 2023, and an average of $654 on holiday gifts.

Before you go shopping this month, we have a few tips on how to beat inflation, save money on gifts, and still have a very happy holiday season.

Set a budget – and keep it! Before you hit the stores, work on figuring out your budget for the holiday season, including all expenses you expect to encounter like food. Don’t be afraid to set amounts that seem like a stretch. Challenge yourself to lower your holiday spending!

Make a list — and stick to it! Sit down on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa and make a list. Who are you buying for? What ideas do you have for them? How much are you spending on each person? Spending a few minutes thinking before you go shopping can help you avoid expensive impulse buys.

Look for deals and discounts. Despite rampant inflation, you can still find great deals and coupons to bring down the price. It’s also a good idea to sign up for alerts from your favorite retailers or their loyalty program to find out when they’re hosting a sale.

Give fewer gifts. Take a good look at your list of gift recipients and see where you can make some cuts. Do you really need to swap gifts with every coworker, second cousin and around-the-corner neighbor? To keep feelings positive, suggest a secret Santa exchange for social groups in your life so you only need to buy one gift for an entire group. Or, go homemade with baked goods or other treats that are inexpensive to make but really appreciated!

Give a gift card. A gift card is a great way to give value at less cost. You can purchase discounted gift cards on sites like CardCash and Sam’s Club, with some cards discounted as much as 25%. You can also search these sites for cards to the retailers at which you plan to do your holiday shopping and then use the cards yourself.

Give an experience.Think beyond gifts you can touch and add some experiences to your gift list this year. For example, you can “gift” a child with a free day off from school and treat your partner to an in-house spa night. Present these gifts as homemade “gift cards” wrapped in pretty ribbons.

We have more tips for you in our recent ONESource Webinar: 2023 Holiday Survival Guide and we encourage you to watch that webinar while waiting to take your pie out of the oven.

Make your list (and budget), check it twice, and have a wonderful holiday season!