Rachel Ramsey Cruze, daughter of Dave Ramsey, shares some great ways to be smart with your money during the Christmas season.   More tips from Rachel:   Make a holiday budget.

• • Make a list of everyone you are buying a gift for.
• • Put a dollar amount next to their name.
• • Make sure to include extras like parties and gifts for coworkers.
• • Check out mychristmasbudget.com: a free, online tool for budgeting.

Don’t panic if you haven’t started saving!

• Once you’ve created your budget, see if you’ll be able to set aside enough cash. • If you’re short on cash, pick up some extra work to make extra cash. • Give of your time and talents. • Let friends and family know your situation if you can’t afford gifts.

Don’t go into debt for gifts.

• Put the amount of cash you plan to spend in an envelope. • Once the money is gone, stop shopping! Avoid signing up for credit cards to get “extra” savings. • Don’t go overboard – your kids won’t remember every single toy they received and they won’t be traumatized if they don’t get the latest “it” item.