MONEY TIPS FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Only Spend $20 “My significant other, Rogelio, and I spend a big chunk of our holiday budget traveling around the country to visit family, so we don’t want to feel pressured to spend too much on gifts for each other. For the past two years, we’ve celebrated ‘$20 Holidays’—we each have to come up with something creative that comes in under $20. “Last year, I gave him a ‘Relax Package’ that included slippers I made myself and some nice massage oil—since I was the masseuse, the massage he got was free! For my gift, Rogelio cooked us dinner, took me to a light show at a nearby botanical garden, snagged an awesome Groupon for bowling and called in a favor from a friend who runs a car service. "We had so much fun that we now do $20 date nights every few months, and they’re some of the best dates we’ve ever had. These gifts end up being much more thoughtful than the more traditional things we’ve purchased for each other in the past.” -Kelly Ryan, communications and tourism manager

10 Ways to Make the Holidays Better—and Not Break the Bank:

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MONEY TIPS FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Splurge on Pre-Sliced “We’ve made it a fall tradition to go apple-picking with the kids and stock the freezer with homemade applesauce to use at Hanukkah. Also, when I’m cooking for a crowd, I take advantage of pre-cut sweet potatoes, mushrooms and onions. It may be a bit more expensive than buying whole produce and chopping it up myself, but time is money!” -Edith Beer, LearnVest software engineer

10 Ways to Make the Holidays Better—and Not Break the Bank:

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MONEY TIPS FOR THE HOLIDAYS: "Rather than spend money on decorations, make your fruits and vegetables do double duty as table adornments. For example, lemons and limes in a glass bowl can be a festive centerpiece, as well as a functional ingredient in food and drinks. Additionally, when you cut your tree branches, hold on to the excess trimmings—boughs gathered in a vase can create the perfect holiday touch." -Brett Bronte, director of special events for Hollywood POP, a N.Y.-based party and event planning firm

10 Ways to Make the Holidays Better—and Not Break the Bank:

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