Sara Noel

While comparison shopping, shopping sales and pruning your gift list are viable ways to save some money on gifts, there are other creative ways to save. There's nothing wrong with spending money if you have it, but it's dumb to overspend and charge yourself into a deep hole. Regardless of what you do or how much you spend, wasted money is still wasted money.

Practical gifts are the way to go this year, so here are a few ideas that won't break the bank.

EASY PUPPET: Breathe new life into old plush animals that have been set aside and forgotten. Make a few into puppets. Cut off the bottoms, remove some of the stuffing, and sew a hem. The kids can host a puppet show.

ROOT-BEER REINDEER: Buy root beer or any bottled beverage in the brown bottles. Twist pipe-cleaner antlers to the top just underneath the bottle cap, glue on a red pompom nose and wiggle eyes, and cut a thin piece of fleece as a scarf. Makes a quick, cute gift.

COUPONS: Make coupons that offer your time, such as a dessert a month, lawn mowing, babysitting or a movie out.

BUY ITEMS THAT COME IN SETS: For example, popcorn, cosmetics, hair accessories, tea, cocoa and candy. These make easy tuckables to put into an inexpensive stocking to give as gifts. Speaking of candy, you can make a candy wreath by using small pieces of curling ribbon to tie hard candies to a wire hanger that has been shaped into a circle. Add a bow, and you have a pretty candy wreath to give.

OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE: Tux Paint is a computer drawing program that is great for kids. You can give open-source software for adults, such as Linux operating system or Gimp, an image-manipulation program.

MEALS: Have a potluck. It can still be a formal meal, but don't be afraid to ask for help. When someone asks whether he can bring anything, take him up on that offer. Cut your work and food budget in half.

NEW RULES: Create a new family rule that only the children receive gifts. This can cut back on gift exchanges for all of the adults. If that's not possible, try one group gift per family instead of individual gifts for every member in each family. Or try a secondhand-gift exchange game, such as a Yankee swap.

SPEND LESS, WASTE LESS: There are many cheaper alternatives. such as mailing or giving a 4-by-6 recipe card with a favorite recipe on it or bookmarks with your sentiments written, or clip out a favorite comic from the newspaper. Wrapping paper is wasteful. Give containers that are reusable and a practical part of your gift, such as:

A mixing bowl filled with dish towels, kitchen utensils, cookie cutters, etc. For kids, assemble a sand pail filled with bubbles, chalk, activity books, etc. Fill a wide-mouth reusable water bottle with lip balm, hand sanitizer, facial tissue, sample-size lotion, etc. WORK-RELATED GIFTS: Encourage your workplace to do a dollar-store swap, donate to charity with a food drive, or send care packages to our soldiers instead of the standard co-worker gift exchange.

BIG CURE FOR THE GIMMES: Give your time to a worthy cause. It's humbling and will put much of the abundance of the holiday season into perspective.

Sara Noel is the owner of Frugal Village (www.frugalvillage.com), a Web site that offers practical, money-saving strategies for everyday living. To send tips, comments or questions, write to Sara Noel, c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., 4th Floor, New York, NY 10016, or e-mail sara@frugalvillage.com.