Save Money While Making Memories

I'm really not understanding the Christmas decor and advertisements the day after Halloween. A few days ago I made my usual Thursday morning Starbucks run before heading to the radio station and my latte was served in a cup decked out with red hollies and such. Retailers have done it again - skipped a whole month and planted us smack dab in December. This made for a great show topic and our listeners didn't waste time calling in to give their two cents.

My family started a Thanksgiving tradition 10 years ago when I purchased my first house. My middle sister had the grand idea to have dinner at my new place. About 15 of us piled comfortably into my less than 1000 sq. ft. abode. Since then, we've kept the tradition alive by rotating between houses every year.

As American families continue to face tough economic times, planning holiday get togethers can be challenging. As a result of increased gas and food prices, some family traditions have fallen by the wayside. Here are a few things you can do to save some money and cherish your time with loved ones.

• Host Multi-Family Dinners: Instead of footing the bill alone, invite neighbors and friends over and ask them to bring a dish. This can work in tandem with saving on travel. Too strapped to book a flight out of town? Stay put and celebrate with others who decided to forgo travel.

• Skip the Elaborate, High-Priced Meals: It's going to cost more money to feed more people a gourmet meal. Your family and friends aren't looking for a 5-star experience. Scale back on the specialty items and keep it simple by serving up inexpensive comfort foods.

• Reduce, Recycle, and Reuse: This goes beyond being eco-friendly. Reduce your spending all together by comparison shopping, clipping coupons, and buying early. Create a spending plan (doesn't this sound better than being restricted to a budget?). Recycle items by swapping; you can get rid of something "old" while giving someone else something "new". Buy decor that can be used for more than one season/holiday/occasion. Clear glass votives, vases, and dishes are great. Use colored linens/flowers, etc. to capture the holiday's theme.

These money-saving strategies can be used all year long. What traditions do you have and how do you avoid breaking the bank?

Photo credit: alamedabrad