Dear Davida,

The holidays are coming up fast and I haven’t even started Christmas shopping yet. I’m really anxious about spending my money because, being a college student, I’m not sure if I can afford decent presents for my friends and family. How can I make this work?

Signed,
Broke for the Holidays

Dear Broke,

College expenses are notorious for creating a struggle in the lives of young adults, but if you play your cards right, you can still have a very merry Christmas on a budget. I’m sure a lot of your friends are broke college students as well, so one option is asking your social circle if they’d like to organize a fun but thrifty gift exchange, like a Secret Santa or White Elephant, where each person only needs to contribute one gift. The process of finding inexpensive Christmas gifts can be made easier as well—there’s no shame in clipping coupons! Check out the website retailmenot.com to see if your favorite places to shop currently have any specials or promo codes available. You’d be surprised how much you can save if you keep an eye out for deals. If nothing turns up, you can always put your artistic side to work and find ideas for homemade gifts on crafty websites like Pinterest. No matter what you decide, your friends and family are sure to appreciate the thought behind it, and your cup of cheer will runneth over!