Will your Christmas bills come due in January?

When money is tight, Christmas time makes it even harder. We feel obligated to buy for people and we want to make it a good Christmas for our families. Most times the only choice we have is to use the credit cards to purchase. Another option is to take out a loan. Of course, the bills come due in January regardless of the fact that we may not have the money to pay them.nnChristmas is the time of giving and that's what it's all about, when you don't have money that can make you feel really bad. It's not right to not be able to give. Giving makes you feel good inside and it makes others feel good as well.nnThere are so many ways that you can make money so you don't have to use your credit cards to pay for Christmas. There are ways that you can make money right now while others take a little time. Either way, you can make it work.nnHere are some ideas that will help you come up with ways to make money or save money on Christmas gifts.nn BarternnBartering is where you give someone something and they give you something in return. For example, if you have candles that you purchased from a company and someone you know has toys that they purchased from a company, you could trade the candles for the toys. This would work if you work a candle business and this person you know works a toy business. This is a great way to get gifts for others and not spend any money or money that you wouldn't normally have spent.nn Craft FairsnnIt's the time of year where people love to shop and they love to get unique items. If you have something that you make, such as blankets or jewelry, you could get a table at a craft fair and sale your items. There may be a small fee for the table.nn Christmas tree ornamentsnnPurchase some colored or clear ornaments and get some model paint and paint designs on the ornaments. Another way to do this is to take felt that you can get at a hobby store and cut out designs like Santa, Rudolph, or snow flakes. You can add glitter and ribbons and make beautiful ornaments for very little money.nn TreatsnnMaking cookies or fudge is another great way to give a gift that is reasonable in price. You can purchase the dough or make your own. If you purchase the cookie dough you should be able to get two gifts out of one tube of dough. Put them on a paper plate, wrap in plastic wrap and put a bow on the top.nnRemember that it's not the price of the gift, but the thought that counts. People will love whatever you give them and they will appreciate it because it came from the heart. Ask others that you know or do searches online to see what ways you can come up with for reasonable or inexpensive gifts.