The holidays are here, and many of us will get caught up in the excitement of the season and be sent into a spending frenzy. In fact, The National Retail Federation reports that the average shopper will lay out close to $800 on holiday shopping this year.

If you find that the only holiday tradition you have is to overspend, take heart in the old saying that traditions were made to be broken. Create a budget this year and stick to it! With creativity and commitment, you'll stay out of holiday debt.

Here are 10 tips to help you save money this holiday season:

1. Begin with a list.

Write a list of who you're buying for and how much you can spend for each gift.  Impulse purchases will quickly get you off track, so bring the list with you when you shop -- and stick to it.

2. Use CASH

If you're the average shopper then you spend approximately $800 on gifts, charge it all on your credit card, and only make the minimum payment each month, at a rate of 18 percent you'll end up paying another $800 in interest and it will take you 131 months to pay it all off!

Paying with cash makes your spending more real and will cut down on your urge to splurge. If you can't afford to pay for a gift with cash, then more than likely you can't afford it.

3. SHOP ONLINE

According to an online poll a whopping 80 percent of Americans expect to purchase gifts online this holiday season.

Online prices often beat out in-store prices, but will require you to use your credit card. Shop with the card that has the lowest interest rate and keep track of what you're charging. If you don't pay your balance off in full, you'll more than wipe out the saving benefits of buying online.

Paypal is a great option to use cash.

4. Compare prices.

5. Use coupon codes. Or ask the store via email if they will offer you any discounts.

6. Accessorize

There's no need to buy an expensive new outfit for your holiday get-together or office party. Dress up with a new holiday necklace, Juicy Couture Brooch, or a great Betsey Johnson Handbag or Clutch.

7. Draw names from a hat

With a large family or group of friends, it's just not feasible to buy a gift for everyone. Instead, pre-select names from a hat so that each member of the family or group only buys a gift for the name that they've chosen.

Set a spending limit and have some fun with it.

8. Donate to charity.

For the person who has everything, consider making a donation in their honor to a charity that holds special meaning for them.

9. Host a potluck dinner.

You can do a great job of keeping your gift list in check and then blow your whole budget on an overly expensive dinner for your guests. Steer clear of splurging on lobster tail and filet mignon when you're on a tuna fish budget.

10. Wrap with recyclables. At Ohh La La Couture - request that your gift be wrapped before sending...we would be happy to wrap it for you.

www.stores.ebay.com/Ooh-La-La-Couture

Sometimes we end up spending more on wrapping paper than we do for actual gifts. When I was a kid and we ran out of wrapping paper, my creative mom used the comics from the Sunday paper to finish the job. It looked cool and didn't cost a dime.