So here it is, mere days until Christmas, and you're still working your way through your Christmas list. Plus you have next-to-nothing in your bank account. Take heart, fellow shopper. It is possible to give some quality gifts that will be appreciated without forking over your next paycheck plus an arm and a leg. Here are some inexpensive strategies to help you tackle those last few gifts on your list.

Gift of Time

I can't believe it's the Christmas season already. If you're anything like me, you're making lists and mapping out some kind of strategy to get those last-minute gifts bought. And, if you're anything like me, you'd like to buy those gifts without the added stress of spending tons of cash. Fear not, my procrastinator friends: it is entirely possible to finish up your gift buying without breaking your bank.

That's What Friends Are For

As the holiday preparations wind down, we are left to scramble madly at the last moment or to reflect calmly at another season put to bed. Hopefully, you are in the latter crowd, but if you are not, there is still time to wrap presents and prepare for the welcome onslaught of family.

Next week, we here at MomVesting will take a few moments to offer last minute holiday tips and tricks, celebrate the season and enjoy the simple pleasures of family. We hope you’ll join us for our celebration. We wish you all Happy Holidays.

As we get closer to Christmas, it's possible you might be feeling a pinch in your budget. Affording Christmas gifts on top of a shaky economy and rising prices is enough to test just about anyone's income. However, before whipping out your plastic to take care of the gifts on your list, consider using the cash you'd normally spend on household expenses, such as groceries, and applying it to your holiday purchases.

A few years ago, I lived in a beautiful farmhouse located 45 minutes from my workplace. The commute was long, but I enjoyed it. For a while. When my husband started to work in the same city, we thought we had it made: we’d carpool together. What was a dream quickly turned into a nightmare, though; the hubby’s job demanded he work overtime with no notice. Which left me stuck in town with nothing to do for hours on end.

I was inspired recently by a post at Life and My Finances. Derek bought his wife a new (adorable!) puppy, and he shares how this new family member will fit into his financial goals. Of course, he realizes that puppies are not cheap, but Derek knows that they can bring invaluable joy to his family. Derek’s post lead me to think about all the costs involved in raising a puppy, and I have to tell you, there are quite a few. Let’s look at puppy-raising costs through my experience raising a Great Dane.

One of my favorite Christmas songs of all time is "The Twelve Pains of Christmas." Yes, you read that right. It's a parody song in which different singers lament things at Christmas that are a pain to them, such as rigging up the lights and trying to find a parking space. It's actually a pretty funny take on everyday life around the holidays.

This week, I can finally make my announcement: I’m pregnant! My husband and I are super-excited about welcoming a baby to our family, and we have roughly six months until D-day to focus on finding all that baby stuff we’ll need. And stocking up on sleep now. I heard that babies can make you slightly tired…

When I was in college, I got into a couple of binds with credit cards. I was living paycheck to paycheck with little cash left for any kind of fun. So what did I do? Why I started to use my emergency credit card for non-emergencies. I racked up a sizable amount of debt by the time I graduated, and it took years to pay off. After that experience with credit cards, I vowed to never use one again.

There’s no doubt about it: saving is hard work. Especially when things are tight. It may feel impossible at times to save any amount of money, let alone enough for an emergency savings account or a retirement fund. Thankfully, there are a few ways to save without feeling like you’re giving up every fun aspect of life. Let’s take a look at a few.

Moonlighting for Savings Cash