Although we see it every year, the holiday always seems to surprise us and make our wallet unexpected. In fact, this year alone, Americans plan to spend $983 on holiday shopping alone—not including travel and vacation expenses. For most of us, this can make our annual budget a success or failure. But not necessarily like that! Holidays can be expensive, but not necessarily!

Here are a few ways to make your holiday a pleasant one without letting the bank go bankrupt.

1. Set realistic expectations

We know that you love all your friends and family, but they tend to have more numbers than your bank account. Trying to buy something for everyone can lead to two things: one is to let yourself be in debt, and the other is to buy everyone a bad gift in order to please everyone. You can be cautious when buying gifts during the holidays. For some people, getting a great and meaningful gift is better than having someone get something they will soon throw away. This is not to cut people's connections – but is there a way for you to show your concern in a less economical way? It takes a long time to write a meaningful, heart-felt card that shows how you care about them or how they support you.

2. Shopping in advance

Shopping early will not only relieve your stress, but also help you beat the queues in the store, and give you time to think about the gifts you want to give. It also gives you time to find big deals on items and compare stores. Nothing is worse than buying something, wrapping it up, and finding it elsewhere at a cheaper price. Shopping in advance also gives you time to shop online, without having to spend extra money to speed up your transportation because you didn't plan ahead. Finally, it gives you a breath of budget space. Instead of spending all your money at once, it's better to have time to reassess your budget when you go - this will help your economy to be better when all the holiday expenses are settled.

3. Local store

Shopping locally is not only a great way to support your community of artists, musicians and other creative people, but also a great way to bring this community back to your home. Of course, buying a handmade scarf from a local knitwear is more useful than buying a mass-produced scarf from a big retailer, but you won't feel the need to supplement it with more and more things to make up for you. A mass-produced scarf that others can buy anywhere. There is also a story behind it that shows more considerations to make a more memorable gift. In the long run, a small selection of small items will make you less useful than many cheaply produced gadgets.

4. Use your credit card wisely

It's a bad idea to spend your vacation on a credit card for a number of reasons. Studies have shown that many Americans spend another six months repaying their credit card spending. However, as long as there is a forward-looking plan, this situation can be completely avoided. A card with a bonus point (such as an Amazon card) means you can spend these bonus dollars on the gift instead of your own money.

5. Creativity

There is a long way to go for creativity and deliberation. Remember, the reason for this season is not to spend your budget on expensive toys for all your family and friends, but to thank them for being there in your life. Don't ignore the little tricks that show you meaningful and intangible care. Maybe you can don't buy a gift, but donate it to a charity, or volunteer in a soup kitchen or a clothing store to help people who are not as rich as you are. We are always told that experiences are often more memorable than things - maybe this is a good thing to remember this year, and create great experiences with people you love.