Budgeting

Create a master plan. Controlled holiday spending is about discipline, preparedness, and priorities. To do:

Make a list of all your gift recipients, then group them into tiers. “Tier one can be members of your family, tier two those who get a smaller gift, and tier three those who don’t have to get a gift,” recommends Ben Hecht of the nonprofit lifestyle and personal-finance site www.thebeehive.org.

Set dollar limits for each level based on what you can afford (say, $20 for tier two), and tally them for your total budget.

Don’t forget nongift expenses, such as entertaining or a new party outfit. By tracking spending, you’re less likely to let expenses spiral out of control.

Traveling

Coordinate group trips. If your extended family is planning to travel for the holidays, build a home page at www.carrentalexpress.com. The free site allows you to book flights and hotels, coordinate plans, and schedule activities. “You can search, find, and input the best deals to share with your group,” says site spokesperson Anne Taylor Hartzell. “Parties of at least 10 people can often get group hotel rates to save money. And groups that arrive and depart together can split the cost of ground transportation.” Bonus: Having a central location for trip details also cuts down on costly back-and-forth phone calls and in-box–clogging e-mails.

Sidestep booking fees. Purchase tickets on airline websites to avoid booking fees. Otherwise you might pay up to $20 at the ticketing office or up to $10 when you call the airline (exceptions are JetBlue and Southwest Airlines, which don’t charge such fees). Travel sites, too, charge nonrefundable booking fees, according to Anne Banas, executive editor of SmarterTravel.com, when the same low fares can often be found on the airline’s site. Some examples: Orbitz carries a fee of up to $12 based on airfare, airline, and destination. Travelocity charges $5 for domestic tickets and up to $10 for international. And Expedia charges up to $5 a ticket.

Get wheels for a steal. If you plan on renting a car, check out for price quotes from local independent car-rental agencies, which can be well below the big guys’ prices.

Don’t pay premiums. Millions of Americans take to the slopes in December, according to Troy Hawks, editor of the National Ski Areas Association Journal. To slash costs:

Find out if your employer offers deals. Programs such as Working Advantage provide discounts on lift tickets at many ski resorts.

Reserve your rentals online. Many stores offer up to 20 percent off if you make a reservation before your arrival.

Avoid buying passes at the base of the mountain. Your hotel or local ski shops may sell them for less.

Consider a half-day pass. Full-day passes are often wasted when people sleep in or break for a cozy cup of hot chocolate.