Holidays are fun, crazy, daunting, tiring and of course, expensive. But there are ways to enjoy the holidays without being stressed about money and maximizing the opportunities retailers have to offer. By being proactive, you can avoid the headache of post-holiday debt or a "holiday hangover.

My first piece of advice would be to create a shopping list along with a realistic budget. List the people you plan to buy gifts for and the gifts you are considering for them. In addition to a gift budget, remember to consider for holiday travel, greeting cards and postage. If it relates to the holiday season and it costs money, be sure to add it.

Try to only use cash, and if you use credit cards, treat them like cash. If you can't pay the balance off in full, you may need to rethink the item you are purchasing. Buying holiday gifts is about expressing generosity and kindness to friends and family members. There is no shame in buying cheap or not buying at all. No one expects you to sacrifice financial stability for holiday gift giving.

Consider your time and travel costs. If an item is on sale, but the store is across town, include your time and the costs of transportation and parking in the price.

Read sale ads carefully. The fine print can be confusing to decode, but it will save you time and aggravation if you fully understand the terms of the sale. Furthermore, it's always a good idea to call the store to make sure the item you want is in stock. Some stores even have live inventory updates on their websites so you can check the Internet too. If you buy an item at regular price and it goes on sale the next week, you can ask for a credit or refund for the discounted amount.

There are many different ways to increase your disposable income or spending money. One of the easiest ways is to limit the amount of money that you spend on utilities and household maintenance. Here are some easy money-saving tips that don't require much time or effort:

Refrigerator Cost Reduction

A refrigerator needs less electricity to cool objects than it does to cool air. A full fridge is cheaper to run. On this theory, you can fill your freezer with containers of water. If you try this for several months, your total electric bill can go down significantly.

Rectangular containers and quart juice boxes work best and can be arranged in many ways. Round deli containers and any plastic milk jugs will work also. Be sure to leave room for the ice to expand. They will bulge unless you fill them in stages and brace them on both sides until frozen. Avoid paper milk and glass containers because they break. Make sure that all containers are covered. Uncovered containers may cause the automatic defrost to work overtime. You can move the ice containers in and out as needed to accommodate food.

Dryer Maintenance

Besides cleaning the lint, periodically take the top of your dryer and vacuum out the inside. You would be surprised at the amount of lint you will get. This is especially important for older model dryers. It is also a good idea to check the dryer vent hose connection on the back of your unit to make sure that there is a good connection that's free of holes.