The biggest shopping day of the year is almost here and retailers will be rolling out the red carpet for shoppers. The retailers are prepared, but are consumers? The National Retail Federation 2005 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch for NRF, found that the average consumer plans to spend $738.11 this holiday season, up 5.1 percent from the previous year.

"It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of the season," said Suzanne Boas, president of Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Atlanta. "When the holidays are over, many consumers struggle to make even minimum payments on credit cards used to purchase gifts."

Shopping for the holidays can be a stressful and costly process and can take a lot of joy out of the season, but a little advanced planning can go a long way. CCCS offers holiday shopping tips to make this year's season better than ever.

• Set a spending limit. Decide how much you can comfortably spend on gifts, without relying on credit cards to finance purchases. Studies indicate that people who use credit cards to buy gifts spend an average of 30 percent more than people who use cash. When you add in all the finance charges over months, or even years, your gift could cost you twice what you paid for it, or more.

If you start planning early in the year for your holiday shopping, you can start saving for it then too. Open a holiday savings account at a bank or credit union and you'll have all year to save. If you have direct deposit at work, have a set amount sent to a special savings account to ensure you can complete your holiday shopping without reaching for your credit cards.

• Make your list; Check it twice. Make a list of all the people you would like to give gifts to. Be sure to include family members, friends, coworkers, teachers, the mailman, the dog groomer, and anyone else you'd like to give a gift to. Once you complete your list of people, jot down the amount you'd like to spend on them, making sure that your total does not exceed the spending limit you established. If it does, you'll need to look at your list again, reducing how much you'll spend on people, or reducing the number of people you will buy gifts for. Consider making a chart with this information so you can add your actual expenditures as you make purchases. If you save money on one gift, you might have more to allocate to another. And, if you note things such as sizes, hobbies, favorite authors or music style, you'll be even better prepared to pick just the right gift.

• Put some extra thought into your gifts. Go through your list and start jotting down gift ideas for each person, keeping in mind that some of the most appreciated gifts are not those that cost the most money, but are the most meaningful. Handmade gifts, such as calendars, photo albums, and framed children's artwork can provide a lifetime of smiles. Homemade baked goods are always a hit. For the note writer in the family, stationery and stamps make a great gift. A gardener will always appreciate a basket of gardening tools and seeds. And never underestimate the power of a sentimental letter, song, or poem for that special person on your list. These heartfelt gifts are often the perfect choice.

Maybe the people on your gift list would prefer a service to a tangible item. Who wouldn't like a commitment for getting the car washed, the garage or gutters cleaned, the lawn mowed, the dog walked or even the dinner cooked? Write your gift of service out on a nice card or print it up on your computer. Sign, seal, wrap and deliver.

• Shop early; shop often; shop online. It is never too early to begin your holiday shopping. In fact, by planning ahead you can take advantage of sales on seasonal items and stock up for the holidays, birthdays, and more. Starting early also gives you time to compare prices on like items at different retailers and online. If you know the model number of a specific piece of electronic equipment, you can watch the weekend sale ads for deals or use online comparison shopping sites to see where you might find the best deal. Sites such as www.pricegrabber.com, www.shopping.com, and www.mysimon.com compare the prices of multiple retailers on the same item. You can then order items online or purchase them locally. As online retailers may run free shipping promotions, you might just save time and money ordering online. And don't forget about non-traditional retailers-thrift stores, discount stores, consignment shops, and specialty stores might have just what you're looking for.

• Factor in all the extra costs. A ten-dollar gift can quickly cost fifteen once you factor in the cost of gift bags, ribbon, wrap, and cards. And if you have to ship your gifts, that can add even more. A great way to save money is to purchase next year's wrapping and cards just after the holidays, when most retailers mark them down 50 percent or more. Other ways include making your own wrapping out of brown paper that you, or your kids, decorate. Handmade cards are always a hit and can be much less expensive than store bought cards. Always ask for free gift boxes and tissue when making a purchase, and take advantage of free gift wrapping when it is offered. And for shipping, ship early to ensure that you can take advantage of ground transportation rates and still make sure your gift arrives in time for the holidays.

If you will be traveling this holiday season, don't forget to add the cost of travel, gasoline, airfare, hotel stays, meals and entertainment to your holiday budget.

Leave your credit cards at home, and if you do use them, use them wisely

It is very tempting to spend more than you've planned, especially if you're rushed for time and feeling the stress of holiday shopping. Leaving your credit cards at home will help ensure that you will stick to your budget, even if it means spending a little more time looking for the right gift.

There are occasions when paying by credit is necessary, such as online purchases, or airline tickets. There are special protections for credit card purchases, such as chargeback rights, and the ability to dispute items not delivered as promised, so think strategically when to use your cards. Use cards with the lowest interest rate and, ideally, only spend what you can afford to pay off when the bills come in.

• Put off some gift giving. If there are family and friends that you won't see until after the holidays, agree to trade gifts at that point. This way you'll be able to take advantage of post-holiday sales as well as spread out your purchases.

• Enjoy the true gifts of the season. While giving and receiving gifts can be nice, the true gift of the holiday season is the time that families and friends spend together. Get friends and family together to volunteer at a food bank, an organization that provides toys for underprivileged children or other organizations that are especially busy during the holiday season. You can enjoy each other, spread some holiday cheer and save money, while building and memories that will be cherished long after the holidays are a distant memory.

For 41 years, families have turned to Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Atlanta for help with money problems. CCCS is a nonprofit, community service agency dedicated to empowering consumers to achieve a lifetime of economic freedom. A United Way partner, CCCS provides confidential budget counseling, money management education, debt management programs, bankruptcy counseling, and comprehensive housing counseling.

CCCS is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children and is a member of the Better Business Bureau and the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC). Governed by a community-based board of directors, CCCS is funded by creditors, clients, contributors and grants from foundations, business and government agencies. Service is available at offices throughout metro-Atlanta and north Georgia in English, Spanish and American Sign Language. CCCS offers around the-clock help by phone at 1-800-251-CCCS or at its Web site, www.cccsinc.org.

CCCS Atlanta is the headquarters for the CredAbility Network, a family of agencies serving consumers in north Georgia, south Florida, middle Mississippi and east Tennessee. Georgia branches of CCCS are in downtown Atlanta, Cobb County, Decatur, Douglasville, Fayetteville, Gainesville, Gwinnett County and Rome. Please contact us any time — our virtual office is always open at www.cccsinc.org or 1-800-251-CCCS.