Happy holidays! Yes, it's that time of the year again. But this Christmas we want to help you save money by showing you ways to stretch that seasonal dollar.

With Christmas right around the corner, Kate Ramey hopes you've got jewelry on your list!

"It's definitely a sense of accomplishment when something is done and especially when someone loves something that I make," says Kate Ramey.

In fact, she and her side business Katery Designs, are a perfect example of how you can get more bang for your holiday buck.

If you're not crafty-- leave it to someone else. Have you heard of etsy.com?

Kate has her own on-line shop at etsy.com, along with many other talented local artists crafting all kinds of things. At etsy.com you can search for items made in your area; local, handmade gifts for typically less than you'd pay for similar pieces at a boutique or department store.

"They're not as expensive as you might think. It's just something more special," says Kate.

Tip number two from the folks at realsimple.com: pay cash when you hit the traditional brick and mortar stores to shop. Fork over paper instead of plastic and statistics show you'll spend 30% less.

Tip number three: make a master plan. There's a good chance you already create a list of everyone you want to shop for, but make sure it includes how much you want to spend on each gift. Then stick to it.

We've got more holiday budget-boosting tips here: http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/gallery/0,21863,1556643-1,00.html

And here are links to Etsy and Katery Designs:

http://www.etsy.com

http://www.katerydesigns.etsy.com