6 steps for wise shopping

I won't be seeing you in the shopping centers this December, my fellow Utah consumers.

Sure, I have one Christmas present to buy — for my wife. And, yes, that is possibly the most important, high-pressure purchase of the year (tied, I guess, with the birthday and anniversary gifts).

But I've already got a few ideas, so I think I'll be OK.

As for the rest of the holiday buying, my wife took care of it with one catalog order and one day of power shopping a few weeks ago. She didn't even try to force me to give her ideas for a gift for my dad (not that I would have had any).

Truly, I am a lucky man.

But just because the shopping is done and I was spared the annual mall death march does not mean I am escaping all of the "joys" of the holiday.

After all, I still get to pay the credit card bills.

Which brings us to this week's topic, taken with permission from the "Money Moxie" newsletter of Salt Lake-based Smedley Financial Services Inc.

Our friends at Smedley have some tips to help you avoid overextending yourself this year. It's too late for me, of course, but I pass them along in the hope that someone else can be saved.

• "Develop a budget. Consider each person you will be buying for, and remember to include the holiday-related expenses, like postage, food and travel."

I would add that, if your wife is like mine, you should remember to budget for "stocking stuffers." As in, "I know we agreed to spend $50 on each other, honey. The other $75 I spent on you was just for stocking stuffers."

Of course, she comes by it honestly. My mother-in-law gave my wife a bread machine as a stocking stuffer a few Christmases ago.

No, I'm not kidding. And no, it didn't fit in the stocking.

• "Get creative. Evaluate your gift list and try limiting your gift giving to family and close friends. For others, consider sending personalized cards or notes. Handmade gifts or gifts of service don't cost very much, and often times are the most appreciated."

The latter is true. But the year my wife decided to make all of the gifts from our family, the stress nearly killed her. So be careful on this one.