This Christmas may have been a little on the lean side; as a single mother, you struggle to make ends meet, let alone have leftover money for gifts and decorations. You want next year to be different and are thinking of ways to save the funds to make it a truly wonderful holiday. Some tips to save funds so everyone's Christmas wishes will come true could include:

Save All of Your Change

You will be really surprised at how fast these funds will add up. Make a point to empty your pockets or purse often. Put all of your loose change in a container that you will not be able to open easily so you won't spend it before the next holiday season. Take it to your bank to be counted and deposited when you are ready to shop.

Open a Special Savings Account

Open a special savings account and make a deposit every payday. Deposit whatever you can afford. Some employers will help you automatically deposit your holiday funds. Add extra cash whenever you get a windfall, especially if you get a hefty tax return or are given money as a birthday gift. You may think you have nothing extra to save after you pay your bills, but if you just set this money aside automatically, after a time, you will not even notice its absence.

Begin Preparing Early

Make a point to shop all of the after-Christmas sales and stock up on gift wrap, gift boxes and bags, tissue paper, and decorations. Check the Christmas clearance trees so you won't have to pay so much for an artificial tree the following year. Even ornaments will be available for rock bottom prices. You will be so surprised at how much you can save.

Keep an eye out for sales all year long and purchase your gifts early if you have the cash. Store them in a secure place and pull them out in time to wrap them and place them underneath the tree. If you purchase gifts slowly over time, you will be amazed at how many you will have on hand by the holiday season.

Get a Seasonal Job

Another method of getting the money together for a great Christmas is to get a seasonal job. You could do this during the summer and put away the funds, or you could wait until November and begin working during the week of Black Friday and work through the holiday season. If you get in at a retail store, you may also get a huge discount on anything you purchase there. Having two jobs is a lot of pressure so don't do this for a long period of time. Time spent with your family is more precious than any Christmas gift.

Watch the Sales and Use Your Coupons

If you monitor the sales at all of your favorite stores right before Christmas and then match them up with any coupons you may have saved, you will be able to save so much money.

For example, if a sweater you wish to buy for your son is $40 and goes on sale for half price, check your wallet for any coupons you may have for that particular store. If you come up with a 20 percent off coupon, that sweater will only cost you $16 plus tax. Make a point to review all the sales and search for coupons in newspapers and online before you leave your house to shop. You will be so glad you did.

Your heart is in the right place - you only want the very best for your family and friends and are willing to do just about anything to get it. They are lucky to have someone like you who does her best to get into the holiday spirit and then spread it around to those you love.

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Single Mothers and Money: Saving for Next Christmas