Sure, you’re looking forward to the holidays. The last time your first cousins saw your toddler- she was barely crawling and you were toting her around in her baby sling- while you dashed in and out of the dining room clearing plates and serving up turkey and stuffing.

But in this sluggish economy hosting your annual holiday family get-together is going to be a bit of a challenge. Between your quest to find kid-friendly gifts that won’t break the bank or fall apart as soon as their packages are ripped open by curious little hands to whipping up sumptuous entrees that will make everyone’s mouth water but won’t have your dipping into your kid’s college fund to finance, to entertaining the kids while they’re on a holiday hiatus from school you’re feeling extremely overwhelmed! Take a deep breath and follow our no-stress tips on saving money -- while still having fun! -- this holiday season.

Preparing the Big Meal:

1. Plan, Plan, Plan.
Let’s face it shopping for the several course feast your family has come to expect each holiday season is not only a herculean effort (carrying one of those frozen 20lb. turkeys is quite literally a workout for your biceps) but sticking to a budget is nearly impossible. According to Stop & Shop consumer advisor Andrea Astrachan the key is to plan ahead. This means, check the inventory of food you have in your refrigerator, freezer and pantry before finalizing your shopping list. With a list in your hand, you’ll not only save money by buying less on impulse but you’ll also avoid last minute trips to the store for missing ingredients.

2. Eat first, shop second.
No matter what your rush before you go on your shopping expedition you must eat…something! Whether it’s a small yogurt, an apple or a muffin- - you cannot go shopping at the supermarket on an empty stomach and expect to stay within your budget. According to Lisa Beels and Christine Naylor, classically trained chefs and founders of Petite Palate, having something in your belly prevents impulse hunger buys that can bulk up your bill.

3. Don’t take the kids with you to the supermarket. ..no matter how much they beg and plead!
This is a fact; supermarkets are stocked with the more expensive brands on the lower shelves so that they’re easily within kids reach. Rather than stand in the aisle negotiating whether to get Cocoa Pebbles, versus Chocolate O’s and leaving the market with at least $20 worth of stuff you didn’t have on your list, leave the kiddies at home and shop alone!

4. Clip those Coupons
Clipping coupons is no longer solely the domain of polyester wearing middle aged- housewives. In fact; take a quick look next time you’re shopping and you’ll see many other like-minded moms breaking out their coupon stash! You can clip coupons from magazines, Sunday newspaper inserts or check out sites like; www.CouponChief.com, which provides access to thousands of online store coupons and discount codes and makes it easy for users to find great online discounts.

5. Don’t shy away from no-frill store brands
Sure your kids would rather have Toucan Sam’s mug on their box of Fruit Loops as opposed to some copy cat no-name brand cereal like, fruit flavored O’s but, in this economy, they’re just going to have to pour their milk on it and eat it! But don’t worry; most no-frills brand items are comparable in quality to their more expensive branded counterparts but for a fraction of the price.

6. If it’s on sale buy in bulk
While getting your kids to eat a turkey drumstick, would require the trapeze artists at Cirque de Soleil to perform a high wire act so that you could shovel the food into their gaping open mouths- your teenage nephews can easily polish off a 20lb turkey in less than 15 minutes. Therefore, when planning your holiday feast, don’t scoff at purchasing items in bulk. The best case scenario- you’ll have plenty of food to satisfy those growing teenagers, worst case you’ll freeze the leftovers and have dinners ready to go for the next two months!

7. If possible… go potluck
Last year even though you specifically told your relatives that you could handle all the side dishes on your own- your in-laws and aunts refused to come empty handed and all showed up with identical string bean casseroles. This year feel free to declare a potluck holiday feast and assign each family member a dish. They’ll feel good about being able to contribute in some small way and it will help you shave off the overall cost of meal…especially since other than cooking the basics like turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes, you would’ve made a beeline for the deli counter for those extra side dishes.

Next: Cost savers for holiday decorating