By KAREN BINDER
Illinois Correspondent

URBANA, Ill. — Here are some ideas to stretch your dollars and reduce holiday stress:

•Make your list work for you. Put it on paper so it goes with you and include the estimated cost next to each item.

•Track your purchases as you buy them and enter the actual cost on the list. At the end of the season, you’ll know what you’ve spent.
•Try to keep those credit cards in your wallet. Credit card use can be the most expensive way to make purchases.

•Be wary of instant credit offers by large retailers. They make the offers in hopes you’ll spend more.

•Keep holiday gatherings, whether they are parties or dinners, as simple as possible. Not only will you save money on decorations and expensive or too much food, you’ll buy yourself more time to spend with family and friends.

•Host a potluck or a soup and chili supper, complete with giveaway recipe cards, as inexpensive alternatives to fancy sit-down dinners.

•Ask the children to make decorations.

•Re-use decorations and holiday cards from previous years.

•Send e-mail Christmas messages instead of buying cards and paying postage.

•Play games and rent videos for a fun, economical, stress-free evening.

•Make your gifts.

•Kids’ gifts could include hearing the story on CD, audiocassettes or video of how they were named, about their birth or what happened when they were two – or, just open the mike and tell a story or make a family movie.

•Write a letter and tell the gift recipient what you love and appreciate about them.

•Give “certificates of merit” acknowledging highlights and achievements from the past year.

•Shop in your closet, garage and attic for heirlooms, gently used items or fun and interesting stuff.

•Deliver jellies, jams, baked goods and ingredients for a home-cooked meal in a basket with a recipe card.

•Make personalized stationary and all manner of banners and individualized art on the home computer.

•Start a new family tradition by arranging for togetherness, whether it be sharing holiday sentiments, working a charity event or hosting someone who might not have a happy holiday otherwise.

•Plan ahead and start holiday shopping early. Don’t forget to check out sales fliers.

•Try to exercise during this hectic time as a stress reliever, and to work off all those holiday goodies.

•Remember the true meaning of the holiday and spend time giving thanks for all the good things and people in your life.