If you ever have been plagued by consumer debt, I can nearly guarantee that overspending at Christmas contributed greatly to your debt. The problem? Procrastination. Face it, when it comes to Christmas, the longer you wait the more you will spend.

So why do we procrastinate?

We feel overwhelmed. Holiday expectations paralyze us, so we do nothing until the only choice we have is to spend as much money as it takes to get by.

We overestimate how much time we have. Right now, Christmas seems so far away. We tell ourselves we have plenty of time!

We have to do it perfectly. Experts tell us that perfectionism is at the root of procrastination. We do nothing rather than run the risk of failing.

We say we work better under pressure. Procrastinators believe they cannot operate without that creative surge.

The way to deal with procrastination is to identify why you do it. Ask yourself: What price have I paid in the past? Do I really want to pay that price again this year? If you're not willing to go into debt again this Christmas, get started now.

1. Family photo. Whether it is for your family Christmas card or to frame for a gift, get that picture taken now.

2. Family cookbook. Compile your own personal recipe collection into a cookbook for friends and family.

3. Garden gifts. Look in your garden and see what you can make, can and freeze into gifts.

4. Schedule December. Pull out your December calendar, and mark your main plans for the holiday season. You will schedule around those days when things start to get hectic come November.

5. Learn a craft. If you love making things, you will not find a more useful or personally gratifying craft than knitting. It is quite the rage now.

6. Favorite-things baskets. Chances are you have seen Oprah's annual show dedicated to showcasing her favorite things. Use that idea this year to create gift baskets for everyone.

7. Give away treasures. Consider passing on an heirloom or family treasure to the next generation.

8. Tie up memories. Compile a family photo album of all the old black-and-white photos you have, or pick one photo that is especially good, and frame a copy for everyone. Interview an older relative, and make a CD, DVD or even a written transcript of the interview for each family member.

9. Give an experience. If you have a big extended family, buy movie tickets in bulk. Think about fun activities you could do with different people on your list: dinner for a friend, reading night and snacks with the grandkids and movie night with the grandparents.

10. Back-to-school sales. If you have kids on your holiday gift list, make sure you check out the back-to-school sales. Office supply stores nearly give away school supplies; they are that cheap!

Just think of all the money you will save and the time you will give yourself in December because you did some of the holiday work early!

Mary Hunt is the founder of DebtProofLiving.com and author of 17 books, including "Debt-Proof Living." You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. To find out more about Mary Hunt and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
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