When it comes to holiday gifts, it really is the thought that counts. While it can be fun to indulge your family and friends with extravagant gifts, it’s not always necessary. With a little forethought and planning, it’s easy to manage your budget and impress your loved ones with cost-effective gifts that convey how much you care about them.

Make Your List and Check it Twice

On average, Americans spend between $500 and $2,000 on holiday gifts every year. And, with holiday cards, postage, wrapping paper, ribbons, tape, and other details, that number can easily grow. To manage your holiday budget, create a list or spreadsheet of family, friends, and other important individuals who deserve a little love and appreciation. As you create your list, remember to include your children’s teachers, your mail carrier, cleaning service, garbage crew, and other people who make your life a little easier.

Manage Your Expenses

For each person on your list, assign a dollar amount that you’d like to spend. Once you add up the numbers, you can determine if the total is beyond your comfort level and adjust accordingly. To stick to your holiday budget and manage your expenditures, use cash or your debit card to avoid racking up credit card charges and fees. Another option—buy a prepaid gift card in the amount you plan to spend. Use it for all your purchases, and when it’s done, you’re done!

Ready. Set. Shop!

Instead of waiting until the weeks between Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas to join the crowds of holiday shoppers, start now. The more time you have to shop for each person on your list, the more creative you can be.

Think Outside the Mall

Browse eBay, Etsy, Poshmark, and other websites for merchandise at less-than-retail prices. Visit thrift shops and consignment shops to find unique items and vintage treasures at a fraction of their original prices, such as a dozen vinyl records from the ’70s, a stack of paperback books tied with a bow, or a collection of mugs with silly sayings. For the people on your list who have everything, consider giving experiences instead of objects. Shop LivingSocial and Groupon for great deals on beauty treatments, art classes, concert tickets, golf outings, and more.

Give Your Time and Talents

Share your own gifts with friends and family. If you’re a great cook, give your loved ones a coupon for a gourmet meal complete with cleanup. If you specify that the coupon is redeemable in the new year, the groceries won’t make a dent in your holiday budget. If you prefer to bake, buy a slab of European chocolate, smash it into chunks, and give everyone on your list a basket of the best chocolate chip cookies they’ve ever tasted.

Get Fresh

Still searching for a distinctive and memorable gift? Remember that in the middle of winter, few things are more luxurious than sweet, ripe fruit and fresh, fragrant flowers. Buy a dozen of the largest, most perfect oranges and grapefruit you can find, wrap each one in tissue, and arrange in a beautiful gift box. Go to a gardening center and buy flowering bulbs such as narcissi or hyacinths. Plant them in a colorful pot, wrap it with cellophane, and finish with a big satin bow. Include a card with instructions on caring for the bulbs. When the flowers bloom in the new year, they’ll be a beautiful reminder of your thoughtfulness—which ultimately is what gift giving is all about.