A gift list is the easiest way to stop overspending in December. Write everyone down once, give each person a budget, and track what's bought. Here's a free template plus a step-by-step way to use it.
Free download: Holiday Gift List Printable (20 people: gift idea, budget, bought). Free on Payhip.
How to fill it in
- Pick your total holiday gift budget first, before any names.
- List everyone, including teachers, coworkers and gift exchanges.
- Split the total by person. The free gift budget per person calculator does the math.
- Write one or two ideas per person and the planned amount.
- Tick "bought" and write what you actually paid. Check the total every week.
Tips
- Keep the list somewhere you'll see it when shopping, like a photo on your phone.
- Note sizes and wish-list links next to names.
- Leave a small buffer for forgotten people and wrapping.
- For a group exchange, set a fair limit with the gift exchange limit calculator.
Want it to add up for you?
The Holiday Gift & Budget Planner spreadsheet ($6) tracks people, gift ideas and planned vs. actual spending automatically. Made with AI assistance. See also the free Christmas budget planner and holiday costs people forget.
LB3 Trackers makes its printables and spreadsheets with AI assistance and checks them before listing. Free downloads are $0 on Payhip, which asks for an email at checkout. Prices shown are current at the time of writing.