Scrooge :(

This is a question for those of you who are needing to cut costs just at the most 'generous' time of the year, but who don't want to come across as stingy.

How do you plan to approach the season of goodwill in terms of presents, etc? I'm not massively struggling, but I have had a load of unusual expenses lately and I know I'll be nudging my overdraft as soon as my bills have all gone out. Being paid early will help, and I can go overdrawn if I have to but I would rather not as my bank charges even for authorised lending and I'm a 'reformed' overdraft user who generally avoids resorting to using it at all costs. Having been 'clean' for at least five years I am just really keen to stay that way!

So unless I just say I'm 'not doing xmas' (and while a lot of people here will probably be all for that idea that really isn't me), my options as I see them are:

- buy dirt cheap gifts (I'm sort of managing this by using up a lot of gift vouchers and coupons I've been hoarding)

- accept that I'm a grown up now and just because I dip into my O/D this time I'll never let myself start living off it again once I've had a frugal January

- use my credit cards (again this would be a shame as I relied on them earlier in the year and am making good inroads at paying them off, but I guess it's better psychologically than the overdraft?)

- something else (I have some savings but more of a rainy day fund than anything significant)

Also, I'm a freelancer so this time of year is tax bill time and while I do always put aside the necessary amount, it's a big chunk of money out of my account which makes me feel less happy about splashing out, particularly when income can be hard to predict from here on in. Also, I've had the experience of it ending up being a bit more than expected more than once! This year I've paid up early so won't have that worry, but I'm still feeling a bit cleaned out.

Thoughts?