With Christmas fast approaching, Clark wants to tell you how to manage your holiday shopping list without going over budget. But first he has a dirty little secret to reveal: Half of all holiday shopping you do when they're supposedly shopping for others is actually for you! While this isn't true of everyone, this is a very typical pattern. So be honest with yourself and come up with a holiday shopping list that includes everyone you want to shop for and yourself. How much money can you afford to spend on yourself and others for Christmas? Decide what the total dollar amount is and stick to it. That way you'll avoid that January hangover effect when the credit card bills come due. Once you have your list and the grand total, you've got to put a dollar amount down for each person. When push comes to shove, you may have to drop people off the list or reduce the dollar amount by each name—including yours—until it fits within your intended budget. Bring this list with you when you shop. Consult it when you make a purchase. If you overspend one on person, cut somewhere else. If you spend less than you anticipate on someone, you have more money left to spend on somebody else. Clark loves it every season when people come up to him in the stores and show him their lists! One last hint: You may also want to purge the plastic from your purse or wallet and try paying for holiday shopping with cash only. When there's no cash left, there can be no more purchases. Clark recently spoke to a credit counselor who sees tons of clients by March because they can't handle their holiday bills. Don't let this be you!