AJ stands for Andrew Jackson, our 7th president. His reputation for toughness earned him the nickname "Old Hickory." A hero of the War of 1812, Jackson has appeared on the $20 bill since 1928.

Here is a helpful tool to help you budget for shopping.

Your personal budget—how much?

Create your personal budget before you shop. This helps prevent overspending on a specific gift.

First, figure out your shopping allowance. Total the money you already have on hand. Then add the amount you'll earn from jobs, chores, allowances, gifts, and other ways you earn money.

Ways to Earn Money

To have a budget, you need money. Here are a few ways to earn and save money for holiday shopping:

• Work various jobs. One example is to baby-sit.
• Save money that you receive from an allowance. Also, try to do extra chores around the house to earn money.
• Ask your neighbors if they need a hand with jobs aroudn the house, such as cutting grass or raking leaves.
• Make things to sell at local flea markets (with your parent's permission). I make earrings and sell them at a good price!
• Use the gift cards you received to buy gifts for friends in advance. While new regulations are in place, there are still penalties if you wait to use the card.

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Now that you know how much you have, you can decide how much you want to spend. I usually have a $100 limit on how much I spend on all gifts.

But even with $100, you don't want the attitude that "since I have money, I can spend it all." You want to be in control of your money, not have your money control you.

I recommend that you talk with your parents or a responsible friend about how much you can spend. They can help with ideas of how to set up, control, and maintain your budget.

Your personal budget—who and what?

Don't have a lot of money? Try a homemade gift! Homemade Gifts

Homemade gifts are great if you have a tight budget, a lot of people to get gifts for, or a difficult person to shop for. Do-it-yourself gifts are fun to make and receive.

You can find inexpensive items at your local craft store to make your gifts with. For example, I make earrings to give as gifts during the holiday season.

I also create my own cards. I decorate them according to the tastes of the person I am giving it to. For example, I would make a card with sporty things for my athletic friend.

Here is a website for other homemade gift ideas.

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After figuring out how much money you have (or will have), list the people you want to buy gifts for, gift ideas, and how much you want to spend on each person.

Include ideas for backup gifts in case the "perfect gift" is too expensive or unavailable.

Don't panic if you can't think of something to get a certain person. Just think about their likes and dislikes, their shopping styles, and what they already have. That can lead you to figure out what they might like to get.

Also listen to them when you are hanging out. They'll probably give you plenty of ideas without even knowing it!

Now you're almost ready...

Harris County Federal Credit Union What makes credit unions so great? Members like you. Every dollar you invest in your credit union earns you money while other members borrow it. When you're ready for a loan, other members' savings will be there to help you out at the lowest possible cost.