It's nearly Christmas and time to get wrapped up and ready. So whether you're super organised and sorted or like me, a last-minute panic buyer, MumKnowsBest has tips for a frugal yet festive Christmas:-

Budget - set a limit on spending: If you have non-believing children and Santa is definitely not coming down the chimney, then a budget can be easier to discuss. If like me, your children are still starry eyed over the prospect of a fat man in a red suit and white beard, then a budget is harder as my children believe that bigger is so much better. The piles of gifts have to appear to be equal or it may lead to disappointed faces. For discounted toys try www.thetoyshop.com. Under-a-tenner ideas include the following: www.argos.com have a wealth of stocking filler ideas as does www.johnlewis.com

Get the deals: look out for the buy one get one free deals or three for two offers in some bookshops. www.whsmiths.co.uk, www.waterstones.co.uk. Tesco's are the queen of offers - make up Christams hampers for grandparents or friends using the BOGOF offers. Decorate a cardboard box with cheery paper, load up with goodies and you're sorted. Magazine subscriptions are also a great gift and last all year. www.discountpublications.co.uk

Do the right thing: charity gifts are wonderful fun. Last year, my brother bought us a goat - in Africa which kept a family going for a year. I've decided to do a CAFOD school starter pack for my mummy friends priced at £7 which offers a child essentials to take to school. A fabulous website offering all sorts of charity gifts is www.charity-gifts.org

Go brown: forget fancy wrapping paper. Good old-fashioned brown paper from most post offices looks so cool under the tree and it's tougher than most wrapping paper so it stops little fingers tearing a hole to peek!

Trawl the internet for money-off vouchers: choose the best deals by going to www.myvouchercodes.co.uk.

Free gifts: A friend gave me a handbag she never used - it was a wonderful gift! How about making vouchers for the family such as: 'one hour of my time', 'cleaning the car voucher', use your imagination and get creative. Think of the fun you could have!

Be really silly: check out the joke presents - www.the-joke-shop.com. Hawkin's Bazaar www.hawkin.com, is a great place for fun, cheap gifts.

Enlist your children to make presents: Not necessarily the pickled chutney but decorated photoframes or cards go down a treat as do the hand painted pottery gifts at www.paintyourownpottery.net. A bag of compost, a few pretty terracotta pots and some bulbs or seeds make a lovely gift too - and relatively cheap.

Secret Santa: this works great if you have a big extended family or lots of friends. Everyone chooses one person to buy for and sets a spending limit. Or you can draw names from a hat to keep it secret!

Save on paper: Christmas cards are a big expense. Send free ones online via ecards.co.uk. Print your own photo with personalised message, £6 for 4 from Moonpig.com. How about an online calendar? www.vistaprint.co.uk is selling wall calendars half price (from £4.99). Or www.gltc.co.uk offer all sorts of personalised gift options.