It's time to pull back the spending reigns and prepare for holiday gift expenses. During a time when most shoppers are reducing their spending altogether, it's especially important to make a realistic budget for your gift list.

While the following tips are intended to help you manage holiday spending, many are applicable to saving money all year 'round.

1. Make a budget!
The National Retail Federation's (NRF) 2011 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey reported that holiday shoppers plan to spend an average of $704.18 on gifts this season, representing a slight decrease over last year. Making a budget is a no-brainer, but challenge yourself to go under budget this year. Track your spending using the Toshl app to keep tabs on what you're shelling out and how much you have left.

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There are thousands of toys on store shelves to choose from, but making sure a toy is safe and age appropriate for a child is well worth the search to prevent injury or even death.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2010, there were an estimated 140,700 emergency room treated injuries related to toys among children. Strict safety standards are regulated through the CPSC requiring toy manufacturers to label certain toys that could be hazardous to young children, and provide a recommended age of child to be using the toy. But it is up to the purchaser to ensure the toy is safe and the correct age level for the child.

There are some guidelines that shoppers should follow to keep children safe during their playtime. Remember though; use your own judgment as you know the child’s maturity level and can best decide if the toy is suitable or not.

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The obviously American gentleman was eating dinner while reading at a cozy French restaurant, but I just had to interrupt with a somewhat rude question: "Why do so few older men travel alone in Europe?"

I'd been on the road for two months, touring the world as a travel writer, and this was the first American male I'd seen flying solo. He responded with just one word: "Fear." I thanked him and went on my merry way, only realizing later I hadn't asked, "Fear of what?"

The flat fact, however, is that older women are more comfortable traveling to foreign countries without a partner or tour group. You see them sitting in cafés, diligently scribbling in their journals and taking in the passing scene with genuine smiles. I formed easy friendships with many of these women everywhere from Abu Dhabi to Krakow, and learned quite a few frugal foreign-travel tips, which I'm delighted to pass on to men and women alike.

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Over the next six-eight weeks, families will gather around the dinner table for important occasions of the year, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Everyone will be cooking their special recipes for that perfect turkey and stuffing, or prime rib and Yorkshire pudding.

But the big question is how to enjoy the holidays without over-indulging?

And the question doesn't just apply to adults - it applies to children as well.  Christmas Cookies, Thanksgiving Pies, etc - the desserts are special, endless in sight and everyone loves to sample just a taste.

So, how do you celebrate the holidays without gaining weight?

Here are some tips from Phil and Amy Parham, contestants of NBC's The Biggest Loser, season six, in their newest book, "The Amazing Fitness Adventure For Your Kids" (Harvest House Publishers) they share on healthy eating during the holidays and moving forward...

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Furnaces are kicking in across the U.S. as temperatures sink. Alas, keeping warm comes with a higher sticker price each year, no matter what type of heating system you use. According to CNN Money, the average bill for a home using heating oil is more than $320 per month while gas users fork over $160 monthly.

Here are some thoughts on how you could lower your heating bill without freezing your way through the winter.

1. Energy Audit
The first step is to assess any problem areas. Ask if your utility company provides a free or low-cost energy audit, which will identify changes you should make. If you such audits aren't available, there are still ways to ascertain problems for yourself and small projects you can accomplish without professional help.

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I just had to share the following recipe for an adorable snack from the latest edition of Family Fun magazine, for it is perfect for Valentine's Day or anytime you want to show your child how much you love them.  I plan on feeding this to Riley as part of her lunch on Valentine's Day and I know she's going to love it!  This little valentine would also be great to tuck into a child's lunch box on that special day to bring an instant smile to their face.  Here's the recipe:

For each one, cut the ends from a hot dog at a diagonal and place the cut edges together as shown.  Spear the heart with a length of uncooked linguini.  Add pieces of cheese trimmed to resemble the ends of an arrow.

Disclosure:  This post refers to the recipe "Puppy Love" as published in Family Fun magazine.