Mary Hunt, author of 'Live Your Life for Half the Price,' recently spoke to AOL Book Maven Bethanne Patrick. Here are some excerpts from that interview:

Bethanne Patrick: We wanted to talk to you today about specific tips to make holiday spending, shopping and saving a little bit easier for everyone.

Mary Hunt: It's an important topic and something, I think, is not an easy one – especially when we look at society. The tremendous pressure that just comes on all of us, you know, whether we're looking for it or not, it just seems like a lot of expectations that we should just 'Spend, Spend, Spend!' through the holidays.

Bethanne Patrick: Why do you think it's so hard for all of us? Why do you think we have that expectation? What is behind it?

Mary Hunt: Well, I think the advertising industry and retailers are very, very strong in our lives. You just look at all of the places that it comes at us and we get caught up in the season, we get caught up in the emotions, our children have expectations – we want to give them all of the things that they want. It is our society. I don't think we come by this naturally. We are a product of all of the technology that is out there – which is fabulous, I sure don't want to give it up and go back to the olden days – but I think there are ways that we can control it and make our own decisions rather than allowing society to make them for us.

Bethanne Patrick: You mentioned some of the technological advances that you don't want to do without or go back away from, but those things have made it easier in some ways to shop and to spend money: internet shopping for example.

Mary Hunt: Absolutely. And not only that but just think of all of the credit that is available to us because now, not only can we spend all that we have, we are encouraged to spend all that we hope to have someday, by going deeply into debt—committing money we've not even earned yet.

Bethanne Patrick: How would you advise people to manage some of the stress-related parts of holiday shopping – the retail therapy that we all indulge in?

Mary Hunt: That's a big one. I know for myself there was a time in my life when shopping was the best antidepressant I could have come up with. But it was so short-lived. It wasn't a good long-term way to handle what was going on in my life: I really abused credit terribly. I have just a few guidelines that I would like to give our listeners. First of all, I don't believe anyone should go into debt to pay for Christmas gifts or for holiday gifts, or for anything going on in the holidays. That might come as a big shock to people. Now I don't say you shouldn't use credit cards, but you should not be putting anything on them that you cannot reasonably expect to pay off in one single month. Boy,that really brings a lot of us to a screeching halt! All of the sudden we think to ourselves, 'Wow,' you know, 'Maybe I shouldn't spend that two or three thousand dollars that I was planning to put onto my credit cards.' Because remember, you're going to pay for this for years and years and years down the road! They say that if you put a thousand dollars on your credit card this year for Christmas gifts alone, it could take you up to eight years to pay it off. Now that's crazy! You're going to have eight more holidays between now and then! There's got to be a better way.

Bethanne Patrick: So that's guideline number one: to use credit, but to use it within guidelines.

Mary Hunt: Right. Don't go into debt. If you can't pay it off in a single month, stop using that credit card.

Bethanne Patrick: What's your next guideline?

Mary Hunt: Well, I think that you need to look at the people on your list. If you've got 500 people on your list and you've only got $500 to spend, that's one dollar per person – that probably isn't going to cut it. So you need to cut down that list. And I say, go through that list: how many people on your list would just love to get a note from you this holiday? People who would appreciate just a card: something in the mail, a picture of your kids. It doesn't have to be an expensive gift. You could also make your gifts. Gifts from your kitchen. You don't have to be a fabulous cook to put some wonderful gifts together. Think of consumables. Think of other ways that you can give gifts that aren't going to cost a great deal of money.

Bethanne Patrick: I know one thing that you talk about often is 'Gifts in a Jar.'

Mary Hunt: Oh, I absolutely love that!

Bethanne Patrick: Would you tell us a little bit about that? I think that's a wonderful idea for our listeners who don't want to spend a lot of money but want to give something very personal.

Mary Hunt: About six or seven years ago, one of my readers wrote in and told me she had put together all the dry ingredients required to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies. She put them into a glass canning jar, and put them in layers like sand art and that has just become such a big hit. Well we've taken this over the years to a new height. We've decided that anything that you could stuff into a glass canning jar could feasibly become a gift – if you put some thought behind it. And we've come up with dozens and dozens and dozens of ideas. Not only edible things… we even have something called 'Journal in a Jar,' which is fantastic! It takes a little bit of time and effort, but it doesn't cost you a lot of money. And you what? To me, those are the gifts that are very meaningful. When I know someone really put some effort into putting together a gift for me.

Bethanne Patrick: Now in terms of finding these ideas – are they in one of your books? Or can visitors and listeners find them on one of your websites?

Mary Hunt: I think the easiest way would be to come to the website. I need to let our listeners know that a portion of our website is by subscription only, but there is a great deal of information that is free and open to the public. All of the ideas for 'Gifts in a Jar' are free and available there on our website: DebtProofLiving.

Bethanne Patrick: You recommend putting together a spreadsheet for holiday gift giving. Could you talk about that?

Mary Hunt: It doesn't have to be really detailed or anything that's going to take your breath away, but in my experience if I can get things down in writing, I'm a lot more likely to stay on track. If I make a list of the people that I need to purchase for, and then add what I bought them and the date I got it for them, it just makes things so much easier. Another very important tip: if you go shopping with cash – leave the plastic at home, leave the checkbook at home. Take only the cash that you intend to spend – you will become a much better shopper. You will be less prone to impulsively shopping, and you will probably be much happier with the results.

Bethanne Patrick: What is the appropriate amount to spend on holiday gifts? Obviously that varies, but how do you determine how much you should be spending?

Mary Hunt: You know Bethanne, I think the best guideline in the whole world is just what we were talking about: cash. If you just pick a number out of the sky and you try to find a way to cover that for a person, that's tough. But I say it's a lot better to start the other way. Look at how much money you want to spend! How much do you have to spend? If you do not have thousands of dollars you should not be buying very expensive gifts for all the people on your list. And I would break it down even further, you know: I have this much to spend on family, this much to spend on boss and co-workers, this much to spend on entertainment during the holiday season. And then I'd come up with ideas and guidelines and gifts that will fit within that amount. It would be really hard for me to say, you know, you need to spend $100 on your boss for a Christmas gift. What I would rather say is that you need to express to that person, that co-worker, your fondness for them. What is it that you want this gift to say?

Bethanne Patrick: We do want to talk specifically about gifts for bosses and co-workers, because it's something that people are so confused about so often. Do you give your boss a gift?

Mary Hunt: There's a lot of politics that go on, and I don't underestimate that at all. And sometimes we feel like there is an obligation or expectation. But you know what? You can become very creative. Let's say that you don't have a great deal of money to spend on your boss. Do a little homework. Find out what that person really loves in their off hours. Are they really very passionate about a charity or a particular cause? Is there something in their life that brings great meaning to them? Make a donation to that organization. And in your card where you write, and you say, 'I appreciate this about my year working for you and I want you to know that I have made a donation in your name to such and such.' That will be so meaningful for that person. And the amount of the donation is never mentioned, even if it's notified by the organization. So all of the sudden the price tag is taken away from the scenario, and you're allowing now your fondness and your appreciation to come through loud and clear in a way that that person will really appreciate. I think that's a great idea.

Bethanne Patrick: That is a great idea. And that brings me to another great idea that you do talk a lot about and that's giving to charity. How much you suggest people give? What are some tips for what you need to save paperwork wise when you do give to charity?

Mary Hunt: I think we could bring so much more joy back into the season if we allow ourselves to see a bigger picture. It's a wonderful time for us to become givers. I think it's important for us to show our family members and our children the importance of giving back. I believe personally that every person should be giving back a portion of all that comes into their lives – I think ten per cent is a good guideline – but I would never make that a dogmatic number; I say if you give one per cent, that's fabulous – next year maybe you can give two per cent. Give something. And I'll tell you what, it's going to come back to bless you so many times over, you'll want to do it again.

Bethanne Patrick: That goes back to what you were saying at the beginning about this not being an easy time of the year emotionally. And this is one of the ways we can reduce stress, isn't it?

Mary Hunt: It really is. I'll tell you what: it will do so much for your heart. I think giving improves the condition of our heart. Giving is the best antidote in the world for greed. And boy, this is a season of greed! It's easy to get greedy; to want everything and to make lists that are so long. I think that that's a way we can kind of curb that with our children as well: teach them to become givers and you'll have a much better balance this season as well.

Bethanne Patrick: That's excellent advice. Now one last, greedy holiday note for people who are trying to be very careful and watch what they're spending: when do you think is the best time to buy things? How do you think that people should manage holiday gift buying? Is it throughout the year? Is there a particular time when they should go shopping, or not shop?

Mary Hunt: I used to think you should do it ahead of time; you know, the summer would be the good time. Boy, I had to change my mind; the first time I did that myself, it was terrible! I bought all the wrong things. Christmastime came and I felt gypped because I wasn't participating in all the hustle and bustle. So I think we need to look at our personality types, our temperaments. Some people can't stand to wait till the last minute; some people want to wait till the last minute because they're far more effective. So I'd say the thing we can all share is that we need to plan ahead. If you're not shopping through the year, you need to at least be setting aside money so that you'll have money to spend when the time comes. But I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all when it comes to when is the best time to shop.

Bethanne Patrick: There are some other issues that come along with holiday spending; it's not just gifts. It's also entertaining, things at home, and traveling. And so I'd like to make sure we get some tips on those things as well for our listeners.

Mary Hunt: Okay, well listen. I call it 'Mary's Trisecta' when it comes to decorating your home. There are three things – if you don't have a lot of money – you can do it without spending a dime. You're going to concentrate on three things. You're going to concentrate on the mantle; you're going to concentrate on a wreath, and you're going to have some kind of a centerpiece. If you can do those three things that kind of match, your home can be all but decorated right there. That's all you need. Now, go outdoors; even in the deepest, darkest parts of winter there's something evergreen underneath all that snow. Bring it in, put it on the mantle, make a wreath out of it, put it on the eating table, and, you know, put some candles, perhaps some red ribbons… you've got it made. So you don't have to spend a lot on decorating; use what you already have. As far as entertaining, boy it can be expensive. Especially if you're going to fix a dinner for like a dinner party. Well I've got a better idea: why not do an appetizer party – make it a pot luck… people love to participate. Plan it, you know, you've got your recipes. Hand the recipes out, you know, tell people, 'This is what you can bring.' Everybody participates and no one person has to spend a lot of money then.

Bethanne Patrick: And that's what we want. Now how about travel; everyone on the holidays wants to be with friends and that often involves all kinds of travel. What do you think is the first rule of thumb for people when faced with holiday travel?

Mary Hunt: Well, my first rule of thumb is probably too late: I'd say don't wait till the last minute to make your plans, because you will pay top dollar if you are going to be flying especially. But I have to say that there are deals to be found always on some of the sites but it's a little risky. You've got to be very, very, very flexible. Generally, if you plan to travel over the holidays, you need to see that as part of your gift giving; perhaps you won't be spending quite so much on gifts, using your cash available instead to make the trip. Maybe it's a choice that you can't make this year, but you can start planning now to do it next year. Or – here's a better one – stay home and encourage the relatives to come to your place.