If you're feeling the pinch this year, you're not alone. With the struggling economy and high unemployment rate, most of us are watching our sad, sad, empty wallets even closer this season. The gifts, the travel, the feasting -- it all adds up pretty quickly. That's why we gotta keep our eye on the prize, and our bank accounts, and follow some simple tips for saving money during the holidays. So! Here are 10 ways to do so.

New Year's Eve is just a few days away and you're starting to feeling the un-do pressure, aren't you. I know. I feel it, too. There are plans to be made, outfits to be chosen, and hair to be up 'doed. It's one of those holidays that takes so much time, energy, stress and money for not that great of a payoff but hey, who knows. Maybe it's just me who thinks that, buuut I have an inkling there are a few of you out there who feel me. New Year's is kinda of a let down. Like, always. But! But. That doesn't mean we shouldn't give it our all and look our best.

That said, I'm over shelling out the big bucks for black tulle skirts and glittery tube tops (don't judge) so this year, I'm going to get some new accessories that I can pair with stuff I already own. It's a tricky way to look fly on NYE ... on the cheap.

It’s not that babies don’t deserve presents -- who doesn’t love and want to shower a baby with gifts? Answer: Evil, terrible people who get coal in their stocking, that’s who. But the reality is, your baby, my baby, that lady’s baby, all babies really don’t need anything at all for the holidays. Except love. Store-bought gifts? Not necessary!

Baby will grow out of or become disinterested in whatever it is you will get her in about five days. And relatives will probably get plenty of things for baby anyway so you don't have to contribute to the vast pile of things that aren't going to fit in your house. Plus, baby isn’t going to get mad at you for scrimping on her this Christmas -- she'll never remember. And besides, she probably wants you to buy yourself that coffee pot so you can be more alert for reading and cooing time. But just in case you feel you need something, here are some free ideas so you can have that Kodak moment.

And you thought playing Santa to little kids was pocket-draining enough! Gifting gets to be even more of a financial challenge when your kids hit the teen years: Not only do they know exactly what they want, you know what they want isn't exactly cheap. Like my grandmother used to say, "Little kids, little problems. Big kids, big problems." (Except obviously you have to switch "presents" for "problems.")

So how can we make the holidays happy for teens without dipping into their college funds? Clip coupons, of course. No, not the "buy one, get one free" kind. I'm talking about personalized tickets teens can cash in for services, privileges, or any of the other things she's always nagging you for that aren't actually "things" at all.

Of course, you know best what your kid really wants this year, but here are a few ideas to get you started.

You saw The Daddle, right? Please say you saw The Daddle (essentially a saddle for Daddy), and more importantly, The Daddle's fantastic collection of Amazon reviews. ("If you are looking forward to father jumping, father fox hunting, father polo, or daddy dressage you will not be able to use this Daddle.") Most people are describing The Daddle as a gag gift, but aside from the various problematic issues that The Daddle brings to mind -- lower back problems, children joyously treating their parents like pack animals, the inevitable moment when Mommy and Daddy consider using The Daddle for their own private purposes -- it's actually sort of a clever product.  However, if what you're looking for are RIDICULOUS present ideas for your husband this year, perhaps as payback for that one time he gifted you with an oven mitt ("But you said you needed a new one!"), I've got the perfect list for you. Behold, five obnoxious gifts to put in your husband's stocking this Christmas Eve:

I can't tell you how many recipes I've come across that are described as easy -- like, the word "easy" is in the title and repeated several times throughout the directions ("So easy!"). But they include at least 24 steps (often including mysterious-to-me cooking techniques like "scald," "julienne," or "broast") and feature ingredients like truffle powder or Tuscan kale.Call me crazy, but I think if a recipe takes more than one hour to complete and also requires that you secure a second mortgage on your home in order to purchase the ingredients, it's officially NOT easy.I'm particularly interested in going the cheap and easy route this time of year, because the last thing I want to do in December is drive myself insane and broke trying to master some crazy gourmet concoction like candied turducken or whatever. If you're also in the anti-Martha holiday camp -- fist-bump! -- I've got a list of super simple, inexpensive, perfectly awesome holiday treats for you to try:

Decking the halls is fun for all, but it can be quite expensive if you're not careful. Putting up a tree and all of the trimmings can take a big toll on your budget at this time of year when you most need those hard-earned dollars.

While it's easy to get caught up in all of the fa-la-la-ing, with just a little planning, you can create a beautiful tree for a bargain, even if you don't want to use the same old stuff year after year. Here a few tips on how to put up an amazing Christmas tree without breaking the bank.

Etsy; $28Oh it's a jolly season alright, full of holiday parties, concerts, dinners, events, and more. And for each one of these gatherings, you want to look merry, bright, and festive. But new duds for each one could break the bank. So what's a frugal fashionista to do?

Why, accessorize of course. 'Tis the season to sparkle, and there's no easier or less-expensive way to transform what you already have hanging in your closet into special and festive frocks. Here are five great ways to turn your everyday items into ones worthy to deck the halls and so much more.