Tis the season to lose track of our budgets as we try to spread holiday cheer as far as possible. As you think of all the people you want to reach out and touch this month, remember that old saying, its the thought that counts. Dont bust your budget trying to make a big impressiontake a look at just five ways to make a fun and lasting impression with just a few bucks:

-- if youre handy on your computer and have (or can get) digital pictures of some of the years highlights, arrange the pictures on a page as a collage. Add captions for fun descriptions. Use a festive background from a free site like http://www.grsites.com to jazz up your collage for a professional look. If you have the time and the inclination, you can either handwrite or print a personal greeting or tell the whole story of what you did this year. You can print and send the collages instead of cards. Or even email the collage to your friends (but be sure to size the file so you dont overwhelm your recipients with a monstrous picture).

-- if youre looking for the fastest, least expensive way to get your holiday message out to everyone you know, try http://www.TheWorldsBiggestGreetingCard.com. For just a dollar, and in less than two minutes, you can cross a big job off your holiday to-Do list. Children especially would be thrilled to see their names on a website.

-- If you have more time than money, give it this year instead of wrapped gifts. Get a box of holiday cards that are blank inside and write your gift of time in each one: Two nights of babysitting, Ill clean your garage this spring, you get the picture. For elderly grandparents, offering to run errands or even to just sit and talk or read with them can be the greatest gift. For a pregnant friend, having someone clean the house or cook a meal can be a godsend.

-- If you have a cell phone with free roaming, give your time to your friends and faraway family by making one call a day during the month of December. Just 15 minutes of one-on-one time with you on the phone can be a wonderful way to make someones day who you havent spent enough time with this year. Ask a lot of questions about what theyve been up to, what theyre interested in, what theyre planning for next yeareveryone loves to talk about themselves and the call can be that much more meaningful to the other person if you let them talk about things they enjoy.

-- If youre feeling creative and want to make simple gifts with your own two hands, take a look at this site for lots of good, inexpensive ideas: http://www.newdream.org/holiday/giftideastaff.php. Most of these gifts are best for local friends or family, because the cost of carefully packaging and mailing them long distance could bust your budget.

So, with a little creativity and breaking free from the retailers brainwashing attempts, you can make a fabulous, fun, and festive holiday for yourself, your family, and your friends for little or no money. Cheers!