You contemplated Black Friday shopping while snuggled in bed; visions of chaos danced in your head. With all the shopping days left, you took a pass; but boy oh boy, that time went by fast! But alas, all is not lost! Here are three tips to help lower the cost!

1. Gift an Experience! Make up gift certificates for services like free babysitting for your grandchildren. Put together a movie night gift (popcorn, candy and you can download an iTunes gift card for a movie). Purchase a local experience, like a gift card to a local restaurant, spa or theater. Check out 8 Coupons, as they aggregate all the deals for your area from sites like Groupon, Living Social, Amazon Deals and Restaurants.com.

2. Shop Online… but watch your shipping costs! Some of the best deals on large ticket items come available online December 21-24th. But shipping costs can be astronomical for expedited delivery so be aware. Look for options to pick up or reserve in store. Consider a 30-day Amazon Prime trial to qualify for free 2 day shipping for most purchases at amazon.com. Most stores offer free gift wrap, so if you are planning to ship the gift to someone, do so directly from the retailer to avoid paying double shipping costs!

3. Wait Just a Little Longer! I know you are starting to panic but the deals on Christmas Eve may just be worth the wait at this point! Most retailers begin the markdowns for the “after-Christmas” sale on December 24th, so while you may not be guaranteed to find everything you want in stock, you are very likely to get great gifts at heavily discounted prices.