It's as much of an American tradition as holiday shopping: post holiday debt. Trimming some costs right now can help you stash some cash before Black Friday. It's all about planning ahead. To find extra cash in your budget between now and Black Friday, Kiplinger's Personal Finance has some simple, painless tips:

1. Stop paying for text messages and potentially overage fees, with a variety of FREE texting apps.

"You'll tap into all of that through an app on your phone, as opposed to using standard messaging on your phone," says Kiplinger.com Managing Editor Robert Long. "Free of charge. The only thing you'll have to put up with are some ads here and there, of course."

2. Dig in your wallet to find and sell unwanted gift cards. Kiplinger says the average household has about $300 worth. An online gift card exchange won't give the full value of the card, but it's better than nothing.

3. Adjust your tax withholding, instead of waiting for the usual fat refund in the Spring. It's as simple as filing a new W4 form with your employer. The changes can take effect with your next paycheck and could put almost $500 in your bank account over the next 2 months.

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SAVING YOU MONEY: Pre-Holiday Shopping