If you're planning on cutting back the holiday spending this year, you are not alone. A recent Reuters/Zogby poll found that more than 44 percent of people will spend less on gifts than last year.
 
But that doesn’t mean you can't come up with something terrific for the friends and family on your list. Maybe they haven't had time to clean out their garage (in which case, VirgoMan's clutter control and a gift of a few hours will do the trick); or perhaps they've been dying to start a new business and have no idea how what to do first (you can pick up a binder and help them write a plan); or maybe they still haven't figured how to use the gadget they got for Christmas last year (teach them, or set up an appointment with a digital handyman).

That's only the beginning. We've compiled a list of free—or really, really, cheap—suggestions, courtesy of the O staff.