Each year, approximately 75% of all workers receive tax refunds in the spring, demonstrating that too much was withheld from their checks during the previous year. The more than 110 million refund checks sent out earlier this year averaged about $3,000 for each taxpayer. As we move toward the holiday shopping season in the coming weeks - now might be the perfect time to file a new, revised W-4 form with your employer, cut withholding taxes and use an extra thousand or so dollars for the coming holiday shopping season to provide gifts to family and friends without going into debt.

Studies vary, but on average, American households are expected to spend approximately $1,000 this year. That's a lot of money, particularly if you put it all on a credit card and pay it off at 18 or 20 percent interest or more.

Besides revising your W-4 Form, CPAs also suggest the following ten steps consumers can consider to better manage their holiday shopping:

Step 1: Set a budget

You need to decide what you're going to spend before you head to the stores. That means deciding precisely for whom you're going to buy and assigning a dollar amount to each person. Keep that list with you and stick to it. Don't succumb to the temptation to spend a little extra on just one person, because then you'll start doing that for everyone. And don't forget, you're not just buying presents, you're buying cards, wrapping paper, perhaps party supplies and other entertainment supplies to have on hand through the holidays. You may also want to figure in what you spend on baking Christmas cookies for the office, decorations, postage (which can be a biggie) and charitable donations.

Step 2: Give your numbers a reality check

Go back to your spending last year (look over your credit card statements, ATM withdrawals and bank statements) to see just how much you spent last year. That should give you some idea if this year's numbers are realistic. Unless you're making substantial changes in the number of people you're buying for or in the kind of things you're buying them, count on spending last year's budget plus about 5 percent.

Step 3: Cut back ahead of time

You are probably paying for things that you aren't using. Health club memberships that you never use, magazines you don't read, premium cable channels you don't watch. Maybe have a tag sale. Start borrowing books from the library instead of buying them from a store. Have Pay Per View movie nights at home instead of going out to the movies (make your own popcorn.) And you can probably come up with lots of others that apply to the way you live your own life and spend your own money. The point is to give yourself a little financial breathing room.

Step 4: Avoid layaway fees

Layaway rarely makes sense. You could save the money yourself and buy the item when you have enough. Starting now allows time to do so.

Step 5: Start early

You may not be in the holiday shopping mood yet, but shopping early provides several advantages. First, you can comparison shop and watch for sales, which can mean a huge savings. Second, you're less prone to impulse shopping. Third, waiting until the last days often means you can't be as selective and you're more likely to pay full price or simply grab something expensive out of desperation. Waiting to the last minute also can mean expensive last-minute postage. Key message: Buy stuff on sale. Stretching the holiday season gives you more time to capitalize on sale prices and out-of-season merchandise. The sweet spot of the holiday season shopping -- when store traffic is the lowest but discounts are still high -- is the set of weekdays just following Black Friday. This year (2013), that's Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30.

Step 6: Be creative

Be creative. Consider homemade gifts or offers to baby sit or do something special for someone can be an inexpensive yet very personal gift. Also consider changing traditions. If you usually buy for everyone in your extended family, this might be a good year to revise the rules. Perhaps you buy for children only or draw names for gift-giving. Suggesting this change early gives everyone time to adjust shopping plans.

Step 7: Shop first, spend later

When you finally get around to shopping -- head to the stores the first time or two with very little cash and no credit cards. Consider this your research trip. It's a way to make sure that what you've planned on spending for someone is in line with the reality of prices. You can also use it as an opportunity to ask about future sale dates. Many stores will tell you when the next round of markdowns is coming. You can also do this from your own home by using the web to research potential purchases. (And don't worry. If you see something you have to have, you can always put it on hold for a day.) And don't procrastinate. That means you have no excuse for impulse buying. Make it a point to start early, so that you won't succumb to pressure on Christmas Eve. Shop weekdays rather than weekends when stores are less crowded. Sometimes, you'll buy just to get out of the holiday throng. Save on shipping: Some of the best prices are online. Internet or catalog shopping saves on gas and perhaps on state sales tax. But if you wait until the last minute, you'll have to pay for rush shipping. Starting now gives you time for packages to arrive via the cheapest shipping method.

Step 8: Use debit cards, checks or cash

 Charging your holiday on a credit card -- unless you're only doing it for the points or miles and expect to pay the bills right away -- is setting yourself up for a more expensive start to the New Year. (Indeed, people often get into credit debt over the holidays that it takes them years to dig out of). Instead, spend only money that you actually have. Use debit cards, checks, cash or if you have to reach for a credit card, make it American Express, which makes you pay it off right away. Likewise, avoid "Buy Now, Pay Later" offers on items like high-ticket electronics and furniture. Interest on these offers is usually extremely high -- and although you don't have to pay until months (sometimes a year) later, interest starts accruing as soon as you take delivery.

Step 9: Keep a paper trail

Whatever you buy, make sure that if the recipient wants to return it, he or she gets every dollar you paid for it. So request gift receipts, keep all of your own, and take note of return policies. Particularly shopping this early, you'll want to make sure that rules from a particular store aren't too restrictive.

And if there's time for a last question: It's never too early to think about next year. Christmas clubs still exist: Some banks (particularly small ones) and credit unions still offer programs that offer forced savings, using payroll deductions or some other systematic transfer of funds, to accumulate a small amount of cash for the holidays. Rates of interest on these accounts are still fairly low, just as they are with savings accounts, but it's nice to know that they're still out there, if you want them. You put money in all year, and then, typically near the end of October, the account is closed out and you receive a check. Even if you don't bank somewhere with a Christmas club, if the holidays are constantly getting you into trouble, open a savings account, sock a set amount of money into it through the year and limit yourself to using those funds for holiday season 2013. Holiday expenses should be part of your yearly budget, not something you panic over every autumn.

Step 10: Do additional research

The California Society of CPAs (www.CALCPA.org) has created a free Web site of articles, tools and resources to help consumers.