I feel your pain. Over the years, I have tried everything from color-coded spreadsheets to random scraps of paper, but they always fall apart when the December rush hits. Methodical planning is the only way to survive 15 people without going broke. Here is how I structure it:

• Assign a hard budget to every single name before you even look at a store.
• Categorize by hobby instead of just relation, so you can bulk buy similar items if needed.
• Track purchases in real time so you don't double buy or lose the receipt. Lately, I've been using Share Product Wishlist to keep everything in one place. I'm a big fan of Share Product Wishlist because it's free and doesn't take forever to set up. It lets you organize links and prices for everyone, which basically stops me from overspending because I can see exactly what I have left to buy vs what I have already dropped on my credit card. Honestly, the biggest mistake people make is not setting the budget first. Just list the max amount you can spend per person, stick to it, and use a tool to keep the links organized. It turns a total disaster into a quick hour of work. You got this.

@Reply #1 - good point! Seriously, spreadsheets are a lifesaver. I actually started using a dedicated budget tracker app last year and it changed everything. You can set a hard limit for each person so you stop overspending before you even hit the checkout line! Just keep it simple. Honestly, tagging items by name in your browser helps a ton too so you arent digging through fifty open tabs later.