Ah, Christmas. The most wonderful time and the gift-giving pinnacle of the year. But with the exchanging of presents and family visits galore, comes the pressure of spending more money than we may have spare. To avoid the stress, here are 5 tips that you can use to help you save money during the festive period!
Don’t plan the “perfect” Christmas
It can be easy to slip into the habit of creating a new Christmas theme in your house year on year, buying a tonne of new decorations, investing in more outdoor lighting and getting your family the most expensive gifts possible. So, before you go down the rabbit hole, think to yourself, “How will I pay for it all?”.
Calculate your budget per person and make a realistic plan of what you can spend. Remember that Christmas is only one day and you don’t want to be paying for it for years to come.
If you’re going to buy, give to those most important
I’m talking about not getting something for every Tom, Dick or Harry that comes into your life. If you did, all those work colleagues you’ve ever met who have come and gone, may only be receiving something for around £10 from you, but multiply that up and you could end up spending hundreds of unnecessary pounds!
Stick to your immediate family, those ones who you would actually send a Christmas card to, and your closest circle of friends. Between your group of pals, why not adopt a secret Santa pact and within your family, limit each other to a budget per person. You’ll be surprised at the fun you’ll have trying to find something at an agreed cost.
Shop smart and shop early
Don’t wait for Christmas eve to buy what you need for everyone. Shop early and you could save money! Hit up the sales post-summer or wait till the infamous Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales arrive to grab some bargains.
Combine your postage
Have multiple presents to send around the country? Don’t spend hours queuing at your local post office. You can send a parcel using an online courier and save yourself money. Simply pop in all of your package information and take them all to your nearest drop shop. Don your best red coat and you’re sure to feel like Santa for a day!
Make presents for your loved ones
What’s more personal than a handmade gift? If you’re not super crafty, why not take a look on Pinterest to see what you can find. It has a wealth of creative and unique ideas to choose from! Or why not put together a hamper of your loved ones favourite things? Nothing says Merry Christmas like something homemade.
Whatever gifts are on your radar this Christmas, try these 5 money-saving tips to see how much you can save on your festive shopping.
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