According to recent research one in ten people are still paying off last year’s Christmas, therefore it may be worth planning this year’s festivities a little more carefully. Here are some tips for doing so:
Budget
Make
a budget and stick to it. Working to a plan ensures that there are no Christmas
Eve panics and impulse purchases.
Christmas
should be fun, but paying off debt for the remainder of the year leaves a nasty
taste long after the Brussel sprouts have gone.
Switch your supermarket
Buying
high quality meat can make a real difference, but the same can’t be said for
potatoes as these don’t vary as much in quality. Equally, family may be
impressed by posh Christmas crackers, but probably won’t care too much about
Brussel sprouts.
Get
what you can from cheaper stores, such as Lidl or Aldi, or even from warehouse
‘members only’ stores such as Costco (http://www.costco.co.uk)
Don’t buy too much
Most
hosts will want to put on a plentiful spread, but it’s easy to overestimate the
amount that people will tuck away.
If
you don’t want to waste food – and money – look at lovefoodhatewaste.com, which
has a portion calculator.
Get on eBay
No,
not to buy presents – but to make room for them!
If
you’re worried about where you’re going to put all these wonderful presents, it
could be time to decide what has to go.
Amazon
is probably the best choice if you want to sell books; even though there are
fees, the profit can add up if you're selling lots of titles.
Gumtree
is worth a look too; as you can list items for free, and there’s a high chance
someone in the local area won't mind coming to pick them up.
Use the right credit card
If
your credit card is not paying you cashback or vouchers, maybe it is time to
switch!
Use
price comparison sites such as www.moneysupermarket.com/credit-cards to work out the best cards
for your needs!
Shop the sales
The
high street is competitive and plenty of retailers will be competing for your
custom.
Make
sure you make the most of cashback websites such as Quidco, vouchers in newspapers or
other discount deals.
Nowadays
most sales start well ahead of Christmas, so get shopping now!
Quality brands at cheaper
prices
Impress
your family and friends with designer gifts, but pick them up from sites such
as The Outnet, BrandAlley or Achicha.
If
you prefer mooching around the shops yourself, outlet villages such as Bicester
Village offer more than 100 different designer stores. Products are often
available for a fraction of the retail price, although this is usually because
they are last season’s stock.
Alcohol deals
Alcohol
can be one of Christmas’s biggest expenses. Make sure that you mop up all
available deals – but remember to drink responsibly.
MoneySavingExpert
even has a calculator to help: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/cheap-wine-deals.
Cut postage costs
Discount
couriers can be cheaper than Royal Mail, particularly if you are sending large
or heavier items. What’s more many will pick up from our home, so you don’t
have to queue at the post office.
Presents
Don’t
like a gift someone has bought you? Take them back rather than allowing them to
sit in the back of the cupboard.
Failing
that, give them to friends or family who will appreciate them more.
Why not give the gift of insurance?
We offer a range of insurance products at the most competitive rates - so that's one less thing to worry about, simply visit www.discountinsurance.co.uk or call 0800 294 4522
Why not give the gift of insurance?
We offer a range of insurance products at the most competitive rates - so that's one less thing to worry about, simply visit www.discountinsurance.co.uk or call 0800 294 4522
