Christmas is such a lovely time of year when everything’s a bit prettier and more sparkly, everyone seems a little cheerier, and children are full of excitement!
However, amidst this festive fervour, it can be a stressful time for many of us as Christmas is such an expensive time of year, especially for those of us who have children or large families to buy for. Particularly with how things are in the UK right now, with the cost-of-living crisis, it can be daunting thinking about how much it will all cost.
But there are lots of ways you can save money at Christmastime and still make your Christmas magical for your family. So, I thought I’d bring together some great tips on how to save yourself some money over Christmas whilst still enjoying every second of it!
Here are 9 tips to help you celebrate a budget-friendly Christmas.
Budgeting
Budgeting is the most important thing when it comes to money at Christmas. Without a budget, you can easily get carried away buying more and more presents, or more expensive ones, when you just can’t afford it.
I like to use an online budgeting calculator ahead of Christmas so that I can work out what money we have available to spend and where we might be able to cut costs and save.
As part of that, it’s a good idea to track all of the expenses you do make, from gifts to food shopping and everything in between.
Break down all of your costs to avoid last-minute rushes or overspending. It’s okay to adjust – be flexible but firm with your financial boundaries – your family won’t want you to end up broke buying them a present!
Make lists
I am a huge list-maker for everything, and so I make lots of lists when preparing for Christmas!
Start your festive preparations with at least two lists — one for all the groceries and festive treats you’ll need and another for presents you need to buy. Once you’ve made your lists, allocate a budget for each so that you don’t go crazy.
Search for discounts
Whether it’s banking, credit cards, shopping or pretty much anything else, there are discount and rewards schemes for new customers everywhere you look, so make sure you use them.
Buying things online is often cheaper than in an actual store, and there are so many great discounts available online nowadays. You can also find loads of great online coupons and promo codes and make your money go further when you’re buying all those presents!
Use cashback sites
Along the same lines as looking for online discount codes is using cashback sites when buying anything online! It’s literally free money when you shop online, so make sure you sign up and then use them – especially before making any bigger purchases.
I use Quidco or TopCashback as not all of the same stores are on each one, and sometimes, one has better offers than the other. I’ve got really good at remembering to use them now, but I did always used to forget. You can get add-ons for your browser that will remind you that cashback is available when on certain sites, which is really helpful, so make sure you get them.
I’ve also recently started using JamDoughnut, which is another cashback site and is particularly good for food shopping. You buy a voucher in advance for shops such as Aldi and Tesco, which you can use in-store or online, and you get cashback from your purchase. I only started using it a few months ago, and my cashback is already building up quickly.
You can use my code PFPX to get a £2 bonus when you sign up to JamDoughnut. It gives you discounts and instant cashback at over 150 shops, restaurants, and supermarkets. You can even use it on Amazon now!
I try to leave all of my cashback in my account so that I can withdraw it at Christmas, and I then have some extra cash available!
Rethink gifting traditions
Large families can mean a long gift list. Even if you don’t have a massive family, the amount of presents you have to buy can be a lot. To save, consider introducing a ‘Secret Santa‘ tradition. This way, everyone gets a present, but you only need to buy for one person. It’s fun and cost-effective and really reduces shopping stress.
It still gives you the satisfaction of giving others gifts but means you will probably spend much less, and others will probably appreciate the idea too. You can agree on a bigger budget between you so that everyone is still getting a great gift, but you will likely spend hundreds less in total.
If your family aren’t up for it, then maybe you could try it with your close friends that you buy for, so you’re still reducing the amount you have to buy. I do it with my best blogging friends every year, and it’s so fun seeing what we all get each other via photos on WhatsApp (we don’t live near each other!) and picking out a special present for our recipient within our budget!
Hunt for bargains
Supermarkets and stores are rife with special offers during the festive season. Always be on the prowl for deals. Also, sign up for loyalty programs to accrue points or earn additional discounts and coupons like Tesco’s Clubcard. The vouchers you build up from loyalty schemes like these are perfect for saving up and using for your Christmas shopping at an expensive time of year.
It sounds daft, but we always buy Chocolate oranges as stocking fillers every year, and they can be less than a pound when on offer or over £2 when not! It’s not loads, but saving a couple of quid by only buying things when on offer can really save you a lot.
Unleash your creativity
Store-bought isn’t always best, especially if you’re on a budget! Even if you don’t fancy making gifts, you could get your kids to make some special Christmas cards rather than buying some, and the family will love them! Or perhaps donate some money to charity instead of giving cards this year – it’s better for the environment, too.
As for wrapping, simple brown paper jazzed up with ribbons and bows can be a good way to save some extra money, but still looks so pretty and festive.
DIY decorations will be items you can cherish in years to come and will have a lot more charm than decorations out of a box. Funnily enough, my daughter decided to make some Christmas bunting the other day and hung it across the curtain pole in our lounge (despite the fact it’s only October!), and I love it!
If you do fancy making some gifts, then you can make tasty jams or relishes reasonably easily, using jars from other items and covering the lid with string and brown paper. Printing out a photo of the kids or a special moment and buying a frame makes a great budget gift for grandparents. Food and drink hampers that you put together yourself can also make a great present without costing a fortune.
Declutter & earn
Before Christmas, you can make some extra money and make more room in your house by having a good clear out of items you no longer need. Platforms like eBay, Vinted and Facebook marketplace are perfect for offloading pre-loved items. And the extra cash will boost your Christmas budget.
Return or exchange unwanted gifts
We all receive gifts that aren’t quite right sometimes. Instead of letting them collect dust, return or exchange them. Not every shop will let you have a refund, especially if you don’t have the receipt, but most will let you exchange something so long as it still has tags on it.
With a little planning and some clever strategies, it’s entirely possible to enjoy the festive season without breaking the bank. Here’s to a joyful, memorable, and budget-friendly Christmas! 🎄
This is a collaborative post.
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