If you’ve struggled financially this festive period we’ve got some tips to help you for next year.
Start saving in January we love this idea but it’s easier said than done try the 365 day money challenge, the basic concept is to put 1p away in savings and each day increase it by a penny.
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Keep old Christmas cards to use for arts and crafts projects next year or even gift tags.
You may have had an elderly relative who neatly folds wrapping paper and keeps it, well if you’re like me and spend at least £15 on wrapping material this is a great way to save a few quid.
Food saving stamps, I personally am a Sainsbury’s and an Iceland shopper, so I save up my nectar points and buy gifts around November time when the points are worth double.
Iceland have a great scheme where you can load money onto your bonus card and use at any point, I find this incredibly handy, if I say spend £41.50 I ask the cashier to round it up to £50.
This year I have £130.76 on my bonus card, enough to buy all the junk for Christmas night, full Christmas dinner, snacks, selection boxes for the kids, and of course lots of wine for me.
I often have money left over on the Iceland bonus card which comes in handy towards the end of January.
In my family we only buy gifts for the children, this saves a great deal of money, but not every family is happy to do so.
Christmas is a time for family and friends but if yours are a long way away, save on the phone costs with free alternatives and talk for free anywhere in the world over the web. Most smartphones also let you download apps to do this via Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G.
Make a list of who you need to buy for and whenever you see goods at kick-arse prices, grab, wrap, and stuff ’em in a Christmas cupboard, make sure to add to the list what you have bought so you don’t buy again.
Ok now this one isn’t really Christmas exactly, but it’s saved me a few pound this year. My children often receive unwanted gifts from distant relatives, rather than waste them or sell them for next to nothing, I store them under my bed and whenever my children are invited to a friend’s birthday party they can pick a gift from the unwanted gift section.
Christmas shopping on impulse is dangerous. So make an old-fashioned shopping list and stick to it (notes on your phone comes in handy) Remember, shops spend a fortune on targeting your spending impulses – a list helps you beat them.
Buy your Christmas tree and decorations in January, I’ve seen people pick up a stunning tree for a small price of £2.
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