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Earlier this month, I wrote a post on why it’s important to look after your well-being during the holiday season. And I think we can all collectively agree that not only is this time of year stressful but money is one of the main causes of stress during the Christmas period. With Christmas getting seemingly more expensive every year, saving money at Christmas is really important for our own mental and financial well-being.
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash
Nobody wants to be stressing about money during the happiest time of year, when you’re supposed to be enjoying spending time with family, eating good food and relaxing at the end of the year. But the fact is, Christmas is a financially difficult time for a lot of people. And it’s a shame because surly that defeats the spirit of Christmas?
So, you ready to start saving money at Christmas? Here are some tips and ideas to get you started!
Make a budget – and stick to it!
Easier said than done, I know but going into Christmas with NO budget and NO idea of how much you’re planning on spending is likely to end in disaster. We all know how easy it is to get carried away with presents and decorations. So first and foremost, make a budget for the different areas of Christmas including food, gifts, decorations etc and try and stick to it.
Make gifts instead of buying them
Homemade gifts are no only a great way of saving money at Christmas but it can also be really fun and also provides the recipient with a special, one of a kind gift that they can’t just pop into the shop and buy. Homemade gifts can definitely be much more special sometimes, so why not give that a go this year, to ease the finances of buying gifts. Check out this post for some homemade gift suggestions!
Take out a small loan (Representative 466.37% APR)
If you’re good with managing your money, then taking out small Christmas loans could be an amazing option for you. It might help you take the pressure off over the Christmas season, allowing you more time to relax with friends and family. Morses club have produced this info-graphic which shows some extra ways in which you can focus on saving money at Christmas.
Utilize budget stores or charity shops
At the end of the day, when all your Christmas decorations are up, your house is twinkling with fairy lights and everyone is in the holly Christmas mood, nobody is going to come into your house and say, “your baubles are from the pound shop!” I personally think budget stores are BRILLIANT. And they’re definitely worth utilizing at this time of year.
Shop for gifts in the Black Friday sales
If you can wait until the Black Friday sales to do some of your Christmas shopping (unlike me, who likes to have everything done by like, October) then it’s well worth doing because you can make a TON of savings, just by shopping in the sale instead of at full price. Make a list of what you need and dedicate Black Friday (or any other sale days) to doing the majority of your Christmas shopping.
Buy stuff for the following Christmas in the Boxing Day / January sales
And if you’re REALLY thinking ahead, then buying bits and pieces for the following Christmas in the Boxing Day or January sales is a fantastic way of saving money at Christmas. You can grab wrapping paper, Christmas cards and decorations for incredibly cheap during this period so make the most of it and you’ll be saving money NEXT Christmas, before this one has even ended!
How are you planning on saving money at Christmas? Do you have any particularly good hacks or tricks that I haven’t mentioned here?
* This is an advertisement feature. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Morses Club have a representative 466.37% APR
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I’m one of those people who seems to think spending money = showing love, but after a financially tough year we had to be a bit more thrifty this Christmas! Having a budget in place per gift made a HUGE difference as I’m usually like “oh just one more little thing…” I also totally agree with you, there’s nothing wrong with using budget shops for things like cards and decorations. It’s not about the price!
Beth x Adventure & Anxiety
Im someone that always massively over buys and leaves it too late so I really need to work on that! Thanks for sharing x
I don’t ever leave it too late but I often over buy for people! x
Great one, I love your work!
I just need to stop buying gifts for the kids and I’d be fine haha! x
Haha whoops! Easily done! x
We’ve been with Morses for about 25 years. It really helps to spread the cost of Christmas. Though their interest rates are not the best if I’m totally honest. I’ve been gradually swapping to Park Hampers & getting the prepaid Mastercards as there’s only £10 extra per £100 on those. We do also make some gifts too, my husband is extremely crafty/arty and can turn his hand to anything! 🙂
Sarah 🌺 || Boxnip || Latest Post
That’s handy that your husband is so crafty!
The fact that I only have a couple of presents to buy, I save quite a lot of money! I’m hoping to buy any things I didn’t have this year in the January Sales. Going to be prepared!
Daisy xoxo | TheDeeWhoLived
Yesss!
Budgets are so important at Christmas time! Totally agree! 🙂
Erin || MakeErinOver
Totally agree x
I always try and start early to spread the cost of things out a bit more, I have a few birthdays in December to buy for so it takes some of the pressure off!
Having birthdays around the same time as Christmas is stressful! x
This year I was really stringent with my budget and I used quite a lot of my points on my boots card and saved up a little each week!
Love, Amie ❤
The Curvaceous Vegan
Oooh that’s a fantastic idea!
budget shops are theeeeeee best when it comes to stocking fillers x
They really are! x
We started doing Secret Santa with my Dad’s side (theres so many!) to save everyone some money as it was just getting too expensive xx
That’s a great idea x
I always try to look for gifts in the Black Friday sales where possible. My dad screwed me over this year and told me he wanted a jumper the week after the sales…did not appreciate the suggestion at the time. I wish I was a little more creative and could make some gifts, I always think it’s a lovely touch x
Sophie
Damn it Dad haha! x
I handmade 90% of my gifts this year and instead of buying my friends anything. I’m just hosting a cookie party instead!
That’s a great idea! x
These are good tips! Our budget has really helped this year as I get competitive about spending less than projected!
Having a budget is really helpful x
I try to buy presents all through out the year as have to spread the cost xx
That’s a good idea x
Budgeting is honestly my least favorite thing to do but the BEST when it comes to saving and not going crazy with spending money.
Hahaha I agree! x
Budgeting is so smart!! Both sides of my family opt for secret santa as well, now that all of the grandkids are older & have some money of their own :’) It takes a lot of the pressure off & allows you to focus on being really thoughtful for one person xx
That’s a good idea. If I had a big family, I’d definitely do something like that too x
Love the tips and ideas you shared. Creativity is in my nature, I tend to gift a mix of personalised gifts and store bought items. I agree, sales are a great time to look for Christmas gifts and save money in the process. Making a budget sounds like a great idea that I need to adopt. It makes it easier managing finances during the holiday season.
Tx. // Tajinder Kaur
I think a mix of gifts is a good idea! x
Oh my gosh I’d love to be organised enough to buy cheap gifts in the Boxing Day sales for next year but it’s a no from me ha! I do love the idea of making homemade gifts though, it makes it more personal too xx
Haha tbh, I don’t do that. But only because it scares me thinking that far in advance x
I don’t have many people to buy for at Christmas so that’s how I keep my costs down. On Black Friday, it was SO crowded that I don’t think I could have done my Christmas shopping then. Also, I don’t have the space in this tiny apartment to store gifts. Our families live halfway across the country so I plan on packing as light as possible.
My plan is to make homemade cookies to give as hostess gifts and do a Costco run for last minute presents like I did last year. I save money at Costco compared to shopping at malls that sell already overpriced merchandise. My only issue with Costco is that they sell the exact same stuff each year, and I risk buying the same thing twice!
I would only do Black Friday online – I wouldn’t go to the shops. Far too busy. Costco is a good option x
I’m actually making my own Christmas gifs this year for the very first time. I’m gonna bake some cookies. Simples, thoughtful and cute, I guess.
Joanne Catherine | https://myprettymess.blog
These are some very good ideas indeed! Thinking ahead is a big YES for me! I am super organised so this is what i usually do and it works out beautifully and saves me time, money and headache! Besides I’m a very gift card person myself so that makes things very smooth for many loved ones who know me well😁
Gift cards are a great option because you can’t go wrong really! x
That’s a good idea! x
I like the tip about buying during sales, it’s incredible the savings you can make by buying on boxing day and on black friday, or just buying at any time throughout the year when you see the item on sale! I think the Christmas rush and the pressures to buy at Christmas are the cause of a lot of irresponsible & reckless spending, as the pressure makes you buy things you don’t necessarily want! I also make handmade gifts, although this year I’m not really making any.
Absolutely! Definitely make use of ANY sale!
Making a budget is easier said than done yes! I’ve been meaning to get something for my neighbor and it’s like what budget hahaha. I have a feeling I might get a bit carried away! YES I personally love receiving homemade gifts, they just really seem like you’ve put a lot of thought in the gift 🙂
Black Friday Sales and Holiday sales meshed together is like discount heaven haha – everything is so nicely priced!
It really is heaven haha! x
Handmade gifts & ‘no-gift pacts’ are things I normally do to keep on budget when I have to give to lots of people! Some great tips here x
No gift pacts are a great idea. Perhaps not buying physical items but agreeing to a day out together instead would be a nice alternative x
This is a great list. In my family to cut down in the gift buying, saving money and just
Making Christmas less about presents, us grownups have agreed to only give and get one present. So we each get one person to buy for. (Of course the kids gets presents from everyone as normal and it doesn’t count for couples who still gift each other as they want)
But it does cut down a lot and we try to be very creative and silly with our gift giving 😋
That’s a great way to cut down on presents and spending though x
I always shop in the sales for presents x
You can save so much doing that x
Homemade gifts (I make my own jams and fruit spirits) and charity shops all the way. I mean I do buy stuff elsewhere too but I love the personal touch. (And I’ve never yet had anyone complain about my jams and spirits either). I’ve found some lovely jewellery bits and old books in charity shops, something that you just wouldn’t find elsewhere. Great tips, Jenny, thank you! X
Lisa | http://www.lisasnotebook.com
Charity shops are a great idea, like you said especially for things like books! x
Homemade gifts are a lovely idea! I’d love to make my own next year – one of my favourite ideas is to put the ingredients to cookies or brownies into a jar and add a little tag with the recipe on, I think that would be so cute. These are all great tips Jenny 🙂 xx
Tiffany x http://www.foodandotherloves.co.uk
That’s such a sweet idea! x
I hadn’t thought about this
I’ve heard that some people who have larger families choose to do a Secret Santa gift exchange! It’s definitely worth considering if someone is looking to save money. I personally like to take advantage of sales and try to buy some gifts months in advance. I also ask people if there’s anything they would like to get to make sure I get them something they are actually going to use!
Dominika | Into the Bloom
That’s a great idea for those that have a big family! x