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Christmas is a magical time of year. People are in high spirits; fires are being lit and lights are sparkling. It is also an expensive and stressful time of year for many of us, especially those of us who have children or large families to buy for.
But there are lots of ways you can save money and still make your Christmas magical for your family. So I thought I would bring together some great tips on how to save yourself some money over Christmas whilst still enjoying every second of it!
Who doesn’t love making lists? In order to prepare and plan for Christmas successfully you will need at least 2 lists to keep the stress to a minimum and stop you from buying things you don’t actually need and wasting money. Make one list for the groceries you will need over the festive period and one for all the presents you need to buy. Once you have written these lists add a budget to each list and make sure to stick to them.
Buying things online is often cheaper than in an actual store and there are so many great discounts available online nowadays. 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. You can also find loads of great online coupons and promo codes at Don’tPayFull and make your money go further when you’re buying all those presents!
Have you got a big family? Does buying each one of them a present break the bank? Then why not suggest something new this year and ask them to try Secret Santa instead, or perhaps you could try it with your close friends. 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.
When shopping in the supermarket search for bargains. Use coupons where possible and make sure to sign up for loyalty programmes. That way you can accumulate points or earn coupons over the festive period and be rewarded for your extra buying.
Not everyone has to get a store-bought card. Why not get your little ones to paint your Christmas cards for family members or perhaps donate some money to charity instead of giving cards this year – it’s better for the environment too. Likewise, for wrapping paper or Christmas decorations. 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. Brown paper and some pretty ribbons make for beautifully wrapped gifts and is also much cheaper too.
Make space for the new presents that are coming by having a good clear-out before Christmas. This is also a good opportunity to make a little extra cash to splash over Christmas. Use websites like eBay, Gumtree and Preloved for selling almost everything from furniture, toys, and clothes to kitchen appliances.
We all get something we don’t want at some point, whether it’s a shirt that’s 3 sizes too big or a book we will never read. Don’t let them get wasted take them back to the shop and get something you will use. 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.
Welcome to Birds and Lilies! I'm Lou: mother, blogger and freelance writer. This is my lifestyle blog, where I talk about motherhood, infertility and IVF, beauty, my love for food and wine, as well as my thoughts about stuff, and our real-life and travel adventures.
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