TINSEL in supermarkets, twinkling lights on the high street – yep, the countdown to Christmas is officially on.
With just three months to go until Santa’s in town, Brits are scrambling for cash to deck the halls with great deals.
Looking to make some serious savings before the festive craze? Money whizz Francesca Henry has revealed how[/caption]
But it’s no mean feat, says financial whizz Francesca Henry, aka The Money Fox.
“I absolutely love Christmas, but I don’t love the pressure we feel around the holidays – all those photos of presents under trees on social media.
“According to research by MoneySuperMarket, the average cost of Christmas rose to £1,811.70 per household last year – that’s more than 80% of the average monthly income.
“I know many mums who’ve got into debt because of Christmas but with a few easy hacks, you can have a stress-free festive season.”
Here, Francesca shares her top ten tips to save £2.4k for Christmas.
Look down a shelf at supermarkets
Taste tests prove shoppers can’t tell the difference between top brands and budget food items – so why waste your money?
Lower your gaze during the big shop. Take Tesco for example. Swap Heinz beans (£1.40) for Stockwell beans (29p), Kellogg’s corn flakes (£3.20) for value corn flakes (79p) and Innocent fresh orange juice (£3) for Grower’s Harvest (79p) and you’ve already saved over a fiver.
If you start buying foods from the lower shelves – where cheaper brands are normally placed – now, you’ll save about £25 a week up until Christmas.
Total saved = £300 (three months of weekly shops)
Sell unwanted gifts
Research claims that the average household has over £1,500 worth of unwanted items.
So, now’s the time to turf out the cupboards and sell any unused gifts from last year.
Think sealed perfumes, labelled clothing, clean toys and games.
You may think that no one wants your items, but 63 per cent of us have bought second hand in the past year.
Things like baby toys, winter clothing and electronics sell best. If you sell 10 unused gifts for £10 you’ve made a quick £100.
Total saved = £100
Start spending in cash
It’s hard to keep track of spending when we’re tapping card machines all day.
Seeing your money slide into a till makes you more conscious of spending it, so it’s time to go card-free where you can.
Set a spending budget at the start of each month and take the figure out of your bank in cash.
If you’ve got any spare change at the end of the month, pop it in a money box until December.
This will vary wildly between households as nobody has the same situation or salary.
But after bills an average income household could take out around £700 and could have £200-£300 left over for saving.
Total saved = £200
Lessen your lunch spend
With the average supermarket meal deal around £5 these days, buying lunch at the office is an expense we can’t spare.
Start making your own pack up now.
Why not take leftovers from last night’s dinner? You can pad out dishes on the cheap with bulky tummy-filling foods like lentils, chickpeas and eggs.
If you think a Tesco meal deal is £4, taking leftovers every day could save you £20 a week, £100 a month and £300 before Christmas.
Total saved = £300
Swap takeaway for fakeaway
Everyone loves a cheeky Saturday night takeaway, but your favourite pizza, Chinese or Indian can set a family of four back up to £50 a week.
It’s so tempting to have a lazy dinner, but if you get the kids involved and make your own fakeaway, your savings pot will thank you.
Total saved = £500 by first week of December
Cancel the morning coffee
Much like a lunchtime meal deal, that coffee shop latte will set you back a fiver a day.
But bring your own flask to work, or make use of the office coffee machine, and you’ve saved £25 a week – that’s £100 per month.
Total saving = £225 by first week of December
Get free TV
In the lead up to Christmas there’s plenty of good films to watch on Freeview.
If you’ve got the latest streaming services like Disney Plus (£7.99 a month), Netflix (£10.99), Sky (£19), Apple TV (£8.99) and Amazon Prime (£8.99), cancelling them will add over £50 to your festive fund.
Total saving = £168 (totalled three months of the above services)
WHEN TO BUY WHAT
Festive food shop
You can start adding small, non-perishable items like chocolate and nuts to your shopping basket now – as long as it’ll keep for the big day. For fresh and big ticket items, wait until mid-December. And for vegetables, drop in around ten days before Christmas. That’s when supermarkets start battling to offer the cheapest deals.
Christmas tree
If a real cut tree is on your wish list, try not to buy it in the first week of December when the majority of people start looking for theirs. A well-kept tree cut in late November should retain its needles until Year’s Eve, and you’ll still have the pick of the bunch before demand gets too high.
Toys
If you know what your kids are pining for, now’s the time to act. Supermarkets begin toy sales around late September-October each year, lasting up to two weeks. Dates are subject to change, and you’ll need to be a member to take advantage of those low prices, whether it be Nectar, Clubcard or Morrisons More.
Booze
Last year, money saving expert Martin Lewis reported supermarket booze sales until late November, so hold off until the cold snap really hits. Loyalty customers can expect up to 25 per cent of popular prosecco and wine.
Tech
If you plan on gifting mobile phones, laptops or air fryers this year, don’t leave your shopping too late. Research shows that prices are cheapest in September and October, and tend to rise in November and December when demand gets higher.
Keep an eye out for Black Friday (November 29) deals and check prices in advance to make sure it’s a proper steal.
Make at-home fun at weekends
While we’re thrilled the kids are back at school, those summer holidays rinsed us dry.
Instead of paying out £40 for cinema tickets (£10 per head) and theme parks (about £30 per head) each weekend, take advantage of at-home fun.
Keep tabs on library craft clubs – they’re usually free or a small fee of a few pounds – take adventurous kids on woodland walks and crack out the painting supplies on rainy days.
Total saving = £600, based on three months, saving £50 per weekend
Cut down on Xmas cards
As of April this year, a first-class stamp for a standard letter in the UK costs a whopping £1.35.
Now, imagine posting 30 Christmas cards to family and friends.
That’s £40 down the drain. Why not go paperless and email your Christmas wishes, instead?
Total saving = £40
Sign up to a supermarket savings scheme
Every little helps when it comes to Christmas spending, so take advantage of supermarket saving schemes.
Popular stores like Tesco, Asda, Iceland and Morrisons have their own Christmas clubs, allowing you to pay in money and reap rewards.
The more you save, the more vouchers you’ll earn – you could save up to £25 off that festive mega shop.
Total saving = up to £25
