Simple swaps to save £5 a day and celebrate Christmas without debt
IT might be midsummer, but Christmas is just 157 days away – and it’s never too early to plan ahead.
With families everywhere counting every penny, starting now means you’ll be spending much less in December.
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To help you cut costs, try these handy early Christmas countdown tricks to get the most out of your money.
SHOPPING
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first. THE “Sh-opposite” hack: While everyone is looking for summer merchandise, shop for inverse season essentials.
Buy Christmas cards this month if you find them on sale.
TRY: Ebay has many packages of ten packages from only 35p.
2. DON’T wait for the big Xmas store: Put one more gift or non-perishable gift in your basket every week until Christmas.
It might be a little more expensive now, but spreading the cost is easier in your pocket than paying for the full shipment in December.
TRY: JJ Whitley’s handcrafted gold-filtered vodka, £14.99 at Lidl.
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3. GET the essentials in: Have you seen the top deals on Christmas essentials, such as duct tape, wrapping paper or foil? Reserve now.
They are always handy and you can use them all year round.
TRY: Sellotape Original, 24mm x 50m, down from £1.31 to 99p at Amazon.
4. GET a great bargain: Many big-name retailers secretly sell online, so buy your Christmas tree early this year.
TRY: The Range features a 6ft tall man-made tree from £13.75.
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5. BUILD the basics in the store’s locker that lasts until Christmas: Festive items such as boxes of chocolates, spices, sauces and nuts are stored very well.
If they’re offered now, that’s even better.
TRY: Alesto salted roasted peanuts 400g, £1.25 at Lidl.
- Exact price at time will press. Offers and offers are subject to availability.
SAVE SAVE US
1 TRENDING SAVE CHALLENGE: The popular £1 a day savings challenge will get you in the bank at least £150, while the small evils saving challenge — in which you cut out some of the little things you normally buy, such as a bar Daily chocolate or weekly takeaway — can earn you up to £500.
TRY: Download free savings charts from Pinterest.
2. DOWNLOAD your entire store: Trade in popular brands for private labels—and change from pricier supermarkets to discount stores—and you’ll get more for a lot less.
Don’t stop at the food. Move everything you buy, from cleaning products to toiletries, and you could save up to £600 before Christmas.
TRY: Non-Biological 3-in-1 Liquitabs Lidl’s Formil costs £2.99 for 20 pills, compared to £4 for 13 non-biological Fairy pills.
3. TRIM your card list: Stamp prices have risen to a record 16% this year.
A first class stamp currently costs £1.10 while a second class stamp will set you back 75p.
To cut costs, cut down your list of Christmas cards just so the people you know will appreciate a paper card.
Update the address now so you know they’re going to the right place. The cut-off date for the second class is December 19.
4. PLUG your leaked funds: Buy a cheap paper notebook and write down every penny you spend. Once you can see where you’re overspending, it’s easier to cut unnecessary expenses. Experts say it can cut spending by up to 35 percent.
5. Three main ways to save money on meals: Plan meals, bulk buy and batch cook all your weekly meals. Taken together, it can reduce your food costs by up to £100 a month.
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