Christmas is one of the times of the year where it is usual for families to splurge on gifts for their loved ones. It can be an expensive time and costs can quickly spiral with office gift swaps as well as the price of decorating the house and making it Christmas-ready.
Budgeting will be at the forefront of people's minds amid the cost-of-living crisis and soaring bills, as Brits explore ways to make their money go further. Experts at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have researched ways to save money and come up with smart tips on how you can enjoy Christmas without blowing the budget.
Money saving tips include being clued up on vouchers, preparing your Christmas tree ahead of December and using Secret Santa with a set budget for cheaper gift exchanges. Start getting organised now and you could save money in the run-up to the big day with these top 10 tips from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk.
Save money and prepare for Christmas on a budget
1. Start with Black Friday
Before the Christmas period begins, the November discount day is always a smart way to buy big-ticket items at a lower cost. Have a look at which outlets are offering the best deals and if you haven’t got time on the day, use Cyber Monday to search for an online bargain.
2. Make an early Christmas list
Get prepared early by creating a Christmas list with a visible budget to monitor the costs of gifts. Don’t leave the presents until the last minute when the prices are at their highest.
Figure out who you need to buy for, when it is best to buy for them and what you’ll be giving them.
3. Student Discounts
During the first few months of the academic year, student discount apps provide extra deals in the run up to Christmas to allow for more people to get the best types of discounts. Download all of the legitimate, available apps and make sure to ask in store too if they accept student discounts.
4. Blue Light card
The Blue Light card offers public sector workers discounts at various stores and costs £4.99 to register for two years' access. You could save money on your weekly food shop too, as some supermarkets have introduced blue light discounts during the cost-of-living crisis to help people stretch their cash even further.
5. Start a festive savings pot
There just over two months' to go till Christmas Day, meaning now is an ideal time to start saving. Pop any extra cash you’re able to save into a savings jar and use on Christmas food and festive gifts in the run-up to the big day.
6. Secret Santa
It is a growing trend among friends and in the workplace, however Secret Santa is more than just a fun way to get to gift colleagues something small. Secret Santa can be a helpful way to cut the costs if you stick to a budget - usually £5 or £10, compared to how much it would typically cost to get everyone a small gift.
7. Get the Christmas tree early
While it is often considered bad luck to put the tree up early, there is no harm in getting a great deal in advance. Search for Christmas trees early before they either go out of stock or double in price due to high demand during the lead up to December.
8. Use a Christmas voucher code
If you are not eligible for any blue light or student schemes, have a look for voucher codes which can be applied on a range of online sites to save on the Christmas spending early.
9. Snap up rewards schemes
There is still time to prepare for the cost of the Christmas dinner, so have a look at which supermarkets offer festive reward schemes to make it easier to buy all the ingredients. If you use the scheme over a month's worth of food shops, it can make it easier to buy the meats and veggies.
10. Explore upcoming sales events
Before Black Friday and seasonal offers have even started, many retailers are preparing special offers throughout the weeks. There are plenty of deals to take advantage of, from buying meat early to freeze for December, to Christmas toys which may be planned to be on the shelf for half the price.
Rebecca Bebbington, online consumer expert from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “The holiday season is typically a more expensive period for many families wanting to enjoy all the festivities throughout December. But this year is more difficult for people during the rising cost-of-living crisis with supermarket food prices rising as well as household bills and expenses.
“We wanted to help people by offering useful tips to have a wonderful Christmas on a budget and offering smart ways to secure discounts online.” For more ways to enjoy Christmas on a budget visit NetVoucherCodes.co.uk.
