Ways to save money at Christmas
Christmas is always a wonderful time of year, with the abundance of food, free flowing drinks and special gifts. However, one thing we are all aware of is just how pricey the month of December can be; throw being a student into mix and you’re left with absolutely no money at all. We at Discover have done you all a favour and created our top tips on saving money at Christmas.
Travelling home
If you live away from your family and need to travel over Christmas make sure you do your research before making your travel arrangements. Buying train and coach tickets in advance can cut the cost down considerably. However if you have left it to last minute consider buying spilt train tickets. Another alternative is to travel by coach – yes this is the longer option but usually is considerably cheaper, especially if you are traveling a long distance.
Secret Santa
A hugely popular Christmas idea is Secret Santa. If you have to buy a large number of gifts for a group of friends see if you can organise this. Secret Santa is the idea of each person in the group buying a gift for another member of the group so that everyone has a present. This way will save you buying multiple gifts. On the flip side you yourself will only receive one gift… but hey, you could save a fair few pounds!
Be prepared
Over Christmas many retailers have great offers but usually only for a short period of time, so make sure you are prepared! Be sure to take advantage of any vouchers that come your way. Another important saving tip is to shop around and do your research. This may be time consuming but definitely worthwhile. Buying online usually is the cheaper option in comparison to the high street, although different online retailers usually have different prices. Try using Google, and other search engines, to locate the best deal.
Find cheaper alternatives
Switching your shop from branded items to lesser known brands is a great way to save money at Christmas. One which you may not even notice is switching your supermarket shop. Supermarkets like Aldi and Lidl are giving the Big 4 (Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons) a run for their money, meaning you are able to get great food for a fraction of the price.This is something to consider when buying any Christmas gift, whether it be something as simple as a candle or perhaps perfume/aftershave, as there are always cheaper alternatives available on the market. One of the key differences usually is packaging but that’s something that can easily be fixed with some Christmas ribbon!
Don’t over splurge
Set a budget and stick to it! We know it is difficult but try and only buy what you need. So much food and drink gets wasted at Christmas time due to families buying too much. Also consider small things like gift wrapping and how much you actually need.
Bake Christmas treats
Everyone loves treats at Christmas, it’s one of the things that makes Christmas, Christmas. However, year on year, not only does the price of chocolates and biscuits increase but the amount you actually get decreases! Who wants that? A great way to overcome this issue, and to save money is to bake them yourself. Pinterest is a brilliant provider for Christmas treat ideas so make sure you take advantage of it.
Make DIY Christmas gifts
Speaking of Pinterest… It is a fantastic tool for providing you with inspiration for DIY Christmas gifts. Making gifts at Christmas is an excellent way to save money at Christmas time as well as giving a more personal gift. One thing to be mindful of is that handmade gifts can be time consuming so be patient and create that one of a kind gift.
Do you have any Christmas saving tips for us? Let us know.