CHRISTMAS P R E S E N TS
ON A
BUDGET
Christmas doesn’t have to be an expensive time of year. By setting yourself an affordable budget and sticking to it you’ll be able to start the New Year without mountains of unplanned debt. Use our tips to help you make the most of your money.
WRITE A LIST
CUT BACK
Estimate the cost of each present and check that the total is within your budget. Stick to your list. Sounds simple, but it’s easy to get carried away when Christmas lights are twinkling and the displays entice you to buy everything.
See if you can find one or two areas where you can make savings, eg packed lunches for you or your children, or cancelling a gym or magazine membership which you’re not using.
If you’re buying online remember to budget for delivery costs and try and consolidate your shopping to get the best delivery prices.
COMPARE PRICES
PLAN WHAT TO BUY AND WHEN
SEARCH FOR DISCOUNTS
Some things are best paid for early to get the best deals, for example travel, and others best to leave until the last minute, such as stocking fillers.
You can find vouchers in magazines and voucher codes online. If there is space to enter a discount code, always search for one.
Different retailers, as well as internet and shop prices, often differ. Price comparison websites can be useful but use more than one source to get a full range of price information.
DON’T BE TEMPTED Two-for-one, three-for-two, mixand-match or other enticing offers are there to tempt you. Check the original prices to make sure that they really are value for money. And only buy them if you really need them.
BUDGET FOR DELIVERY COSTS
If you are getting benefits, did you know you may be entitled to a Christmas bonus? And if you don’t currently get benefits, find out if you should be. See the direct.gov website for more information. If you are planning to borrow to help pay for Christmas then make sure to research your options. You can find information for credit cards and loans from comparison websites.
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@UkFamilyMatters | familymatters-uk.co.uk | 5
