CHRISTMAS
Christmas costs a lot!
But you don’t have to hit January with a debt hangover. We’ve got loads of ideas in this book for making money now to pay for the festive season. Check them out.
Plus, make sure you’re signed up to our weekly newsletter, which will be crammed full of the very best seasonal savings and ideas, helping you to make the most of the festivities.
These ideas are not just for Christmas either. There’s loads here that will help you make more money throughout the year. So, get reading and get earning!
Merry Christmas!
Hope Brotherton
Pssst…Here’s something free to get you going!
The people giving things away on that section live in your neighbourhood, so all you have to do is go to their place to pick the free item up.
You could get ornaments, chairs, tables, bags of clothes or bed-linen and even tools there. Scour the page every day to see what's being offered and if there's anything you could turn into a gift (like a vase or photo frames or even kitchen equipment that could be turned into hampers), get in touch with them ASAP to pick them up for free.
a look at the 'Free Stuff & Freebie'
Freecycle
to see what people
giving away. You'd be amazed what you can get there
nothing.
Take
ads section on Gumtree and the
Network
are
for absolutely
Contents
1. Grab yourself some free money
2. Make money from last year’s unwanted Christmas presents
3. Get special seasonal work
4. Make money as Santa Claus!
5. Make things to sell
6. Make money selling Christmas hampers
7. Make money shopping
8. Excuses to avoid Christmas
9. How to skip the day
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1. Grab yourself some FREE money
Apparently, there could be up to £4.2 billion hanging around in forgotten bank and savings accounts in the UK – some of which could be yours, as the average Brit has £411 sitting in a dormant bank account. So, get going and get your mitts on it!
Just go to Mylostaccount.org.uk and put your details in. It will search for any dormant accounts you think you might have forgotten about. Even if you can’t think of any old accounts you might have forgotten about, it’s still worth logging on, putting in as much as you can about yourself (including as many former addresses as you can) and then waiting for their reply.
If you’ve moved around a lot, you could easily have lost details of old accounts. Maybe you were left some savings in someone’s will and forgot about them. Who knows?
Also, don’t forget other financial products you may be missing out on. Our article on how to get free money has more links to services such as the Pensions Advisory service, which tells you exactly how to find any old pensions you might have had with a job you left years ago. They will even help, if you’re struggling to trace your pension. Then there’s the Unclaimed Assets Register which covers all manner of investments, life policies, shares, National Savings and others.
They charge a small fee, which they give to charity, but it’s worth it.
While you’re at it, why not pull the cushions from the sofa and check through pockets, shelves and handbags around your house to see what spare cash is lying around. Apparently, we all have more cash than we realise just hanging about our homes.
Online surveys
OK, it’s not quite ‘free’ money but you can make some handy cash while you’re surfing the internet by doing a few online surveys. See the ones we like here
For quick cash try these ones:
Nielsen Online Panel
InboxPounds
Toluna
Valued Opinions
The OpinionPanel Community
Swagbucks
LifePoints
With Toluna you can also try out cosmetics and homeware for them so you get freebies as well there.
Make money from your smartphone
Join Ipsos MORI inCompass and earn £20 for your first month and £10 every month after.
All you have to do to join is complete a five minute questionnaire and then install the free app.
They are currently only looking for Android users.
If that sounds like you then what are you waiting for?
Sign up here.
2. Make money from last year’s unwanted Christmas presents
Have a rummage in your wardrobe for those ‘lovely’ presents you got last Christmas that you have never used. Make some money out of them — and other items that are just clogging up your cupboards. Sell your unwanted or unused items.
This is a quick win and it has the extra advantage of helping you tidy and sort your home before the festive season too.
Sites like eBay, Ziffit and Gumtree are good for selling any items quickly and cheaply to people in your area.
In fact, recent research from Gumtree reveals the average British household currently has 23 unwanted or unused items worth a potential £881 – equating to a whopping £17.7bn nationally 1, so there’s no better time to sell than now!
1 Gumtree Global Second-Hand Economy Report 2019
A Gumtree spokesperson says:
“Many people are facing the squeeze this year for Christmas and need to look for solutions that will make the festive period special at little, or even no cost. From making a bit of extra money from selling once-loved items to put towards Christmas festivities to turning to local communities to easily and cheaply solve dilemmas like not having enough chairs and glasses.”
So, here's our guide to making the most money by selling your stuff before Christmas:
1. Start with the small stuff
Basically, make it easy for yourself. First of all, pick out things that are small, likely to sell quickly and won't cost much to post.
The most common unused items in British households include clothing, small goods such as DVDs and CDs, electronics, books, and games and toys. These are all perfect items to easily package up and pass on to make some money.
Mobile phones
You could make between £5 -500 depending on the make, model and condition of your phones by using a Mobile Phone Comparison Tool here. The beauty of using this tool is that you can sell your phone immediately and get the cash in straight away.
Gadgets
Professionals look on the likes of Gumtree and eBay for electronic gadgets and bits in any state.
They will pay quite quickly for laptops, iPads, games consoles and more, so if you’re looking for a quick sale, this is a great way to do it.
By the same token, though, if you have broken gadgets, wires and connectors that you don't use anymore, those very professionals could be the best people to sell them to. Ordinary users don't usually have the ability to mend these products, so they wouldn't be interested, but professionals are more likely to be after gadgets in any state even for the parts. See what you can get online, rather than just chucking them in the bin.
Books, CDs, DVDs and games
You can get instant cash for these using the Ziffit app. It's easy to use. Just download the app and then use it to scan the barcodes of any books, CDs, DVDs and games you don't want. Once you've scanned them, the app tells you how much they would give you for them and you can decide if you want to proceed with each item. Then, drop your unwanted items off at a Local Collect+ store (or wait for their free courier service, if your items weigh more than 15kg). Ziffit then put the money into your PayPal account pretty much straight away.
Admittedly, you could probably get more for each item by selling them individually online, but it would take a while and you would have to organise postage for each one, which is too much hassle! However, with Gumtree, you can arrange for a local buyer to pick up the item from your home, or you can meet them in a nearby public area if more convenient for you, eliminating postage and packaging costs.
2. The clothes
High street brands
When it comes to clothes, there's a big difference in price between brands.
You don't have to have a wardrobe full of high fashion items for them to sell well. Brands such as Karen Millen, Hobbs, Jigsaw, Ted Baker and Diva, for example, sell for good amounts.
Ideally, photograph them on you in good light. Also photograph the label and any tears or missing buttons, etc.
Not so well-known
If you have a lot of clothes from Primark, M&S and other shops that aren't in high demand, you can sell them for a decent amount by grouping them together and selling them as a job lot. So, you could photo them spread out on the floor/bed and advertise them as, say, "Assorted women's clothing size 12, 10 items".
See what others are charging for this kind of bundle and put a similar price on your job lot.
3. Sell the big stuff to make room for Christmas!
Selling furniture and electrical goods you don't want in the run -up to Christmas gives you the double -whammy of bringing cash into the Christmas coffers, while freeing up space in the house for any guests you're planning on inviting!
Furniture and electrical goods
You're definitely best -off selling these on Gumtree as you can sell to local people who can pick up the items without too much fuss.
Take good, clear photos, see what others have charged for something similar and set your price.
You could be surprised by how much you make – furniture, bikes, children’s scooters and pushchairs all do well.
Remember to make a big thing of any special features — for example, if it's 1970s vintage you can charge a lot more. Velvet is very fashionable at the moment, so if you have any furniture that is covered in that, big it up!
Your car!
Yes, now is a great time to sell your car, if it's hanging around the front drive gathering dust.
Selling your car would definitely pay for Christmas...and possibly give you extra money to put away for Christmas 2019. If you don't need it anymore, save yourself the cost of insurance, road tax, repairs and parking tickets as well as making money on the vehicle itself by selling it now.
1. Set the stage: Be organised and prepare your paperwork (including your V5C, MoT certificate and servicing receipts) in advance. Give the car a proper wash and polish (or pay for a professional valet), vacuum the carpets and give the interior a wipe over. Look at how you can replace anything that looks tatty – from wipers to wheel trims to chips and scratches, small touches can make a big difference. Get smart repairs done to bumper scuffs and parking dents – mobile body repairs are very cost effective.
2. Make sure you have all the parts: Does the key or fob work in all the locks? Is there a spare set? Do you know the security code for the radio? Reassure potential buyers that you have all the necessary tools and accessories for the car you are selling.
3. Check out the competition: Search online sites to help you judge the right price to offer your car for. Check out what other sellers are offering and look at factors such as mileage, condition, and service history to help you make a decision.
For more tips on selling your vehicle, read our complete guide on how to make extra money selling your car.
4. Do your own swap shop
Also, there’s nothing to stop you holding a swap shop with your own with friends, perhaps in November, where you all bring presents and other items you don’t want and swap them with each other. Just make sure you don’t give the present back to the person you swapped it with!
3. Get special, seasonal work
If you’re looking for Christmas work, find out about all the seasonal jobs available now.
There are a range of opportunities, so you’re bound to find something that will suit you.
For example, you could become a Christmas Casual at the Post Office. Being a part -time postal worker can be a great way to earn extra cash in the run -up to Christmas. Royal Mail takes on about 15,000 extra staff in November and December to help cope with the increased volume of mail.
These jobs offer flexible working hours, good rates of pay and are available nationwide. Mail sorters aged 21 and over can expect to earn between £7.25 and £10.70 an hour.
For a full list of pay rates, see the Royal Mail search and apply page. The recruitment process started in September, so you should apply sooner rather than later. Click here to apply for a Christmas job with the Royal Mail.
Deliver catalogues and leaflets
There’s also money to be made delivering catalogues and brochures over the festive season. Often these deliveries can be done in your own time, which is great if you're busy preparing for Christmas. Just watch out for companies that ask for cash deposits as they may be scams.
Read our article here on how to get into delivering leaflets and catalogues for cash.
Shop work
Working in retail is a great way to make a bit on the side before Christmas. A lot of high street stores, particularly big department stores, need an extra helping hand to deal with the pre-Christmas rush.
Not only will you be paid higher rates, if you work Bank Holidays, you're likely to get a discount in store too, so you could save on your Christmas shopping!
Try big chains such as Marks & Spencer, Next and Debenhams. Visit the stores and ask if they have application forms for Christmas work.
Now, the online retailers are getting in on the act too. Amazon recruits thousands of extra people for the really busy few months before Christmas, so see what they have on offer. They have twenty two distribution centres (otherwise known as fulfilment centres) across the UK Rugeley, Coalville, Daventry, Coventry, Rugby, Bristol, Kegworth, Peterborough Doncaster, Tilbury, Rochester, Kent, Ridgmont, Milton Keynes, Hemel Hempstead, Dunstable, Manchester, Warrington, Bolton, Chesterfield, Darlington, Dunfermline, Gourock, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea and they need extra help in all of them. Take a look at the jobs section on the site to see what’s available.
Bar Work
As with high-street stores, pubs and bars often take on extra staff over the holiday periods and particularly at Christmas. If you're willing to work on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year's Eve, you can expect double the usual hourly rate. Apply now, as these jobs tend to go pretty quickly.
Promote clubs
It may sound too good to be true, but you really can get paid to go clubbing. Clubs in cities all over the country need more punters to come through their doors and spend money at the bar. So, if you love clubbing, have lots of friends, and you're reasonably organised, you can make money from going out!
The idea is to create your own guest list for a nightclub from as many of your own contacts as possible. Depending on the club, you'll get a certain amount of commission for every person you bring to the event. Now admittedly, the Christmas/New Year period will be busy for a lot of clubs anyway, but it’s possible that they will still need help on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights even in the busiest months. Give it a go.
For more details and which clubs to hit, check out our article on how to get paid to party.
Babysitting
The party season can be really good for people who are willing to stay at home looking after someone else’s kids for the evening.
Either go it alone by leafleting your area and, maybe, advertising your services on Facebook, or join an agency and get work through them.
Babysitters are generally paid a minimum of £5 per hour depending on age, experience and where you live (minimum wage for under-18s is £4 an hour), but it can vary a lot from job to job.
With an agency, you will need to have a DBS check and references before they will even consider you. Many agencies only use qualified and experienced nannies, teachers or nurses, but some will take someone who just has a lot of experience caring for children (like a parent perhaps).
In central London you can expect around £10 per hour. Apply to an agency like Sitters for babysitting work. It’s worth checking websites like Gumtree to find local jobs in your local area too. Find out more here.
4. Make money as Santa Claus!
Have you got a wide girth, white hair and a jolly disposition?
Or are you petite, agile and experienced in entertaining kids and parents?
You could make money as a Santa or as an elf in shopping centres, department stores and even nightclubs this season!
What’s involved?
Santas and elves are in demand from October until Christmas Day (and, increasingly, beyond) to entertain children and adults at parties, department stores, shopping centres and nightclubs.
You’d need to be available during the day for shop work, or in the evening for parties and nightclubs. The work particularly suits actors and performers, especially those with specialist skills such as magic, unicycling and balloon modelling, but if you just have an outgoing nature and a good way with kids that can be enough.
How do you get work?
There are two routes – via an agency or a training school. You can also find plenty of seasonal jobs and temporary placements by visiting Jobs from Gumtree – there are thousands of seasonal jobs available.
One of the main Santa agencies is The Ministry of Fun based in South London. It places Santas and elves all over the country for different kinds of jobs. The agency uses its younger members for nightclub bookings where Santa turns up at midnight and throws gifts for the guests. The younger Santas are also used for jobs where Santa is needed to be on a bicycle or unicycle or to walk round a shopping centre all day.
Older Santas usually attend photoshoots or shopping centre grottos where they can mostly sit down.
The Ministry of Fun provides outfits for its Santas and elves but some of its people have their own kit. These performers also get work privately themselves through word of mouth or by answering ads. If you need to buy your own costume, eBay and Amazon will certainly have Father Christmas -style clothes.
Remember, for shopping online, you should make sure you’ve downloaded InvisibleHand .
This is a clever online tool that finds the cheapest price on whatever you’re looking for.
Download it now and you’ll never pay over the odds again!
Santa training school
Believe it or not, there really is such a thing as Santa training school where wannabe Santas are put through their paces in all things festive. The Ministry of Fun runs a Santa training school every year –contact them today for 2019 dates. If you’re too late for this year, register now for 2020.
Skills you need
Make sure you know what’s required before putting yourself forward.
For Santas, agencies are interested in men with performing skills, good voices, the right look (ideally their own white hair and beard along with a large tummy) and a kindly way with children.
Get in touch with the agencies by phone or email and they will set up an interview. If you have photos of yourself in costume, that will help your application.
Some also ask for photos of you without your costume, so they can see what you normally look like. They may want to see evidence of acting or performing skills on your CV, or at least experience of entertainment work (even if it is amateur dramatics). For help with writing a killer CV check out our essential article .
Before you get any work, you will need to get a DBS check. The DBS lasts for three years and is essential to have if you are working with children or vulnerable people. If you do not have one already, ask the agency for more information or check out our article about it here.
For elves, it's a good idea to join agencies and check the ads to give you the maximum exposure to work. Contact the agencies and take photos and a CV to your interview. Agencies usually look for petite women with performing skills to be elves, although some are boys or young men.
Some elves only need to look the part and interact well with the public, particularly children, but the majority need to have entertaining skills such as magic, balloon modelling and face painting. If you already work as a children's entertainer, then it should be easy to get work as an elf.
As with being a Santa, you will need to get a DBS check first.
5. Make things to sell
Now that the nights are drawing in and you’re spending more time indoors, why not use the time to make some money?
Here are a few ideas:
Make money in front of the TV
Yes, it's really tempting just to put the heating up, grab a blanket and curl up in front of the TV for hours in the freezing weather. So, if you're determined to do that, make some cash while you do it.
Firstly, if you're a good knitter (and knitting does rather go with the cold weather) you can make money by knitting to order. We've got a great article here on how to get in touch with designers to do piece work for them.
If you're really good at making things; sewing, painting, crocheting or any other form of non -messy craft-work, use this time to make things to sell at car boot sales, online or at your local market.
For example, you might enjoy scrapbooking , which is a great thing to do in front of the TV, or you might have the nose for making perfume, some of which can also be done in front of the box.
Everyone loves receiving handmade cards – they’re more personal and always nicer than shop -bought ones. As well as being unique and thoughtful, they can be easy to make for sale at local shops or markets.
If your Christmas designs do well, there's every chance customers will come back for something different on other occasions. You can get all your Christmas card materials from WHSmith and Amazon
Do some competitions
If you have access to the internet you can make use of the time wherever you are.
Make sure you have a go at some online competitions. Here at MoneyMagpie we love competitions, so head to our competitions page and enter as many as you like. Registration is free, and the page always has amazing giveaways including holidays, cars and gadgets.
Also, make sure you are signed up to the newsletter as we have a new, fab competition every day with everything from £100 vouchers to furniture and food hampers as prizes. Sign up for free here.
Make money cooking
If you're stuck inside huddled against the cold, what better way to use your time (and keep warm!) than by doing a little cooking?
If you're a dab hand in the kitchen, you could rustle up some treats such as cakes, jams and sweets to sell on the side for a tidy profit. Our article here has plenty of tips on how to go about making and selling your goodies.
Lakeland is the place to go for top -quality kitchen equipment. They have all kinds of lovely bags, boxes and decorations for sweets, cakes and jams. You can find cheaper items via online marketplaces too, or re-use boxes, bows, ribbons and even last year’s Christmas cards and wrapping paper to make seasonal gifts.
6. Make money selling Christmas hampers
Hampers make fantastic presents and Christmas hampers in particular are very popular. They can be quite expensive, though, and when times are hard people are especially keen on grabbing a bargain.
So why not try making your own gift baskets on the cheap and sell them for a nice little profit in time for Christmas? Here are some ideas as to how to do it:
The container
These don’t necessarily need to be a basket. You could find decorative boxes somewhere, or even get ordinary boxes and decorate them yourself. Or you could get the kids to help. You can get baskets and boxes from most garden centres, craft stores, pound shops and even some charity shops.
If you don’t feel like venturing out into the cold, Amazon has baskets for under a tenner. It’s also worth looking on sites such as Gumtree, where you can pick up some real bargains.
It’s usually best to get smaller boxes/baskets than you think you’ll need. That way you’ll be forced to display the goodies upright and more visibly. The containers will also fill up quicker and for less money!
The packing
To make your hampers look even more attractive, and to pad them out, you’ll need some decorative packing. Florists sell cheap flower cellophane, or you could use some low-cost Christmas wrapping paper from a pound shop or on eBay. For coloured tissue paper, check out Amazon where you can buy 20 assorted sheets for just £2.37.
If you have an electric shredder, it’s cheap and really effective to fill the hamper with strips of coloured paper. If you’d like to invest in an electric shredder you should be able to pick one up on line for less than £20.
The filling
You can put whatever you like into a hamper – in fact, unique items will make yours really stand out.
Here are a few ideas for things you might want to put in yours, but if you’re still stuck check out these M&S hampers for inspiration.
Wine
For Christmas wine, visit the Sunday Times Wine Club and have a look at their latest offers. If you want to buy wine in bulk, this is a great place to shop, because it’s high quality and very reasonably priced. Take a look at their latest offers.
In addition, have a look at the Tesco Wine Club, which is always running special offers and discounts on some quality wines. View all their special offers here
Chocolate
You simply must include chocolate in your hamper! Thorntons always has offers on Christmas goodies , so you can get lots more for your money.
For luxury hampers, you could visit Hotel Chocolat , which has some lovely, higherquality (but pricier) chocolates. They also sell a delicious range of gluten -free products (for coeliacs) – view the full range here .
If you buy chocolates that are individually wrapped, you can divide a box up and place them in different hampers, saving you money. Find ones with pretty or festive packaging and they’ll liven up your hamper.
Beauty products
With lots of parties taking place, Christmas is a great time to indulge in a bit of pampering. So why not include beauty products in your hampers?
Fragrances, skin care and bath products will go down a treat.
Don’t shop anywhere for beauty products without first checking out Feelunique , allbeauty.com, Half Price Perfumes and LookFantastic – they’re the place to look for bargain deals.
Tea and coffee
Everyone loves a good cup of tea or coffee, making luxury brands ideal for hampers. Whittard Of Chelsea runs some lovely festive promotions, so you could put together a tea-lover’s pack with a cup and saucer in the middle with some small packs of speciality teas and a tea strainer around it.
Alternatively, pick some packs of special coffee beans and add a couple of mugs, a teapot or a cafetière for a complete cuppa kit.
You can get these kinds of things very cheaply at supermarkets too, saving you more money to buy really special tea and coffee. For something a little sweeter, Whittard Of Chelsea offers some gorgeous hot chocolates. With over 20 flavours to choose from, you should find something you like – we’ve got our eyes on the Rocky Road and Caramel varieties.
Make your own treats
Make the most of any skills you have and put things you’ve made yourself into your hampers. This really adds a sense of the personal touch which could boost the hamper’s value when you try and sell it
If you make jams, chutneys, cakes or sweets, put some pretty labels on them and throw them in! Or you could make your own chocolate truffles, wrap them in pretty cellophane and add them to the basket.
If you’re a dab hand at making sweet treats, check out this article: How to make money selling cakes, jams and sweets and you could be on to a nice little earner.
Alternatively, you could make some oldfashioned Christmas shortbread – it’s cheap and really easy to do. All you need is:
170g (6oz) plain flour, 115g (4oz) butter 55g (2oz) caster sugar.
Put them all in a bowl and mix really well until everything sticks together. Then roll out the mixture into a tray, bake at 190C/375F/gas mark five for 15-20 minutes. Cut into cubes or other shapes when cool.
Finishing touches
Now you’ve packed your hamper full of goodies, add the finishing touches to your presentation.
Get your hands on some of that cellophane we mentioned earlier – from a florist or a garden centre – for around 50p a metre. Cut a piece that’s big enough to completely wrap around the hamper and its contents. Stick the hamper in the middle, then gather the corners of the cellophane together at the top and tie the whole thing up with a big bright ribbon. You could also add tinsel, baubles, sprigs or holly or any other Christmassy items to make it even more attractive to buyers.
How to sell your hamper
Now you’ve made your wonderful hamper, it’s time to sell it.
Research
Think about who you're going to sell your hampers to. If you live in a country village, then homemade products such as jams and cakes are likely to sell better than a hamper packed with novelty Christmas gifts.
Ask your friends and family what they'd like to receive in a hamper, and if you're selling them locally, enquire in your neighbourhood too.
Check the regulations
Before putting any homemade food in your hampers, contact your local authorities to check regulations in your area. It might be that your kitchen has to be registered, or that you need some type of licence. Keep everything above board and you shouldn't have any problems. Find the contact details of your local council here
Buy in bulk
You need to sell your hampers at a profit. If it costs you a fortune to make them, you might find yourself out of pocket, somewhat defeating the object!
Start by making a list of around 5 –10 items that you definitely want to include in your hampers.
Once you've got your list, think about how you could buy each product in bulk as this will save you a fortune. Amazon and eBay are great places to look for bargains, and most of the websites mentioned so far will save you a packet. Also, keep an eye out for special offers throughout the year, such as two-for-one deals and discounts on multi-packs.
Pricing
Knowing how to price your hamper can be tricky. Your best bet is to jot down exactly how much it cost you to make the hamper, taking into account the items inside it, the basket itself and the decorations. You should also factor in your own time (how long did you spend making it?) and any delivery costs you might have incurred. Once you've got that figure, you'll need to decide how much you're going to mark the price up.
Trust your instincts – if you live in a good area and the items inside your hamper are of a high quality, set a price to reflect that. Likewise, if the items inside your hamper are quite low value then don't charge the earth or you'll find yourself very short of customers. They might buy once but you can guarantee they won't come back for seconds. Try to find out what your competitors (if there are any) are charging and where possible, charge less!
Advertising
Get your hampers seen by a large audience online by using sites like Gumtree and eBay. These sites allow you to advertise for free and are really easy to use.
Make sure you try local farmers’ markets and car boot sales. The costs involved will be relatively low and it'll give you the chance to assess what sells well and the quality of your competition. You should also post leaflets through your neighbours’ doors advertising your services.
Include prices, contact details and a really nice image of one of your hampers. Once you're a bit more confident in your abilities, post an ad in your local paper a month or so before Christmas.
If you're signed up to a social network such as Twitter or Facebook, make sure you leave a post on there as well. Or, if the mere mention of social networks sends shudders down your spine, have a word with your friends and family word of mouth is just as good.
The chances of one of your family members being signed up to either Facebook or Twitter is high and advertising your services will take them a matter of seconds.
Social networking is a very powerful tool and if you’re serious about selling hampers you need to hop aboard the wagon – or at least get someone else to on your behalf!
See Moneymagpie’s Facebook and Twitter pages for inspiration.
7. Make money shopping
The easiest way to make money before Christmas is to earn while you shop. There are two ways to do this –using cashback sites, or with a cashback credit card.
Cashback sites
These days loads of us are doing the majority of our Christmas shopping online. It saves money and is much less hassle than battling the freezing weather and mammoth queues on the high street. So, if you're going to shop online, do it early and through a cashback site to make some extra money.
There are loads to choose from, so use one that covers the shops you're likely to want to buy things from. Start with sites that give you cash just for signing up –Cashback Shopper gives you £5, and Ecashback gives you £2.50 immediately. Quidco’s another Moneymagpie favourite – they’re linked with 3,500 retailers, so get signed up and you’ll be racking up the cashback in no time. We’ve written a whole article on the joys of cashback shopping – take a look here.
Cashback cards
These work in a similar way to cashback sites, in that you are rewarded for spending. Don't confuse them with loyalty cards such as the Boots card – cashback cards are credit cards that you use to buy items and pay later, not loyalty cards. Don’t bother with these cards if you struggle to clear your credit card balance every month – the interest you'll have to pay will definitely outweigh the cashback benefits. For some great advice on getting out of the red and into the black, see our article on how to beat your credit card balance.
If you know that you can pay your credit card bill each month (in other words, before the interest kicks in), cashback cards are a great way to get something back when you shop.
Don’t forget to sign up for email alerts too! Websites such as VoucherCodes will alert you on the best deals that are being offered online.
However, be cautious as some of the best deals are gone after a day.
8. Excuses to avoid Christmas
Nearly 2 billion people don’t celebrate Christmas, some choose to celebrate it on the 7 January, while others choose not to celebrate it all together. You could join their ranks this holiday season by adopting one of our handy excuses below…
Fun excuses to give this holiday season
According to the Nationwide Building Society, last year in 2018 almost two -thirds of Brits cut back their Christmas expenditure as the cost of living rose.
Well, why not cut back all together and use one of our fun excuses to avoid the Christmas squeeze this holiday season.
The minimalist movement
Follow in the footsteps of Geoffrey Szuszkiewicz who is part of the anti-consumerism movement. In 2016, Szuszkiewicz had the ultimate no spend Christmas when he was midway through his no buy year. And he’s not the only one converting to minimalism this festive season, other key players in the game include Mark Boyle, the Moneyless Man, and Michelle McGagh, a financial journalist.
In order to adopt this approach, simply start letting loved ones know that you have decided to become a more mindful consumer. You will have to explain that you don’t want to be part of the rise in consumerism that sweeps through the festive season and as a result you won’t be buying any luxuries – the necessities only please!
Your anti-consumer stance can also be supported by the sharp rise in income inequality that is experienced at Christmas. This is where, typically, local retailers and businesses do not get their fair share of the shopping market, as they are beaten out by the larger retailers who can increase their offerings for the savvy shoppers. For some businesses, this time of year is boom or bust, so if you choose not to contribute to the market then you can feel guilt free for the rest of the year.
If the idea of forgoing gift giving this season doesn’t delight you, then why not make your own presents instead, as we describe in section 5 of this guide. Likewise, if you’re not feeling crafty you can explain your gift giving strategy to friends and family.
For instance, Sal Crosland, another minimalist you should keep your money making eyes on, prefers to spend her time on making memories and giving experiences to her loved ones instead of buying into the latest trend. It’s all about explaining your own ethos to those dearest to you, and who knows they might even join you!
The second-hand saviour
Another great way to save on the actual day is to have a second -hand Christmas. To do this, be direct with friends and family and give them a budget, which should then be spent in charity shops, thrift stores and flea markets only. Not only are you bound to save money on the gift giving, but you are also reducing your waste too. And remember, some people find second -hand presents more authentic too.
The environmentalist angle
Much like being a minimalist, having an eco-friendly Christmas can help to reduce the costs too. If you have always preferred going out and picking a Christmas tree, then maybe think twice this year. Christmas trees are typically bought into homes for a one-month period before they are chucked for good. A plastic one isn’t very green either, so maybe steer clear of that if this is your new mantra. Instead, you could buy a new house plant for some presents to sit under or rent a Christmas tree, if you still want some festive sparkle. These trees can be rented for as little as £19.95. Check out websites such as The Little Tree Company to source your money saviour. However, if you’re not buying presents, then you might not need a Christmas tree, giving you some extra cash in your back pocket.
Carve up the cost of dinner
Why not reduce Christmas’ elaborate affair even further by limiting the number of guests you have in the home this year.
Keep your gathering to close friends and family only for the ultimate intimate affair that will help your wallet too! Remember though, if some friends and family are arriving from outside of your four walls, then ask them to bring a piece of the spread each to help divide the costs of the day. For example, someone could bring the Christmas pudding, a bottle of something to drink, a cheese board – anything you like really! It is completely up to you and your inner circle about how you divide the preparation and the cost of the lunch on the day.
You can even break parts of the meal down further in order to save money. You could decide to have a vegan spread this year instead of serving meat on the day. By cooking a nut roast – or other vegan alternatives – you can save on the cost of the food entirely. Likewise, you can choose to have an alcohol-free day instead. By giving up alcohol for the festive period (instead of a dry January), you can save money on the day as well as all the other festivities too.
Just remember though, the ultimate why to save money on food is to bag an invite to someone else’s spread instead.
Rejoice in your religion
Being honest and open about your religion this December could be the excuse you need to sway away from this Christian holiday.
There are several religions that don’t celebrate Christmas at all such as Judaism, Hindi, Shinto faith and Islam. Now, we aren’t saying to convert to a new religion in order to avoid the Christmas spend, but if you are religious then you should definitely remind people of that this holiday season, so you don’t have to fork out fistfuls of cash to join in the festivities.
If you’re not religious, then there are other excuses that you can adopt. You can tell loved ones of your new-found atheist roots, after all it’s a celebration rooted in religion that you may not want to be part of.
If none of these excuses float your boat, then you can also use the aged old excuse and blame your lack of presents on your awful gift giving instead.
9. How to skip the day
To really look after those pennies, then why not skip on the day all together?
There are a few options that you can deploy, if you’re looking to save and don’t want to appear like a Charles Dickens character this December.
First, you could spend your day being philanthropic by volunteering. There are several charities that seek volunteers to help out on Christmas day. In 2018, Crisis had 11,000 volunteers helping out in cities across the country to give a Christmas to those less fortunate.
Alternatively, you can volunteer locally in several different ways by becoming an activities volunteer, a Christmas helper or by stewarding a park run. We recommend checking out Do-it to find volunteering opportunities around the festive period in your area. Be sure to apply quick though as volunteer roles do fill up rapidly.
If you do miss out on volunteering your time, then you could choose to make a profit this Christmas instead by getting a temp job. It’s a win -win situation as you can earn some cash, while avoiding the spend too. For example, you could try and get shift work in a pub, restaurant or as a taxi driver for Christmas day and then on other national holidays in 2020.
Not only will you earn an hourly wage for the day, but you will no doubt earn even more in tips, as customers will be generous with their money that’s for sure.
You can always use other tactics to skip out on the day. For example, you can confide in friends and family that you find social occasions too stressful and would rather miss the day entirely in order to avoid any anxious feelings. If this is something you are considering, then make sure you have a plan for how you would like to spend the day. For instance, you could have a movie marathon lined up, Christmas TV booked in, a walk in the countryside planned or even a big stack of books/magazines to get through.
Likewise, you could also spend the day wandering around normally busy roads in the dim of Christmas day being a tourist.
This is a popular past time for savvy Americans who want to save money and experience those sought -after tourist sites without the crowds.
Christmas deals you didn’t know existed
Across the pond, there are numerous events, travel opportunities and ticket deals that exist if you’re willing to get out an explore on the 25 December. In the UK, these deals are slightly less existent. But there are still deals out there if you know where to look.
First, flying on Christmas day (or around the Christmas period) may in fact be cheaper. To make the most of these deals, we recommend setting up an alert on SkyScanner or signing up to Jack’s Flight Club. Keep your eyes peeled on the flight deals; however, jetting off may not be the most cost-effective Christmas alternative.
Read our new article to find the best travel deals.
Deals also exist for buying tickets to sporting events and the theatre. These deals also extend to either side of the holiday period and boxing day in particular.
The end and Merry Christmas.
