Christmas is an expensive time of year for most people. The total cost of gifts, cards, extra special food and drink, decorations, and travelling long distance to visit loved ones all mounts up rapidly. In times of economic crisis, it is especially important to think of ways to save money at Christmas.
I hope that the following money-saving tips will be useful to those wishing to save either a few pennies or significant amounts of money this Christmas!
Gifts
- Start your Christmas shopping as early as possible. Ideally, buy things throughout the year, especially during sales. You could even start during the after-Christmas sales! As you accumulate gifts, put them all in one place so that you don’t forget about them. When December comes, you may only have to get a few last-minute presents. Note: If you buy toiletries or anything edible, always check their “use by” and “best before” dates. You don’t want anything to have gone off by Christmas!
- Try doing more of your shopping online, especially during sales. Online auction sites (e.g, eBay) and price comparison sites (e.g., kelkoo) can help you find the absolute best prices. Don’t forget to take delivery costs into consideration. Note that shops that advertise items at very low prices may have particularly high delivery fees. If you plan to buy several items from one online store, order them all at once, as this will normally save you money on delivery costs. Even if some of the items you have ordered aren’t in stock and need to be sent separately later, the company you have ordered from will most likely only charge you once for delivery. Finally, even if you don’t like buying and paying for things online, it is still worth using a price comparison website to help you find the best offline (e.g., highstreet) shop to make your purchase from.
- Browse your local second-hand or charity shop for unique collectible items that can be given as gifts. You may find a valuable antique for sale at a bargain price. However, it is important to remember that not everyone appreciates being given used items. I’m sure you know which of your friends would appreciate such gifts and which wouldn’t.
- A homemade gift is often the most cherished type of gift. Making homemade gifts can be both fun and economical. You might want to consider making edible gifts, such as homemade sweets, cookies, or preserves. These will particularly be appreciated by those who have everything or those who have limited space at home. Making a piece of artwork as a gift is also a nice idea. Last year, my parents received a laminated sheet of paper with their baby grandchild’s hand prints (in paint) on it. This is something that they will keep forever!
- This next piece of advice may be difficult to follow but is still worth mentioning here. From the very start, try not to give your children excessive gifts at Christmas. If you once start, they will expect it every year. Try to only buy them gifts that you think they will remain interested in. Remember that very young children are often more fascinated by the wrapping paper or packaging than what is inside! Finally, bear in mind that your children will probably receive many gifts from other family members and family friends.
- Consider arranging a game of Secret Santa. This game allows everyone to buy just one low-cost gift.
- If you really have no money to spend on any Christmas gifts, consider visiting the website No Christmas Gifts This Year, where you can send a message with a promise that you will spend quality time (e.g., at the park or playing games) with the recipient.
Wrapping gifts
- Consider saving and reusing wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows from presents that you receive at Christmas and throughout the year. Don’t worry about saving every scrap of paper; just save large, uncrumpled pieces. Besides saving money, you will be helping to save the environment.
- An effective way of reducing what you spend on Christmas wrapping paper is to buy it in the sales just after Christmas, ready for next year. As shops need to clear space, they often practically give it away.
- You can also save money by wrapping your Christmas presents in parcel (kraft) paper. This type of paper is normally pale brown and comes in rolls of varying widths and lengths. It is normally much cheaper than traditional Christmas wrapping paper and it is surprisingly versatile. Wrapping your gifts with parcel paper and tying them with string, natural looking ribbons, or raffia can give them a really rustic look. A piece of holly or even pressed autumn leaves could be stuck on to the paper to add a dash of colour. For a unique look, you could use paper luggage labels (bought or made) as gift tags. This will make them look like they have been sent from afar. If you would rather brighten up your gifts, consider drawing or stamping a design on the paper before you use it to wrap you presents. Colourful bows and ribbons can also brighten up your gifts. Around Christmas, some shops may even stock red or green parcel paper. For a different effect, totally crumple and then uncrumple the paper before using it. This is a good technique to use if you want to reuse old brown paper that has minor creases in it.
- You can cut out the pictures of old Christmas cards and use them as gift tags. Make sure that there is no writing already on the back though. If you want to attach the tags using ribbons or string, use a hole punch to make a hole in each tag. Once again, you will be saving money and helping the environment.
Cards and postage stamps
- Consider buying Christmas cards in the sales just after Christmas. Shops normally drastically reduce the price of cards because they want to sell new designs the next Christmas.
- Instead of buying Christmas cards, you could put any artistic talent you have to use by making your own Christmas cards. Making cards is a fun activity that can be done as a family. Recipients will likely be very touched and may treasure the card for years to come. Many shops sell Christmas-card-making kits that contain all you need to make a variety of different designs. If your main aim is to save money, make sure that the total cost for the materials is lower than what you would normally spend on already made cards. Note that you may be able to get materials and/or kits at a reduced price in the sales after Christmas.
- Consider sending electronic cards (“e-cards”) instead of sending real cards. Not only will you save money on the cards and postage, you will be helping the environment!
- In certain countries, such as The Netherlands and Australia, special Christmas postage stamps are sold in the run up to Christmas. They cost slightly less than normal stamps and are meant for sending your Christmas cards. You may want to enquire about this at your local post office.
Decorations
- In the long term, it is probably more economical to buy a good-quality fake Christmas tree that can be reused year after year than it is to buy a cut real Christmas tree every year.
- If you prefer a real Christmas tree, consider buying one with roots. You can then plant it in your garden after Christmas. If the tree survives, you can dig it up and redecorate it the next Christmas. Ask your tree supplier about how to increase your tree’s chances of survival.
- Consider making your own Christmas decorations. This can be both fun and economical. Ideas include popcorn garlands, dried fruit and pine branch arrangements, salt dough ornaments, paper chains, aluminium foil stars, etc. Pinecones and acorns can also be used as ornaments, either sprayed gold/silver or kept natural.
Food and drink
- If you are hosting a Christmas party, ask everyone to bring one dish to share with everyone. To keep the food balanced, you could specify whether the guest should bring a starter, a main course component, or a dessert. This is often called a “potluck” dinner. A similar idea could be applied to a drinks party; ask everyone to contribute one bottle of drink of their choice. This could be alcoholic or non-alcoholic. You as host could provide snacks and nibbles. In both types of party, make sure that you have a back-up supply of food and drinks!
- Non-perishable food can be bought well in advance of Christmas. Therefore, stock up whenever it is on sale. Don’t wait until a few days before Christmas, when it is likely to be at its maximum price!
- Take advantage of discount coupons/vouchers. These can often be found online or in in-store magazines.
Travel
- If you are travelling by train, bus, ferry, or plane, book your passage as early as possible. Significant savings can be made this way. If you book very late, you just might get lucky with a last-minute amazing deal. However, this is never guaranteed and it’s up to you whether you want to take the risk.
- If a group of you are travelling to the same place and there is the option of flying or travelling by ferry, it is often more economical to travel together by ferry. This is because many ferry companies charge per car, rather than per person.
- If you really want to reduce your travel costs, consider flying on Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve. Flights are often cheaper at these times. Do make sure to check that any other forms of transport that you require are running. You don’t want to end up having to pay a high taxi bill for a journey that you could normally do for much cheaper by bus or train!
- If you are planning to take lots of gifts with you when you fly, make sure that your baggage weight will not exceed that allowed by your airline. The charges for extra kilos can be extremely high. If you are organised in time, consider sending all your gifts by post. This may be a much cheaper alternative than paying excess baggage fees. You will also have more room in your suitcase for your own things!
Credit cards
- If you have a so called “cash back” credit card, remember to use this for all of your purchases. If you don’t have one, consider applying for one before you start your Christmas spending spree!
