Christmas is Coming
It may not be something that you want to think about just yet but the holiday season is fast approaching and it can be an expensive time of year. With only 3 paydays to go before Christmas now is the time to start thinking about starting your shopping to avoid the last minute rush. There are several ways to ensure that the costs don’t spiral out of control leaving you paying off your purchases well into the next year, here are a few suggestions.
Voucher Codes and Coupons
Before you buy anything always check to see if there are any money off vouchers or coupons available to help save money on your final bill. There are always large numbers of vouchers available on a huge range of products, whether it be fashion, beauty or food. The vouchers on offer are continually renewed and updated, so it would be an advantage to keep checking to see what new vouchers and discounts are become available
Shop Around
Prices in the shops are extremely competitive at this time of year with stores offering a range of deals and discounts to try and entice you to shop with them. Rather than pounding the street going from shop to shop, use price comparison sites to find the best deal in your area.
All bring a bowl
Food at Christmas can be very expensive especially if you have a lot of family coming for Christmas dinner. A way to reduce this could be to ask everyone coming to all bring a portion of the dinner ranging from the starter, vegetables for the main to desert. This will not only help save on the cost of the food but also on the time it would take to make the meal allowing for more time to be spent with the family.
Secret Santa
Buying presents for all of your friends can soon add up, one way to get around this may be to arrange a Secret Santa. Set a budget for how much you will each spend on the present and draw names out of a hat. This will keep the costs down but still allow presents to be exchanged. The same could be done for the children of your friends, buying something for them all can soon add up; doing Secret Santa would avoid this.
Make it yourself
Whilst making presents can be time consuming, there are certain aspects of Christmas that you could make or save money on by getting creative and making them yourself. For instance making Christmas cards for the immediate family can be an easy way to reduce costs and can be very personal. Getting the children involved can also be a great way to keep them entertained. You can also get them to make decorations for the Christmas tree, giving it a personal touch that can be kept for years to come.
About the author
Article written by Rhian Gillam of the Vouchers Team in Moneysupermarket.com
Twitter @Rhian_Gillam and @VoucherExpert
Posted by Sok on October 20, 2010 Tags: Black Friday Deals
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