Christmas shopping is never the easiest task in the world.
If you have a big family it can get pretty expensive, and whilst a lot of shopping is done online these days the process of walking through crowded shopping streets can be, shall we say, less than fun.
For a lot of us money can be a concern when it comes to Christmas, yet with 13 weeks to go, if you start making some small changes, you could save a sizeable chunk before you start shopping.
To save £500 by the start of December, you need to put away £7 a day, starting today (Saturday September 28).
Doing that means you will have saved £511 by Tuesday, December 10 - giving you a big chunk of money to go shopping with as the festive season begins.
Follow these tips to help save your £7 a day:
- Stop buying take away coffees and use a portable cup to drink your own instead
- Cut down on the amount of alcohol you drink - a bottle of wine at home, or a couple of drinks in the pub can easily cost the £7 you need to save that day
- Switch to supermarket own brands instead of buying branded goods - this could knock a few pounds off each time you shop
Follow Money Saving Expert’s supermarket shopping hacks to save even more money at the checkout
- Save money by taking your own lunch to work
- When shopping in town, take public transport to avoid expensive car park fees
- Have a clear out and see what you can sell on Depop or eBay
- When your make up and perfume runs out, buy designer replicas. Primark sells an £8 bottle of perfume that smells exactly like Thierry Mugler’s Alien and Aldi is full of beauty replicas like this bargain eye cream that's £380 cheaper
- Plan your weekly shop - and stick to it. It’s surprising how much money you waste on impulse buys in the supermarket. Never go shopping when you’re hungry.
- Spend time looking over your recent bank statements and work out what you’re spending money on that could be cut out. You only have to give it up a few weeks between now and Christmas to help save your £7 a day.
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