Check out these tried and tested tips to help you beat inflation, get you through the season and do Christmas 2023 on a budget. With the festivities just weeks away, it’s definitely time to start planning.
Plan Christmas gifts on a budget
You can make your Christmas shopping easier by thinking about what you want to buy in terms of gifts, groceries, wrapping paper and so on. Try not to get way more than you need. By making a plan to buy Christmas items on a budget (and sticking to it) it’ll be much easier to get things done – and far less stressful!
Manage your finances
Christmas can be an expensive time. But there are plenty of ways to turn it into a financial success rather than a financial shock. Start by drawing up a budget for your Christmas 2023 spending, taking into account all the extras like Christmas parties and socialising. If you use a credit card, make sure you pay off the balance in full when the bill arrives. And try not to dig into your savings or overdraft too much. Make the most of things like prepaid cards which are great if you want to avoid racking up huge bills, as you can only spend what you have.
Have a conversation with friends and family
If you are struggling financially like a lot others this festive season, it might help to have an honest conversation with friends and family to let them know. They may also be struggling this time of year and feel relieved not to exchange any presents. We would also suggest that buying one present for a couple or family will help cut down the cost of buying individual presents.
Don’t leave it too late
If you want your Christmas shopping to be stress free, don’t leave it too late. You’ve still got plenty of time, but you might want to get started soon if you haven’t already. An ideal time to shop for Christmas gifts is during the Black Friday sales. Many retailers are still offering Black Friday deals, so you’ll still find some great bargains.
- Make the most of shopping apps – Checkout Vouchercloud for the best deals and couponing
- or CheckoutSmart for money off your groceries or even free products
- Mint is a great app for saving money for Christmas weekly
- Honey app and Shopmium can help you get freebies and save up to £50 a week off your online or in-store shopping.
Find cheap but thoughtful Christmas gifts
If you’re doing Christmas on a budget for 2023, then cheap but thoughtful Christmas gifts are the way to go. The Black Friday sales will have many cheap but thoughtful Christmas gift. Some retailers promote their Black Friday offers throughout this week, you better get out there to secure the best deals. You can pick up some gorgeous cheap but thoughtful gifts for £5 or less, such as a scented candle, a photo frame, a jar of sweet treats (you can up-cycle the jar) or even some handmade baked goodies.
Find Christmas gift ideas under £5
Yes, you heard that right. Find Christmas gifts under £5. It’s super easy to do, too! Pretty much every store comes up with an array of options if you Google ‘Christmas gifts under £5‘. You can get all manner of cool gifts from Amazon, such as funny drinks coasters, games cards, personalised stickers, socks and much more.
Useful links:
CheckoutSmart – Make your supermarket shop more rewarding????
Vouchers and Discount Codes from vouchercloud
Shopmium | Exclusive supermarket offers
Automatic Coupons, Promo Codes, and Deals | Honey (joinhoney.com)
Budget Tracker & Planner | Free Online Money Management | Mint (intuit.com)
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