Walking down the street, I couldn’t help but peek through a couple of windows and see the first Christmas trees going up. We’ll be getting ours on the weekend, and once the smell of pine and fir is in the air, Christmas really is upon us.
But actually, the Christmas feeling was already there. It’s mostly one of warmth and merriment, with things like Buster the Boxer, Winter Wonderland and all the decorations around supermarkets. But there is a flip side to all of the fun too. Buying presents for the kids, gifts at work, booking a trip away… there is no doubt that the fun of the festive season comes at a price.
This year, I’m pretty hell-bent on avoiding the January hangover, and not having a massive hole in the budget once we start taking the Christmas decorations down. Here are some ideas I had, which may come in handy for you as well:
Black Friday mayhem
The madness of Black Friday can easily suck you in. Signs with “80% off” will usually make you rush for the bounty without even thinking twice. But a recent survey by Which? Showed that as many as half of the ‘deals’ on Black Friday are actually cheaper at other times, and that just eight per cent are one-day offers. So if you do decide to pick up some bits on Friday, do some research beforehand, decide what you need, and keep your head among all the frantic offers to make sure you end up on the right side of the bargain(s).
Get ‘em all on Amazon
It’s often the ultimate saver when it comes to shopping, and always more convenient. But you can actually make Christmas shopping even cheaper by manipulating Amazon’s discount loopholes to extract extraordinary bargains. Just follow the previous link, sort by respective categories, and end up with a page full of basement bargain options. You can’t go wrong!
Borrow for 0 per cent
If you need to dip into your credit card to fund your Christmas, that’s okay. But do it on a 0 per cent card if you can. By doing this, you’ll also be able to benefit from certain spending rewards schemes, which are worth taking advantage of. Alternatively if you need a personal loan to tide you over, be sure to look at all your options, as there are plenty of low-cost deals out there.
Play Secret Santa
Whether it’s at home, at work or with friends, Secret Santa is straight out the textbook of thrift, and is a budgeter’s delight. By only forking out for one gift each time – usually at an agreed ceiling price – you can save a lot of money with your present shopping. Not to mention have a lot of fun to boot, given the element of mystery involved with the game.
Be ready for scraps in January
If you are able to save a few pennies over the festive season, be ready for a bargain bonanza come January. Especially when it comes to things like Christmas wrapping paper, trees, decorations, and anything else Christmas related, shops will be desperate to offload the lot once the New Year begins. So pick up the scraps at bargain price, and get a leg up on next year’s Christmas! That said, it won’t just be Christmas goods which are on sale. Chances are, many stores will have over catered for the holiday period – so you could pick up just about any retail goods at a snip. What a January that would be!
Sense and sensibility
It is easy to get caught up in all the festive spirit, and let loose of the purse strings without giving tomorrow much of a thought. But careful budgeting, with a solid idea of what you need, coupled with a reasonable allowance for fun and luxuries, can give you a good base to work from. Christmas is a time to be treasured with friends and family. But, at the same time, you don’t need to spend a fortune to have fun. A bit of planning can go a long way.
