It’s that time of year again where we all go crazy and spend money like it’s going out of style.
We all love to have a merry Christmas, but for many of us there’s the reality check of the cost of it all in the New Year as the credit card bills roll in.
But Yuletide joy doesn’t have to be followed by post festive pain if we give a bit of thought to it all beforehand.
Here are our ten tips for carrying the festive cheer over into 2014.
Plan ahead
List all the things you’re going to have to pay for and make sure to miss nothing out – food, drink presents – then you can work out how much you can afford to spend on each without maxing out the plastic.
Shop around
Not just for presents – check out the deals on offer for your grub and booze too. It’s an ultra-competitive market out there so make the best of it to get the biggest bang for your bucks.
Remember the budget
You’ve sat down and worked out what you can spend so stick to it. It’s all too easy to start getting into the Christmas spirit too early so don’t be tempted to go over the top.
Send free e-cards
There are hundreds of sites offering free (or paid for) e-cards which can save you a fortune in postage for real cards and it’s a faster, more efficient way of making sure that Aunt Gladys in Mooney Ponds, Australia, gets her card in time.
Second class post
If you’re sending real cards then why not send them by second class post instead of first? Depending on how many you send you could save quite a bit.
Don’t buy a real tree
This could save you money for years to come as well. Four foot artificial trees can be picked up for around £12 while real ones are going for an average of £8 a foot making a four foot tree £32.
Don’t take extended warranties
If you’re buying electrical goods as gifts you will most likely be offered expensive extended warranties to cover them. However, it’s worth remembering that all electrical goods are covered by a 12 month warranty anyway so is it really worth spending the extra?
Look for VFM
If you prefer to eat out rather than go through the hassle of preparing a Christmas meal yourself then look for value for money. There are some real bargains out there if you look.
Postpone your celebrations
If, like my family, you get together for a big celebration meal then you might consider spending Christmas Day relaxing at home and wait a few days before splashing out on the big blowout. You’ll find you can pick up Christmas dinner a lot cheaper at the supermarket and give yourself time to go for tip 12.
Start buying next year’s gifts in the sales
By December 26th it’s all over with for another year. But this is your chance to get a head start on Christmas 2014 by using the sales to pick up some mega bargains to make next year even cheaper.
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