December is the one single month
out of the year where diaries are jam packed with things to do
such as buying presents, organizing Christmas dinners, drinks,
lunches, office parties - the list goes on. December is also the
one single month that people themselves into debt, and in the
current climate, people simply can't afford to overspend!
Remember, with careful planning
and budgeting, you don't have to spend ridiculous amount of
money this Christmas. So we have come up with a list of 10 ways
to make your money stretch this Christmas, so you can enjoy
Christmas without putting an enormous hole in your bank account
and get yourself further in debt.
Restaurant/Bars
Discounts
Networking, partying and
lunches over Christmas can often take its toll - especially with
the amount of money you're spending when you're constantly out
entertaining. A great way to save money is to shop around for
online discounts. Majority of top restaurants and bars are now
offering some fantastic offers such as BOGOF's.
Also look out for discount code
websites which provides unique discounts on certain products or
incentives for many high street and online shops
Price Comparison Sites
Shopping around for Christmas
presents is vital to save money but with so many people shopping
during the final hour, there doesn't seem to be any time to shop
for the ultimate bargain.
Price comparison sites are a
fantastic tool to get information on all products alongside
prices, often giving you a selection of the cheapest to the most
expensive prices on each product and where to buy them from.
Majority of the products you can also buy online, so you don't
have to leave the house, leaving you with more time to think
about the rest of the Christmas check list!
Food Brands
Going to the supermarket for
the family Christmas dinner shop is always expensive. A great
way to cut your grocery bill down is to purchase supermarkets
own brand names which are considerably cheaper than named
brands.
DIY Cards
Buying Christmas cards for
friends and family can also eat into your Christmas budget, so
show your creative side and make your own handmade greeting
cards. There are many websites that allow you to make your own
cards for free, or simply send an Christmas e-card.
Free stuff
Imagine not paying a single
penny on Christmas presents? Well, there are plenty of websites
that offer consumers free product and these items are normally
unwanted gifts.
Haggling
As the season of goodwill,
December is a great time to start and perfect your haggling
skills. You can either bargain a price down, or get something
for free.
Three key tips on haggling is
- Remember flattery will get
you anywhere! Always go when its quieter If they don't bargain
with you, then ask for free extras.
- So if you buy a new mobile
phone, why not ask for a free Bluetooth case!
- Remember if you don't ask,
you won't get!
Online auction sites
Cut your Christmas shopping
bill in half in the comfort of your own home. With over 51
online auction sites, it won't take you long to find the perfect
presents for your loved ones.
Exchange your unwanted items
party
As everyone goes through the
same struggles throughout Christmas, why not suggest an unwanted
items exchange party with friends, family and colleagues. One
persons rubbish is another persons gold, so invite everyone to
bring in their unwanted clothes, gifts to the party, and they
can exchange their unwanted goods with something they really
want! These can also become great Christmas presents.
You can also do another
exchange party after Christmas, so you can exchange all your
unwanted Christmas gifts.
Christmas "Come Dine With Me!"
December diaries are always jam
packed with Christmas meetings, office parties and most
importantly meeting up with friends you haven't seen for a
while.
Instead of booking restaurants
or going to bars, why not show-off your culinary skills and
suggest a home cooked dinner. If it is a big group of you, then
take it in turns to cook throughout December and into January.
Budget Calculator
Keep a track of all your
outgoings this Christmas with an online budget calculator. It is
one of the most quickest and powerful ways to help manage your
salary. This will help you with your outgoings, so you can
budget your Christmas spending. By doing this you'll be able to
see whether your income will cover all your outgoings, if you
are having a tough month money wise then you could consider a
personal loan if appropriate.
