Money
Getting the best deal
Save £100s on...Christmas
Tis the season to be jolly, but you don't have to bankrupt yourself to show everyone that you are having a great time, says Teena Lyons
Even if you were not organised enough to have bought all your presents months ago at the January sales, it is never to late to put some thought into your own finances. After all, you don't want to start the New Year with a financial hangover.
Step one - Set a budget. It is great fun looking for a bargain, but instead of deciding what you want to buy and then looking for the best price, ask yourself first what you can afford.
Step two - Shop around. Don't just go to an old favourite like Amazon, try some price comparison websites to make sure you really are getting the best deal. The biggest three are Kelkoo, Pricerunner and Shopping.com
Step three - Grab a loyalty award. Don't use all your hard-earned Tesco Clubcard points to buy your turkey and Brussels sprouts. It might feel like a great saving, but you could get many times their value by signing up for goods from their Deals brochure. Without spending real cash, you can 'buy' a magazine subscription, a day out or a meal in a restaurant and get the maximum value for your points. This goes for Nectar points too where spending points on DVD boxsets, Eurostar trips or days out comes in at a much better value than redeeming them at member stores.
Step four - Get creative. Think back to a time when Christmas truly had a more traditional feel with handmade gifts and get creative. For your grandchildren, why not make them a star of their own story by using some imagination, some well chosen photos and a scrap book?
Partners, meanwhile, might appreciate a voucher promising to cook for a week, or do the dishes.
If you are handy with a computer, why not use family snaps to create a calendar which you can get printed at a print shop?
To wrap up (ahem): if you want ribbons to decorate your presents, buy them at your local haberdashery shop. Available by the metre, they are at a fraction of the cost of 'festive wrapping' and who knows you may be inspired to start making something else while you are there.
Step five - Think ahead. Now you are getting into the spirit, how about taking a little time in January to stock up on a few cards, decorations and gifts? Just think how much fun you will have next October telling all your friends and family that you are already well on the way in your festive planning.
* Written by Teena Lyons. Teena's views are personal and for general information only. Always seek independent financial advice.
