5 Ways I’m Saving Money Over Christmas
By: Lu Mar
Tags: Life, Advice, Money Management, Inspiration, Ideas

5 Ways I’m Saving Money Over Christmas

Christmas and December can cause people financial headaches from the beginning of the year. However, the festive period does not need to be as expensive as in the past; in fact, through embracing the magic of Christmas and all the festivities, it may even be possible to save money compared to months such as November.

By embracing the Christmas crafts, hitting outlets, and finding new ways to entertain yourself, Christmas and December can be equal parts magical and frugal.

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1. Going for festive walks with a reusable coffee cup

Going for walks this time of year is just some sort of magic. The lights and the frosty weather makes the outdoors so much more enticing than the soggy autumn we experience here in the UK.

A great joy in life is going for a walk and ending in a coffee shop with a coffee and a cake. Yet, with shops and restaurants being closed, it can be tempting to have coffee shops as the exclusive entertainment method.

To combat this, I have been driving to local nature spots for a walk, with a really effective thermos flask in the car. I made a hot chocolate in that thermos, and went for a 3 mile/hour-long walk, and was welcomed back into the car with a piping hot drink.

As a couple, this will easily save over £6, which may add up with the lack of other methods of entertainment.

2. Personal shopping ban

Most people do this in December, but it is an effective method to curb spending and not let December’s gift-giving send your savings out of whack.

By not allowing yourself to purchase anything for yourself, aside from essentials, you may find that you don’t need to budget year-round for gifts because you’re just channeling money from yourself to others.

It also serves to maintain some of the childhood magic at Christmas, which is receiving gifts.

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3. Shop in outlets for gifts

You can gift the most magical presents by shopping in outlet stores and wrapping them beautifully.

There is no shame or problem in simply setting a budget for each recipient and sticking to it. You will give presents to these people every year at Christmas anyway, so this Christmas is not the only time you get to demonstrate your love for your friends and family.

Handmade or handwritten cards accompanied by a thoughtful present will always trump extravagant demonstrations of wealth in the form of impersonal gifts.

4. Christmas crafts as entertainment

You can, of course, do this all year round, but it is extra special at Christmas and during December.

You can buy cheap craft kits or just use what you have around your home. If traditional Christmas crafts aren’t your thing, there is always baking or making Christmas cards, which is both entertaining and practical.

For example, this December, I have made an advent calendar from a kit. I have also bought a fabric present sack from the supermarket and embellished it with beads and ribbon. It's incredibly entertaining to do in the evening in front of a Christmas movie and saves you money in the sense that you’re not out of the house spending money.

As I always like to think, whenever you leave the house, you spend money. Therefore, the more you can do to find entertainment at home, the less desire you will have to leave the house and subsequently spend money.

5. Not relying on bars and restaurants for festive entertainment

The national and local lockdowns here in the UK have most definitely done their part to reduce my personal reliance on drinking and eating out for entertainment.

I used to always suggest bars and restaurants as a go-to form of entertainment when socialising with friends and family. However, now that I have gone so long without them, and my bank balance reflects that I have decided to continue the trend and keep them for special occasions.

This means buying lots of good food from the supermarket and suggesting baked camembert and some wine, instead of an expensive meal. Delicious food with a movie or some good music is equally lovely.

Simple oven food ensures you’re not slaving away in the kitchen but that you’re also all well fed.

Keeping restaurants and bars for special occasions is saving me money this Christmas period.