Tis the season to be jolly, or should that be, to spend too much money? The latter is the less than merry reality for most of us. With presents, decorations, food and festive socialising to pay for, it’s unsurprising that the average UK household spends roughly £2,500 in December (oceanfinance.co.uk). But worse still, almost one in three Brits feel pressured to spend more than they can afford over the Christmas period (moneyadviceservice.org.uk). Don’t panic – you can still be frugal and festive as these money-saving hacks prove.
1. Never pay full price
It’s always worth doing a quick search for vouchers and discount codes when making an online order – after all, every little helps. If you have the time, fill up your online basket with gifts, then abandon it at the checkout. Thanks to the instant click-to-buy nature of shopping online, some stores will send you a discount code afterwards to encourage you to return and finish your purchase. It pays to be patient.