Christmas can always be an expensive period which can make it challenging to manage and this year people are more likely to be squeezing every penny due to the pandemic. The pandemic has created a great deal of financial anxiety amongst people which is understandable when you hear of unemployment on the rise and businesses folding. With this in mind, here are a few ways that you can save money this Christmas while still having an enjoyable festive period.
Create Gifts Instead of Buying
Gifts are often what sets people back the most over the holidays so this year you might want to consider creating gifts for people instead of buying – this is also a good way to show them that you care. Photo albums, care packages, make a playlists and arts and crafts if you have a particular skill could all be warmly welcomed after such a challenging year.
Find the Best Postage Prices
If you plan on sending gifts and anything else in the post this year then it is a good idea to shop around to find the best prices and you might be surprised at just how much you could save by doing this. You can use comparison websites to find the best possible price for your parcel while still ensuring that you can rest assured knowing that you are in safe hands with a reliable courier.
Set a Budget & Plan
Christmas spending can often get out of hand when you do not have a clear budget in place. The pandemic may make it easier to plan with restrictions limiting normal events like meals and nights out, but there will still be various costs to cover so you need to work out realistically how much you can afford to spend and stick to it.
Don’t be Drawn in by the Sales
Following this point, it is easy to get sucked in by all the festive sales that are happening but this is a fast way to spend cash that you could be saving. Always ask yourself if it is something that you really need right now – if so, be sure to shop around to get the best possible deal.
Re-Gift (Within Reason)
Regifting can be a superb way to keep your costs down, but it is also something that you need to be careful with. Gifts should only be re-gifted if it is something that you will not use and enjoy and that someone else would appreciate (also make sure that you don’t regift to the person that gifted you the present in the first place!).
These tips should help you to save some money this Christmas while still hopefully having an enjoyable holiday season. It is understandable that people are looking to save this year and these are all effective ways to do this.