How to Start Saving for Christmas

Christmas is fast approaching and with the cost of living crisis upon us saving for Christmas is going to be crucial in 2022.

Here are my top tips for saving for Christmas.

Start Early

It may not feel early to start at the end of October, but it is. Don’t wait until Black Friday or the last payday before Christmas to get all your presents, you’ll overspend – we all do – and then spend months in the New Year recovering financially.

Spread out the costs with a few presents, decorations, or cards in November and then final presents and food in December.

Plan

Another slightly obvious, but easy and helpful task: plan. Plan what presents you want to get and for who. What is your budget for each and when are you going to see them? Or are you going to send them? Sending is an added expense so don’t forget to factor in those.

Have a clear budget

If you have £100 for presents make sure you give yourself a bit of wiggle room when planning presents. From delivery costs to hidden costs, you don’t want to find that you’ve spent double what you meant. Plan it out, have a budget in mind, and tack on an extra £50 for over-spends.

Shop sensibly

When shopping for presents in particular, why not look at secondhand items or experiences? Consider what a person actually wants or needs, as opposed to purchasing items over your budget. When shopping for extras like decorations, cards, and wrapping, consider what is needed or a nice to have. Do you really need £10 tinsel or £5 pack of 5 Christmas cards?

Christmas is a time for treating yourself, but you have to be sensible and see the big picture. Christmas is a time of year to spend with friends and family, and the travel costs alone cost an arm and a leg. So when spending money on presents, food, decorations, and more, remember your budget, plan, and think ahead.

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