Money Saving on your Christmas Shopping
Money Saving on your Christmas Shopping – It goes without saying that we’re all after the best deal and the most for our money at this time of year. You should never just settle for the first price you see when buying Christmas Shopping, whether it be for Christmas presents, Party Clothes or the Festive Food. I love a bargain and whenever I buy something I always have a bit of a search to make sure that I’m not paying over the odds. Here are some of the tips and sites that I would recommend to get the most for your money.
Plan
And stick to it. Make a list of everything you need, and who you’re buying for and stick to it. The amount of times we’ve left some of our shopping to last minute and had to spend more than expected and bought gifts that we may not have otherwise bought. Keep a little notebook in your bag or make a list on your phone and tick off as you go. It’s also a great place to store all your receipts just in case.
Loyalty Cards
Loyalty cards are a great way to get a bit of money off at Christmas time. Save up your points all year round and wait for the special offer emails that get sent around October/November time.
- Boots Advantage card send out loads of vouchers where you can get extra points and of course the 3 for 2 offers are great at Christmas time.
- Sainsbury’s and Tesco points are best saved up and spent on non-food items such as restaurant vouchers, days out or use towards the kids Christmas presents in the toy department.
Cash Back Sites
Get cash back on things you were going to buy anyway by going through the relevant cashback sites. These are the ones that I’ve used previously.
- Top Cash Back – Always check to see if the retailer your buying from is listed and take advantage of money back and promotional codes
- Swagbucks – You can earn cashback on your shopping as well as taking part in short surveys.
- Quidco – Again, another one to check out before making purchases to see if there are any savings to be had.
Comparison Sites
Actually, before you hit the cashback sites make sure you compare the prices of the items you want to buy, particularly on big purchases. This can also be done for alcohol if you’re planning on having a party or need to stock up for Christmas.
My Supermarket is the only one that I’ve previously used but there are lots available including:
High Street Shopping Events
Some shops such as Boots and Debenhams have special card holder evenings where you get additional money off if you buy on the night. Have a look out for these which are usually sent by email.
Online shopping baskets
This one I’ve blatantly stolen from Martin Lewis. Go onto the stores that you intend to buy from and add the items that you want to the shopping basket and then leave it………Some retailers send an email reminding you that you have items in your basket, and some will offer a discount code to entice you back. It doesn’t apply to all retailers but definitely worth a go.
Last Minute Shopping
A lot of retailers start the January Sale early and start dropping their prices just before Christmas to capture as many Christmas shoppers as possible. Take advantage of this, but anything that is likely to be at the top of the kids Christmas list is unlikely to be still available if you hang out for this.
Mobile Phones
If like many parents, a mobile phone is at the top of your kids christmas list then make sure you hang out for the best deal possible. A contract phone may seem the best option, since you get a free phone, but do you? Nope. If you were to work out how much you would pay over the contract period versus a pay as you go phone you may not be getting as good a deal as you think. Take advantage of this Contract V’s SIM Calculator before you make a commitment to make sure you’re getting a good deal.
Alternative Presents
Not sure what to buy the kid that seemingly has every shape of plastic know to man then why not buy an alternative Christmas present such as a magazine subscription or sign them up for a class. This is an old post that I wrote but still worth a read.
Vouchers
If there really isn’t anything that you can think to buy for a friend or relative, then consider buying them a voucher for somewhere that you know they like to shop so that they can put it towards something that they want. This is also useful for teenagers who will get more for their money in the January sales than if you were to buy a load of clothes beforeΒ Christmas. You could go one step further and make it a shopping day with a bit of lunch in between shops as well.
I’d love to know your top tips for saving a bit of money or getting the best deal when Christmas Shopping. Pop me a comment below x