Bag the Xmas bargains available now
Looking for more ways to save money at Christmas? My book, 456 Ways to Save Money on Christmas Throughout the Year, is packed with practical tips to cut the cost of presents, food, travel, celebrations and more without sacrificing the fun!
It might seem strange to be thinking of Christmas in the middle of yet another heatwave in the UK but that is exactly what some savvy consumers are doing. And as a consumer expert who literally wrote the book about saving money throughout the year for and on Christmas, here are some tips for what you can do now!
456 Ways to Save Money on Christmas Throughout the Year Save on food, presents, cards, activities, decorations, holidaying, festivities and entertainment without cutting back on the fun and enjoyment.
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There are always offers available, it’s never too early to start and you can take advantage of special offers in August.
Beauty products
Advent calendars and offers on beauty gift sets seem to arrive earlier each year but many are often time-limited for the best deals. Whilst consumers can save on advent calendars and use the contents for presents, stockings or making up their own gift sets, you can often save even more if they sign up on waitlists.
For example, at Boots this weekend you can make huge savings on No7 products when you buy the Advent calendar. Boots says that the £65 one has £249 worth of products and the £180 one about £411 worth. Really organised consumers can sign up to the advent calendar email by 11.59pm Monday 17th August and receive a 10% discount code to spend on Tuesday 18th or 5% on the 19th.
Sign up for waitlists for beauty advent calendars on various sites. There are masses of them, with a wide range of prices! These include Lush, Harrods, Marks and Spencer, John Lewis, Fortnum & Mason, Soap and Glory and White Company.
@thecomplainingcow How to save money on beauty products at this Christmas #bootshaul #moneysavingtips #moneysaving #beautyproducts #christmassavings
Toys
Many stores have offers on now, the end of the Summer and not near to Christmas means that stores are putting on a number of discounts and offers to move stock”. Some of her examples include keeping an eye on the supermarkets. Tesco, for instance, usually have toy sales three times a year.
And you can even find bargains at stores you might not normally think to look at, such as Hamleys, which currently has 20% off on a variety of toys and 50% on others.
Smyths always have clearance offers but currently have toys up to 65% off and they won’t face the stock shortage issues that stores may have nearer Christmas.
Big Summer games will be in the Summer sales, too.
More on How to cut costs on Christmas toys
Gifts
Think about different items that will be in the end of Summer sales as retailers try and shift stock for Winter. Gardening gifts, craft sets as children return to school, picnic and camping equipment and swimwear. You may even find bikes are discounted at the end of the Summer, too, as fewer people look to get out and cycle in the colder months!
More on How to save money on Christmas presents
Clothes
End of season prom and Summer dresses can still be worn at Christmas, especially when they’re accessorised with seasonal extras, such as a shawl.
Food
Look to buy in some of the nibbles and treats, such as nuts, crisps and chocolate selections, now before the more expensive ranges with Christmas packaging arrive!
Check out the “World Food” supermarket aisle. Pack sizes are sometimes bigger and you can often save a lot of money on products that you buy from other aisles. For example, nuts, lentils, beans, coconut milk and spices.
More on 12 Tips to Save Money on Food This Christmas
Plan now
Organise your Christmas expenditure into categories, such as food, presents, travel, decorations and festivities, etc. Set a budget and stick to it. Don’t be swayed by so-called “bargains”. This will help avoid impulse buying and prevent overspending.
Prioritise. Make a wish list of everything you’d like to buy. Then, using your budget, rank everything in order of priority. This will stop you buying “bargains” that are the least important until you get to that part of the list.
More on budgeting and planing on Is it too soon to be getting ready for next Christmas?!
Whilst it may seem crazy to be thinking of Christmas now, you might be hugely grateful in December that you had the foresight to do so!
More on saving money at Christmas
Saving money and your rights at Christmas
Help with complaining
And of course if there is anything wrong with your purchases you might need the books!
For more advice, tips, information and template letters covering holidays and more: GET THE BOOK! How To Complain: The ESSENTIAL Consumer Guide to Getting REFUNDS, Redress and RESULTS!
Want to get better at complaining? See 101 Habits of an Effective Complainer
Save yourself time and effort finding the laws and wording a letter of complaint. Purchase and download a template, fill in your details and get that redress.
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