It’s the most expensive time of year but there are many ways to save money, so we thought we’d share some ideas. We need to implement as many money-saving tips as we can with the credit crunch upon us and why not make Christmas the start! This year especially, it’s a daunting thought for some, so don’t rack up a huge credit card debt for just one day!

Here are some top tips …

Christmas Cards

• Don’t send any or at least cut your list in half! Maybe send to those people you don’t see very often? Or send a letter instead? With the world of email – how nice is it to receive a hand-written letter?

• Re-cycle last years cards by sending the pretty side as a postcard

• Leave buying cards until December, more often than not they will be discounted by then

• Why not send an e-card? Many websites offer free cards and you will help the environment at the same time. Here are some examples websites you may want to check out:

 

Friends of the Earth

Wrapping Paper

• Use magazine pages to wrap small gifts

• Use your children’s artwork, or create your own on plain paper… with glitter!

• Save used wrapping paper all through the year, some of it may still be suitable for Christmas.  Remember - don’t throw out this year’s paper – save it for next year!

• Hunt around for cheap ribbons and bows to decorate your presents - it will look just as good as the expensive stuff

• Forget gift tags, make your own by cutting a small piece of matching paper and folding it in half. Great for using up scraps of paper that are too small to wrap a gift or cut up old Christmas cards for great gift tags

Decorations

• Every year you can grab some bargain Christmas decorations in the shops, so buy late or even better, after the holidays. Don’t pay full price!

• Many children make decorations at school, so save all their artwork and after a few years you’ll have a house full of sentimental decorations. And your children will be so proud to have their work displayed year after year!

• Do it the American way – make some popcorn and string it up around the house! For a splash of colour, add some cranberries

• Bring the outside in – collect some pinecones and holly, spray with silver paint or leave as nature intended!

• And finally … don’t bother decorating if it means you need to buy from scratch and certainly don’t but expensive decorations. Buy a few things each year and your collection will grow and hold lovely memories

Food

• Read the flyers in your local paper for the best deals around – grab the bargains as you see them a few weeks before Christmas. Remember, you can always freeze food

• Compare prices at different supermarkets – check on-line who is doing the best deals

• Set a budget (this goes for your total spend too) and stick to it. We all end up throwing food away at Christmas - so get organised and plan exactly what you need!

 

• Don't bother with the Christmas panto this year – it can be a big expensive for the whole family – why not watch some of the all time favorite Christmas films on TV and make it family event? Or hire some DVDs?

• Take the family for a drive around your local town to see the Christmas lights. Why not make it a family tradition on Christmas Eve! The children will love it!

• Get out the board games, the kids will love spending time with you. Swap games or borrow new games from friends or neighbours. Playing cards is always fun too

• Many churches and groups even have carol services in December, so take the children for a traditional sing song

• Set out a special day for the whole family to decorate the tree, wrap gifts, make cards and bake some Christmas goodies

• Go to your local library and borrow some Christmas books and read together as a family – maybe everyone can read a chapter each. 'Twas the night before Christmas" ... is a great way to get in the festive mood

 

• Let it snow! Need I say more?

Gifts

• Who do you have to buy presents for? Make a list, because you can’t set a budget without it. Think about what you can realistically afford and stick to your budget! Try not to use your credit card, remember you will have to pay it back when Christmas 2008 is a distant memory!

• Why not just buy for the children? After all Christmas really is for the kids. It’s not so important for us adults to receive gifts, but very nice of course, unless they’re unwanted presents which many of us seem to get!

And remember, spare a thought for those less fortunate … why not volunteer your time and help a charity this year? It costs you nothing and it will remind you what Christmas is really about — the spirit of giving. This is the kind of gift that really matters: giving love and kindness, not consumer goods.