Christmas Presents – Money Saving Tips x

It’s that time of year already when I look at my bank balance with a frown, how is it possible? Okay so my saving plan never took effect and the spreadsheet I created to track my savings from May never really panned out but how did time go so fast!? It happened this morning as I checked my account and realisation hit that actually there is only 2 more paydays until Christmas!! As usual my financial capabilities are slightly warped and those purchases I made over the weekend are looking less shiny and needed.

Time for drastic action in the form of project christmas! Realistically money is always tight over the festive season but I don’t want to compromise of having a good time either, hence my brain wave of an idea with the help of my best friend, the buy one, make one rule. I’ve always loved being creative but never seem to put it to good use. This thought gave me the idea to make some of my Christmas presents this year, and if I bought a small present with in a certain price bracket I could then also make and accompanying gift for that person.

So with my note pad in hand I’ve been scouring the internet in search of inspiration and found some great ways to save over the holiday with out too much penny pinching:

1. Boots 3 for 2 -  This is a tried and tested money saver. I love this scheme and it also means you end up being able to treat yourself to the spare present! One tip I would give you is to bunch your presented into sets of 3 so the lower priced presents pay for separate to the more expensive christmas presents. I made this mistake and only made a small saving on 3 items for £3.50 each!! If you work it properly and have bought 3 things for £30 each you will get all three for £60! So my warning is to do small batches of similar prices to maximise your savings! And we must forget the tons of advantage card points you will earn to spend on something lovely for you. Here is more information on the advantage card in case you are new to the world of point collection http://www.boots.com/en/Advantage-Card/

2. Costco it! If you are lucky to be able to own a Costco card or you know someone who does then clear an afternoon out of your calendar and get down to your nearest warehouse in the run up to Christmas. There are so many saving to be had as you can buy in bulk and although you may not feel the need to have 10 turkeys you may change that thought when you know that you can get 10 bottles of wine in a box!! The prices may seem steep when you are wandering the aisles with your huge trolley but if you take the time to work it all out then you will see that bulk buying is the way to do Christmas! For more information on joining for a Costco membership click on the link to their website.

3. Do it yourself! If you decide that you want to give making some christmas presents a go then the best place to go to is Hobbycraft! If you don’t live nearby then they also offer online shopping. You’ll find everything from fabrics to photo frames, and they also have an ideas library if you’re struggling for inspiration. Something may seem expensive but you’ll find you can get lots of christmas presents out of the kits and it will also mean you’ve taken time to make something by adding a special touch to a Christmas gift for your nearest and dearest! If you find craft difficult then YouTube has some fab craft videos just type in your idea and you’ll find step by step tutorials galore!

Christmas is always the best time to get creative and hopefully this post will help you to make the most of what you can afford to spend this Christmas while you have some fun with it at the same time!

I’ll keep you updated with some of my home made presents and feel free to share some of yours! Good luck and happy crafting! : ) x