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Mon, 09 Nov 2026

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 Doing these things now will help you save money at Christmas

Small decisions made now can make a big difference to your festive finances, charities say, so here are some tips.
1. Budget for Christmas in full, including costs such as food and drink, travel, parties, presents, postage, decorations, and other festive extras. 2. Spread the cost by not relying on your December pay packet alone. 3. Make a shopping list before Black Friday (November 27) to avoid buying things you don't need. 4. Book train journeys in advance to get cheaper tickets. 5. Set spending limits for Christmas socialising and have a quiet conversation with family and friends about how much to spend on presents. 6. Stocktake before the big food shop to check what you already have at home and plan meals around that. 7. Make a list of what you need and compare prices. 8. Think twice: can you afford what you're going to buy, can you afford repayments if it's bought on credit, and do you really need it?