Savvy gift shopping
(1)Shopping around for cheaper prices on CDs and books doesn’t have to mean pounding the high street. Comparison sites such as www.find-dvd.co.uk, www.find-book.co.uk and www.find-cd.co.uk will do all the legwork for you.
(2)Before buying anything, see if there are any discount codes for that online store by checking out www.myvoucher codes.co.uk for money-off vouchers and promotional codes.
(3)Rather than buying gifts for all your children’s friends, which can quickly add up, arrange a Secret Santa. Get together with the other mums and draw names out of a hat so everyone has to buy just one fixed-price present.
(4) Instead of of exchanging pricey gifts with your loved one, why not agree to buy a couple of stockings and pack them full of small but more thoughtful gifts? Set a limit of, say, £10 per gift and put the fun back into deciding what to get each other.
(5)Buy in bulk. Look out for three-for-two promotions on gifts from now onwards on the high street to save cash. And remember that smaller, independent stores can be more flexible on price.
(6)Searching for gifts on eBay can lead to major savings but always check the product description to make sure that the item is new or as-good-as.
(7)When shopping online, make sure you buy everything you need in one go to save on postage and packaging.
(8)Why buy when you can swap? On community websites such as www.freecycle.org people give away things they no longer need – from TVs to bicycles.
(9)Shopping online for branded toys like Zapf Creation dolls and MB Games can save you a bundle. Try www.thetoyshop.com for great savings.
(10)Hate buying pressies only to see them cheaper two weeks later in the January sales? Hold off buying high-street clothes until the last minute, as many shops now start their sales the week before Christmas.
(11)Free samples or trial-sized products from upmarket cosmetics counters can make top stocking-fillers for girls.
(12)Gift shops are filled with mugs stuffed with chocolates in the run-up to Christmas but it’s much cheaper to buy cute mugs and your own pick ’n’ mix.
(13)Treat a loved one to an evening to remember – watching one of their favourite TV shows being recorded. For free tickets, see www.bbc.co.uk/tickets.
(14)If you’re buying scent, make sure you get the best deal on your bottle – www.cheapperfumeexpert.com will compare the price across most online perfume shops.
(15)Santa Claus should go and check out www.stocking-fillers.co.uk. It has great gift ideas, from as little as 10p.
(16)Your time is valuable and can make a thoughtful gift. Give fun, hand-made tokens for cooking a favourite meal or giving a massage, which loved ones can redeem when they like.
(17) Buy a large clip frame and fill it with lots of photos of your family and give one to grandparents, aunts etc. Personal gifts like this mean far more but cost next to nothing.
(18) A subscription to a magazine is a gift that keeps giving all year long. Super-cheap deals are available online and can halve the cost of buying it in the supermarket. See www.magazinesubscription.co.uk.
(19)If you’re buying for a lady with expensive tastes, check out www.asos.com for cheap versions of clothes she’ll have seen on her favourite celebrities. Or head to www.theoutnet.com for discounted designer clothes.
(20) For an unusual and personal gift, www.cartoonme.com turns photos into hand-drawn cartoons for just £3. Print it out and frame it for a present that’s guaranteed to make them smile.
(21) Make a personalised calendar featuring your fave photos, see www.bonusprint.co.uk. You can create a desktop or wall-hanging version from just £3.99.
Get cards and decorations all wrapped up
(22)Plan ahead – if you send your Christmas cards before December 18 you can send them second class and they’ll still arrive in time – saving you a packet, (postal strikes allowing).
(23)Or avoid postal strike worries and send an e-card. You might not be able to put it on the mantelpiece but they’re free, eco-friendly and can be personalised. Try www.ecards.co.uk.
(24) Wrapping paper is another item to buy at the last minute, as many shops start discounting Christmas merchandise just before the big day.
(25)Cut out the cost of wrapping completely by looking for high street and online retailers that offer free gift-wrapping. You’ll save money, time and your pressies will look fab.
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(26)There’s no need to buy posh gift tags. Simply cut a small square of wrapping paper and write your message on the back. 
(27)Old Christmas cards also make great gift tags. Just cut the picture off the front of the card, add a loop of silver string and write on the back.
(28)Advent calendars are an unnecessary expense when there are plenty of free ones online that kids will find just as fun. Just type “online advent calendar” into a search engine and you’ll be amazed at the range.
(29) If your little ones can’t do without a sweet-filled advent calendar, then make your own by sewing 24 pockets on to a piece of fabric shaped like a Christmas tree. Then fill each pocket with a penny sweet. After Christmas, fold it up and keep it for next year.
(30)Fake trees are cheaper than real ones and can be reused year after year.
(31) If you prefer real trees, buy them from markets rather than garden centres or flower shops. If you go just before closing time at the end of the weekend, they’ll be anxious to get rid of their stock, so you should be able to haggle the price down a fair bit.
(32)Woolworths was always an essential stop for cheap festive season necessities. But just because it’s not on the high street any more doesn’t mean you have to turn to more expensive shops for your tinsel – just visit the online store at www.woolworths.co.uk.
(33) Choose plastic baubles over glass ones. Not only are they cheaper, they’re also sturdier and more likely to last for years to come.
(34)Price comparison sites aren’t just for books and DVDs – at www.pricegrabber.co.uk you can compare the price of festive decorations, too.
Travel on the cheap
(35)Book your ride home NOW! If you’re going by plane, train or bus, the journey will be much cheaper if booked well in advance.
(36)Be flexible – train fares are always cheaper outside of peak commuting times so if you can travel around lunchtime you’ll fork out less.
(37)For great deals on cheap travel and fun days out, visit www.lastminute.com or www.expedia.co.uk.
(38)If you don’t mind delaying your celebrations, why not travel on Christmas Day? Especially if you’re taking a long-haul flight – you’ll save
a bundle.
(39) Always compare prices before booking any flights – www.traveljungle.co.uk makes it quick and easy.
(40)A festivebreak doesn’t have to mean snow or sun. Travel companies bump up the price of holidays to
Try thrifty food ideas
(41)If you can hold your nerve, leave the grocery shopping until the afternoon on Christmas Eve – this is when shops start to seriously discount food.
(42)Don’t take the kids with you when shopping for Christmas food, as when confronted with all the festive goodies they’ll want everything and you’ll find it hard to say no.
(43) Think carefully before being sucked in by three-for-two offers on expensive brands. Do you really need that many mince pies or would one box of the store’s own brand do just as well?
(44) Compare the price of what’s in your trolley at www.mysupermarket.co.uk – it will show you whether you’d be better off shopping at Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco or Ocado.
(45) Don’t be a sucker for packaging. Buy own-brands and value ranges for the basics such as vegetables and crisps – on a pretty plate no one will know the difference.
(46)If you fancy a Christmas meal out with the family instead of cooking, look for half-price restaurant deals on www.toptable.co.uk.
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(48) If it simply isn’t Christmas without a turkey, don’t buy one bigger than you need – allow about 0.5kg per person.
(49)Don’t waste your money on buying sides and desserts that you don’t like, just because it’s traditional to have it on the table.
(50)Ready-made trays of nibbles and cheese boards may look appealing but think how much you could save by just buying the nuts, fruit and other snacks individually and arranging them yourself.
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