It may seem like a long way away, but Christmas will be here before you know it. With the average household spending £800, it’s best to start thinking about the cost of Christmas now. We’ve put together some money saving tips to help you to keep the cost of Christmas down, and still make it a day to remember!

Money-saving tips for the festive season:

• Set yourself an overall budget first - What can you afford for presents? How many will you have to feed?
• Write a list of everyone you need to buy a present for now, then split your budget accordingly
• Why not make it personal and create your own gifts? There are some great ideas online and on apps like Pintrest
• Suggest a family present limit - ask adults to agree a fun Secret Santa arrangement with a spending limit 
• Shop around for the best deals and search for voucher codes online, Groupon is a great site to sign up to
• When buying food and drink, stick to your list and avoid the temptation to buy ‘special offers’
• Watch your shopping basket - the shops will only be closed a couple of days so don't treat your foodshop like the end of the world!
• If you're having family over, ask them to bring a dish each
• Travelling to see friends or relatives over the festive season? Book your travel arrangements in advance to take advantage of savings
• Don't rush into buying on Black Friday or pre-Chrismas sales. If you have time and you've already got some ideas compare prices on 2 or 3 websites like Amazon and Tesco but sometimes you can find a better deal and service on your high street
• Opt for a frozen turkey or other joint – they can be half the price as a fresh one!
• Use this free website to track Santa as he delivers prezzies – log into www.NoradSanta.org from 1 December – your kids will love it!

Worried about paying your rent or other bills during Christmas?

Don’t delay in getting help – we can support you!

We can help you to reduce your rent arrears and offer advice on how to deal with other debts. We’ll make sure that you’re getting the benefits you’re entitled to, help you to get into work or training, downsize your property and much more! Get in touch and we’ll do what we can to help.