WITH just eight weeks until Christmas, the build-up will soon begin.
But because the cost-of-living crisis is squeezing household budgets, it is going to be harder than ever to prepare for the big day.
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The typical household usually spends around £2,500 over the festive season, according to figures from the Bank of England.
For many families this year, budgets simply will not stretch that far.
To help you still have a great time, Lucy Alderson has put together these tips for cutting costs – but not the festive fun . . .
Compare prices
BEFORE you hit the shops, it pays to do some research.
But don’t rely on just one retailer or comparison website, shop around.
The best tools are Google Shopping, Pricesearcher, Pricespy, below, and Idealo.
Shops are constantly changing prices, so the above might not have the most up-to-date information but they are a great place to start.
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You can also set up alerts to tell you when sold-out toys are back in stock.
Charlotte Jessop, who runs finance blog Looking After Your Pennies, says shop-pers can save up to £50 using these tools.
But she advises: “If you are unfamiliar with them, it is still sensible to do your research on an online store before making a purchase.”
Use cashback sites
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EARN free money on your Christmas shopping with cashback sites.
TopCashback and Quidco are two of the most popular sites, and they offer free basic versions.
How much you get depends on the particular offer.
For example, you can get up to 11 per cent cashback on George at Asda ranges, or up to six per cent from New Look, based on a minimum spend.
Always check cashback sites for a deal before making a purchase.
Make sure to read the T&Cs for each deal – sometimes customers need to upload their receipt.
Naomi Willis, who co-runs the Skint Dad website, said: “The average shopper can make back around £280 a year.”
Find discount codes
MAKE sure you’ve looked for a discount code online before you purchase anything.
Hotukdeals and VoucherCodes are sites customers can use to hunt for offers, while Honey and Pouch are browser extensions that automatically list discounts shoppers can apply to their purchases at the online checkout. They are usually free to download.
Sign up to retailers’ newsletters too, as they often contain freebies and discounts.
And you can get even more cash off by doubling up on offers, says Hotukdeals’ Vix Leyton.
She explains: “If you find more than one code for a retailer, see if they stack.
“You could also find that as well as money off you can get free delivery by adding an extra item which would cost less than the shipping.”
Spend loyalty points
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IF you’ve been saving your loyalty points all year, now is the time to cash them in to buy presents.
The most popular loyalty cards are Nectar, Tesco’s Clubcard and, below, the Boots Advantage card.
Do maximise your points. For example, Tesco points can be swapped online to spend at places like Hungry Horse and Cineworld for up to three times their value.
Nectar offers up to four points for every £1 you spend with partners including Wowcher – but how many extra points you get varies from retailer to retailer.
If you have a Nectar credit card, you can get up to three points for every £1 spent.
The best way to spend Boots points is buying items that you can get for a lower price through your Advantage Card – for example, you can get Fenty lipgloss for £15.50 instead of £20.
Beware of gift cards
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THESE can be a risky purchase. If a retailer goes bust or gets into financial trouble, then gift cards can become worthless.
There’s not a lot customers can do to get their money back, MoneyComms personal finance expert Andrew Hagger warns.
He says: “When a company goes bust gift cards will be counted as part of the debts that are owed by a company – but because you’ll be viewed as an unsecured creditor, you’ll be at the back of a very long queue and it’s highly unlikely that you will get any- thing back.
“Go to a big, well-known and reputable store, or buy one that can be spent at different retailers.
“Also watch out for expiry dates on cards – if shoppers don’t spend them in time, they’ll lose out.”
Do your bit for charity
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AVOID the high-street crowds, save cash and do your bit for the environment by shopping secondhand.
You can get pre-loved or even brand-new gifts such as Vivienne Westwood T-shirts and Yeezy trainers for as little as £20 if you know where to rummage.
In charity shops, ask staff about items you’re looking for and check the glass cabinets for high-value finds.
There are also apps and websites to help you hunt for secondhand.
Vinted and Depop are best for fashion, eBay and MusicMagpie are good for gadgets, while you can buy secondhand toys on Preloved.
Shop at outlet stores and online, too. Amazon Warehouse resells returned items for a good discount, while you can get up to 70 per cent off clothes at eBay’s online outlet store.
Don’t break the bank
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AVOID the pressure to spend a lot, by agreeing an affordable budget with friends and family.
Make a list of everyone you need to buy presents for and work out how much you can afford to spend on each person.
Then work out a spending limit with your loved ones, which you can all stick to.
Secret Santa is a great way of exchanging presents with friends on a budget, while keeping things fun.
You can use free websites like drawnames.co.uk and Elfster to help set up your secret Santa.
There are apps that can help you budget specifically for the festive season.
The Christmas Gift List app lets you set a spending limit on presents and tracks who you’ve bought for and which presents you still need to buy.
‘I use Black Friday to get a deal on a deal’
MUM-OF-TWO Natalie Ahmed uses money saved from cashback sites to help buy Christmas presents.
The 37-year-old from Nottingham, who works in marketing, has made £800 over the past four years using Topcashback and Quidco.
Natalie and her husband Nick, 38, a project manager, use the cash to buy presents for her kids, Lucas, six, and Scott, one.
Natalie, who usually waits until Black Friday to buy her presents, said: “If my six-year-old puts something on his list he really wants, I don’t want to deny him presents, but I want to get the cheapest price possible.
“I wait until Black Friday, as you can get a deal on a deal – presents are already discounted and on sale, and you earn money on top through a cashback site.
“I got an amazing deal on an Estee Lauder gift set last year. It was £70 and I made around £4 to £5 cash-back on it.”
It’s not the only way Natalie gets her presents for less.
She explained: “I always compare toy prices online, either in Google, or at websites pricerunner.com or toy.co.uk.
“I like to know I’m getting the best price.”
Signing up to retailers’ newsletters also gets her discount codes. For example, she got £5 to spend at Hobbycraft, with no minimum spend, last Christmas.
“In total, I’ll want to be saving at least £150 on presents this year,” she said.
