Using vouchers and stocking up on cheap fizz — here’s how to save £1,000 at Christmas

WE all need a very happy Christmas this year. 

But with Brits planning to spend £200 less this festive season on the back of a difficult year, we all need to make our money go further.

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Cash is tight for most of us, but the last thing you want to be doing this Christmas is worrying.

If you put in the work now, you can still have a very jolly Christmas – and without breaking the bank.

Follow my guide to help save you more than £1,000 with thrifty tips.

Agree a budget for gifts

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WITH money tighter than ever this year, it might help to agree a budget for gifts with loved ones.

Or you could agree to do Secret Santa instead.

On average, Brits spent £381.60 on presents last year, according to YouGov.

If you cut that in half by chopping your usual Christmas spend, you will save £190.80.

SAVING: £190.80

Wait until the Boxing Day sales

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DELAYED celebrations? Buy gifts in the Boxing Day sales.

Last year Curry’s cut the cost of an Oral B Smart Series 4000 electric toothbrush to £49.99, down from £129.

A Shark cordless vacuum cleaner was £174.99, from £359.99, on Amazon.

SAVING UP TO: £264.01

Use vouchers

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DON’T forget to use vouchers to save even more cash once you have found the cheapest price for your purchase.

At the moment, vouchercodes.co.uk has a free £10 voucher for orders of more than £150 at John Lewis.

Or get a £5 Amazon voucher for orders of £50-plus at Gap.

SAVING: £15

Find cheapest price for top toys

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I HAVE found where to buy the top toys for best price, saving a combined £26.81.

Barbie’s 3-in-1 Dream-Camper is £85 at Argos but £74.99 on Amazon.

Lego’s Harry Potter Hedwig costs £34.99 but is £27.99 at Smyths Toys.

Asda is selling PAW Patrol Dino Rescue Dino Patroller for £35.20, which is £9.80 cheaper than Argos, Smyths and Amazon.

SAVING: £26.81

Don’t forget to use cashback

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I SWEAR by cashback websites such as Quidco and TopCashback. On average you save up to £325 a year.

Just find the item you want to buy at the cheapest price then check if there is a cashback deal.

If you click through using the link from the cashback website, you get a percentage of the money back.

YEARLY SAVING: Up to £325

Stock up on cheap fizz

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ASDA has Tattinger Brut Reserve Champagne for £28, down from £35, plus 25 per cent off deal on six or more bottles of selected wines, including Tattinger.

Buy six and save £42.

Aldi’s Prossecco Costellore Frizzante DOC 75cl is £4.99 a bottle, £2.01 cheaper than La Vita Prosecco at M&S.­

SAVING: £44.01

Cash in those loyalty points

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NOW is the perfect time to cash in those loyalty points you have been collecting all year.

Shoppers are sitting on an average £47.19 in unused points, according to research.

While 500 Tesco Clubcard vouchers are worth £5 in store, you can trade them in online for up to three times that on the Clubcard website.

SAVING: £47.19

Reuse old decorations

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REUSE decorations, or swap with friends or family.

If you are going to buy new ones then make sure you find the cheapest price.

Tesco decorations are up to half price until December 13.

You could get 200 warm white lights for £11, down from £22.

I also love their hanging home decorations, including a hanging dome one which costs £1.25 instead of £3.

SAVING: £12.75

Send e-cards

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BILLIONS of Christmas cards are sent every year, which cost the nation more than £184million.

On average, we send 16 Christmas cards a year.

But you can ditch them for a free e-card or even design your own and send it by email.

SAVING: £14.15

Wrap up waste and save the planet

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EVERY year UK households throw away 227,000 miles of Christmas wrapping paper.

That means each household spends an average of £8 on four rolls.

Instead, use fabric from old curtains or bed sheets and save ribbons left over from gifts.

With Christmas gatherings limited this year, cut back on food waste, which costs an average £58.30 a month.

Make meal plans and use websites such as BBC Good Food.

SAVING: £66.30

• TOTAL SAVINGS: £1,006

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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk