Updated: 27/12/2022 10:03:40

Now's the time to plan for Christmas 2023

Christmas has just ended, but now is the time to save money on next years celebrations.

We may still be coming down from the high of recent Christmas celebrations, but there's no denying 2022 was a year of penny pinching. We've put together some tips to help you get sorted for Christmas 2023 now to avoid feeling that hole in your pocket the next time December rolls around.

Take advantage of reduced decorations and wrapping paper

Do you often find yourself rushing out at the last minute to pick up decorations and wrapping paper? In early December, new designs and products come out at full price, and the costs can quickly add up. The good news is that when it comes to Christmas, many themes and designs are timeless. Once Christmas day is over you'll likely see the price of these products drop as retailers rush to clear the shelves for the next big holiday (Mini Eggs in January). This is the perfect opportunity to scoop up brand new decorations, trees and trimmings, providing you have somewhere to store them for the following year. The savings to be made here are massive, but some people are put off by the need to store new decorations for another year. If you do opt for grabbing some discounts in the new year, try to keep the themes and designs generic. Especially when it comes to decorations and paper for the kids, what's popular now might not be popular heading towards December 2023.

Start making presents now

When it comes to showing someone you care, there's little more successful than a homemade gift. The main issue is that this takes time. It can be overwhelming when November rolls around and the thought of hand knitted scarves pops into your head, so why not start now? There are even some fantastic online and video tutorials to get you started with crochet and many other craft skills. You can even make yourself baubles or wreathes for the following year!

Join a savings challenge

A year is a long time and a little can go a long way. A popular savings challenge is the 1p challenge. This involves saving just 1p on day one, then saving an extra penny every day. So day 2 becomes 2p, day 3 becomes 3p and so on. The maximum you'll save is £3.65 a day. If you start the challenge on January 1st you'll have saved £600 by Christmas.

You can also make yourself a separate savings account and pay into this with a manageable amount each month. Online saving clubs are also an option, but you run the risk of the club going into financial difficulty, or being unable to access your money in the case of an emergency.

Reuse and recycle from Christmas 2022

A great and easy DIY way to recycle your old cards is to turn them into gift tags. These can be stored easily and used. If the cards aren't particularly Christmassy, you can even use these for birthdays. You can even reuse parts of your Christmas cards and make new homemade ones for the following year!

Buy presents throughout the year

This doesn't work with all present types, but there are many gifts that will still be there by the time next Christmas rolls around! Spreading the cost of shopping out over the year helps lift the burden of huge costs at the end of the year. Things like clothing and accessories are easy options here. Some electricals and smart tech might be worth missing if a newer model is likely to come out, but maybe make a list of what you need ready for Black Friday sales in November.

Have a post Christmas present exchange

You probably won't have any success with this on the kids, but some friendship circles are opting to delay present exchanges until January. Not only are a number of products reduced after the Christmas present, but you'll also see a large rise in people listing new or like-new unwanted gifts on sites like Facebook Marketplace and Ebay. This is a great way to grab a quick discount on something that would have cost you much more 3 weeks prior.

Easy changes to make going into December 2023

• Send electronic Christmas cards
• Agree a present price cap with friends and family
• Only wrap a selection of presents, you can also invest in reusable Santa sacks
• Take advantage of free carol concerts instead of pay to enter Christmas events
• Cute spending in the run up to Christmas (fast food, coffee shop visits, supermarket meal deals)
• Set a budget and stick to it
• Keep and reuse gift bags

Comments

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