Christmas is just around the corner but there is still plenty of time to prepare for the big day.
And while many might be nervous about how much they’ve spent this festive season, one thrifty mother insists you can do it without breaking the bank.
Kayleigh Hughes, 29, from Grantham, Lincolnshire, made headlines last year when she revealed how she saved a staggering £800 on gifts.
This year she has shared tips on how to do a family Christmas – including decorations, presents and a meal – for just £530. It even includes a Boxing Day meal for her husband, parents and three children.
Kayleigh, who blogs for PromotionalCodes.org.uk, said: ‘Christmas is still a time for giving even if you’re budgeting and saving money.
‘A nice, personalised home-made gift comes across much better than a set of smellies that you just bought in a store and it’s the thought that counts.’
Thrifty: Mother-of-three Kayleigh Hughes, pictured with two of her sons, has shared tips for hosting Christmas on a budget
Impressive haul: Last year the mother saved a staggering £800 on gifts, pictured
Gifts
Make your own
Buy pretty silver boxes for pennies, and use them to hold home-made Christmas cake or chocolate truffles. Children can make lantern lights out of coffee jars, tissue paper and cheap LED tea lights.
Be social
Join Facebook bargain groups to hear about good deals, search online for discount codes and get on to stores’ email lists to get their discount codes and special offers.
When Argos sent out details of an early sale it was having, Kayleigh combined it with two voucher codes to get a £19.99 singing owl toy for 1p.
Buy second hand
Charity shops, local Facebook selling groups and online auction sites are great for getting good quality second-hand gifts for lower prices. All they’re missing is a lot of unnecessary packaging that you won’t be paying for.
… And start early for next year
Shops heavily discount their Christmas stock as soon as the holiday is over (they do the same for Halloween and Easter). Look for your 2018 gifts in the 2017 sales.
Simple but effective: Brown paper and stamps are a cheap alternative to pricey wrapping
Gift wrapping
Use brown paper
A simple roll of brown paper is fine for wrapping gifts, Kayleigh says. You can then cut shapes out of last year’s Christmas cards to create your own festive tags.
Iron out last year’s paper
You can keep and reuse gift wrap to use the following year. Kayleigh revealed how her grandmother used to iron her Christmas wrapping paper to make sure it was in pristine condition for the following year.
Thinking ahead: Kayleigh, left, advised keeping hold of wrapping paper so it can be reused the following year
Food
Go local
An independent, local greengrocer is more likely to be able to cut you a deal than a major supermarket. Don’t be afraid to be a bit cheeky and ask.
Also look out for ‘veg box’ deals. Kayleigh plans to get one for £10 for all her Christmas and Boxing Day vegetables.
Look for yellow stickers
At the end of the day, supermarkets put yellow stickers on food that’s fine to eat, but past its very best, such as bread and meat. Pounce and freeze it when you get home.
This year Kayleigh’s found packets of pigs in blankets down from £3 to 80p.
Skip the booze
An easy way to save money over Christmas is to make it an alcohol-free festive season, Kayleigh explains. You can whip up a sweet, fresh punch with fruit juice and add cinnamon for a little kick if you want a fun alternative for Christmas lunch.
However if it’s really not Christmas without a tipple, look out for deals in store. You could club together with others to take advantage of bulk buy offers.
Go ‘Wombling’
‘Wombling’ is the practice of picking up discarded money-off receipts and using them for your own food shop. It requires dedication but can lead to savings.
Kayleigh warns against picking receipts up inside the store, as this can cause problems, but says anything you find in the car park or trolleys outside is fair game. ‘It’s money to spend in store – why not use it?,’ she adds.