Why it pays to start saving now for Christmas and how you can do it

The festive season may still seem like a long way away, but if you’re worried about it making a dent in your finances, it makes sense to start planning and budgeting now.

We spent £452 on average last year on Christmas, according to research from Halifax. Standing at the top of the leaderboard of items we tend to splash out most on, are booze, gifts and the Christmas roast. Women are more likely to spend more than men; £482 on average versus £419.

Meanwhile, the independent Money Advice Service (MAS) has found that nearly one in three (30%) Brits feel pressured to spend more than they can afford to over the festive period.

So, to avoid a financial hangover in the new year, here are some tips from the MAS on what you can do now to ease the strain on your wallet:

Set a budget

Work out how much you can afford to spend in total over Christmas. Factor in everything, from food, gifts and decorations, to social events like the office Christmas party.

MAS’ Christmas money planner tool can help you create your own budget and see how much you can save in time for Christmas Day.

Keep track of what you’ve got coming in and going out

Putting aside a bit of money each week between now and Christmas could soon add up by the time December comes around. If you want to avoid the temptation to dip into it, you could also ringfence it by putting it in an easy access savings account, rather than your day-to-day current account.

Giles Martin, head of savings at Halifax, says: “To avoid a bill shock, it’s worth starting to save now to spread the cost over several months.”

The MAS also suggests making a note of your spending, whether it’s by keeping receipts or just making a note on your phone or in a notebook. This will mean you’re more likely to stick to your budget. You can also simply take out a certain amount of cash each week or day, so you know how much you have to spend.

Make snips to your spending habits

Free up more money by thinking about whether there are any costs you can either reduce or cut out altogether. Halifax suggests ditching your regular takeaway coffee, for example, as small savings can soon add up.

MAS has a quick cash finder tool to help you work out where and how you could cut back on your regular spend.

Switch to own brand goods

See if you could save a few pounds by switching to your supermarket’s own brand on regular purchases, such as cereal or ketchup, or by doing your food shop at a different supermarket altogether. Who knows, you might not even be able to tell the difference!

Have an early spring clearout

We may just be about to head into the winter months, but why not have a clearout now to make money for Christmas, and look into selling any old and unwanted items on websites such as eBay and Gumtree? It could even make more room for when family and friends pile round for Christmas.

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