We all know how expensive this time of the year can be. The gifts, food and more drinking than you’d care to admit can all add up quite quickly. We’ve put together some tips on how to save money before Christmas, so, you can enjoy it without needing to break the bank.
Switch your mortgage deal for cheaper rates
If you’re rolling your eyes, we get it. Why would you want to remortgage before Christmas with everything else you have to worry about? Switching your mortgage deal could allow you to find a cheaper mortgage with lower interest rates. The lower your interest rate, the more money you can save each month. It’s that simple.
You won’t also just be saving up to Christmas, either. You could be saving for the next few years (dependent on your term) with the potential for you to stock up those savings for whatever you’d like.
If you don’t want to do it yourself, you’re in luck. You don’t have to. Our friendly team of mortgage advisers could help you find your perfect mortgage. All you need to do is put your feet up. Get in touch with us here and we’ll be happy to help you out.
Make a list of who you need to buy for
Don’t be afraid to ask the difficult questions: Do you really need to buy a present for that third cousin, once removed, that you may or may not see once every five years?
Is the answer ‘No’? It might be a good idea to cross them off your list. The thing is, in order to really make the most out of your money this Christmas, you may have to be a little bit of a grinch and only buy for your dearest and nearest.
Once you’ve finalised your list of who to buy for, it’s always a good idea to have a rough amount of what you want to spend on each person. Keep a budget of what you want to spend and stick to it. Tightening your belt and sticking to your present budget means you won’t feel the New Year gloom of running up bills on your credit card so that you can enjoy the festive season, without any January guilt.
If you’re struggling with managing your budgets, our handy budget calculator should be able to get you started.
Get creative with your gift-giving
Money isn’t everything. Sometimes, gifting something special to someone special is all you’ll need to make someone’s Christmas one to remember.
Rather than splashing out extortionate amounts on sparkling new kitchenware for your Mum, you could invite her to a cooking class round your house for an evening and spend some quality time together instead.
Or, if you’re still wanting to spend money on gifts, looking in places like charity shops will not only save you money by getting great things for cheaper prices, but you also know you’re giving back a little something this Christmas too.
Plan your cooking
We all know how mouth-watering the thought of roast turkey, mince pies, and pigs-in-blankets make us all, but, more often than not, a lot of food goes uneaten. So, when you’re shopping around for your Christmas dinner staples, don’t get lured in by any two-for-one deals: if you’re only feeding five people, one turkey is enough!
If you do find yourself with any leftover food that hasn’t been touched, why not donate it to your local food shelter this year and spread some Christmas joy and cheer to those less fortunate.
That should do it! Hopefully, some of the tips we’ve mentioned can help you pinch a few pennies and enjoy your Christmas guilt-free.
If you’re still finding it difficult to save money, and need some financial guidance, our expert team of mortgage advisers would be more than happy to help.