Canny Christmas

It's scary.....that's the shops starting to build their Christmas displays! From today it's 109 days til Santa comes!

You know what that means - added expense!!!

Here's a few tips to help you avoid putting Christmas on your Credit Card!

(1) Start now - get a Jam Jar or a bowl and add all your spare change in every night. Anything from 50p downwards stick in the jar. You will be amazed at how quickly the change adds up. Before you head off shopping get some bank bags, count the change and exchange it at the bank for notes.

(2) Stop now - for the next 70 working days don't have a posh coffee on your way to work. - That would be over £140 saved. Instead add an extra £2.00 to your Jar every night.

(3) Start now - Do you usually buy lots of presents at one shop. Buy one the shop's gift cards - you know the ones you can give as presents. Every time you get paid - go to the shop and add some extra cash onto the gift card. This will then help pay for your shopping spree at that shop. Boots would be a good example. This would allow you to save up cash, benefit from their link save deals, collect Boots Advantage points, and have flexibility when you buy - they often have 10 times the number of points events in the lead up to Christmas!

(4) Make a list of all the people you need to buy for and start chipping away over the next couple of months. This will help spread the cost.

(5) Think about your skills, can you make some presents this year. Homemade presents always go down a treat! Especially homemade sweets!!!

(6)If you use a credit card that provides vouchers - eg Tesco or M&S - why not keep the vouchers you get all year and use them for the Christmas Dinner shop or for gifts.

(7) If you send a lot of Christmas cards, start buying stamps now - again spread the cost!

(8) Consider purchasing a live Turkey that you can look after for next year's dinner! - Do you have space in your back garden?....err maybe that's taking it a bit far!

Anyway - as the scouts say - Be Prepared!!!