2. SAVE MONEY AT HOME
Christmas Money Saving Guide 2013 9
11
Clear out to make money and make space!
There are so many ways online to sell you unwanted items and we'd certainly recommend that you sell any old mobile phones at a site like CIrecycle.co.uk where you can get up to £200 for your old mobile - and you dont even have to pay the postage to send it to them.
If you have books, CDs, games, clothes etc then get them on eBay, and anything else that you cant get rid of take to the charity shop.
12
Draw up a festive menu
Work out who you need to feed at Christmas and how much they are likely to eat and drink. That way you can avoid wasting money on impulse buys, or being left with a load of food that you end up throwing away.
You could even key your shopping list into comparison site mysupermarket.co.uk to see which supermarket is cheapest for your basket.
13
Card sending for 2013
Sending Christmas cards has to be one of the most wasteful practices - both financially and for the environment. There are numerous sites online where you can send cards for FREE by email.
Otherwise you can just post a 'Merry Christmas' message on Facebook and promise to donate some money to charity instead of sending the cards - this will cost you far less than what you would have spent on cards and postage.
14
Decorate a home for less
Your local pound shop is a great way to buy affordable tinsel, streamers, baubles, balloons
and other decorations, while handmade decorations will add charm and character to any home.
If you have got kids in the family get some card and let them go crazy with felt tips and glitter - the end result will be far more personal and something that you can keep for years to come!
15
Visit Santa for FREE
A trip to see an in-store Father Christmas can be expensive so seek him out at free events in you area at community centres, supermarkets and kids clubs. While you probably won’t get a free gift your children will get to see Santa and give him their letter.