12 Shopping Tips of Christmas

Earlier this month, we brought you 8 Ways to Save on Shopping for Christmas Dinner, including how to use Money Dashboard budget planner to figure out how much you have to spend. However, Christmas is very expensive for many Brits, especially those with large families, so we have compiled 12 more tips to save you money on shopping for Christmas this year.

1. Internet shopping is useful for avoiding temptation. Only buy what you are giving for Christmas, you won't get distracted by all the other aisles like you might in a physical store.
2. Using shopping comparison websites like Kelkoo and Pricerunner ensures you are getting the best deal. There's even one for groceries at mysupermarket.com
3. Cashback sites like Quidco are similar to voucher sites, but they pay you after your purchase instead of discounting the price before.
4. Visit the NetMums Nearly New board for items that are only just second hand but much cheaper than new.
5. Make a list of everything you need and don't stray from the list! You may regret impulse purchases later.
6. Take advantage of any reward or loyalty points you've built up – you've earned them. Different stores offer different schemes but you may be able to get special deals with your points, or spend them like cash in store or online.
7. Make your own decorations – snowflake paper-chains and pine cones sprayed with artificial snow are popular but stylish low budget ornaments.
8. Look for deals on non-perishables like wine, biscuits, etc. during your usual weekly shop, so that you don't have to add it to the Christmas dinner shopping.
9. Don't buy pre-prepared food. It's cheaper to buy ingredients for things like stuffing and mince pies and making them yourself. Mince pies can be made in advance and frozen.
10. Does the supermarket have an in-house magazine? Try to pick one up on your way in and scan it for coupons and vouchers that might be useful.
11. Some stores sell luxury, branded goods at a discount – check out TKMaxx for cosmetics, homeware, accessories or toys.
12. Visit designer outlet village or factory shops. These are usually on the fringes of cities and have high quality stock at trade prices.

Once you've finished your Christmas shopping, Money Dashboard can help you figure out exactly how much you've spent on Christmas this year, so you'll be more ready for the expense next year.