With Christmas just around the corner, you’re probably looking at your dwindling bank account and praying, hoping, wishing for someone to fill it up. We all have friends and families that deserve the absolute best on the 25th December, but sometimes all we can afford is a Wilko notebook. So to help you out, we’ve compiled a list of 10 hacks for saving money over Christmas.

1. Amazon outlet 

If you shop on Amazon a lot, then you MUST check out Amazon Outlet. It’s full of discounted and overstocked products at a reduced price. So for anything you want, double-check the outlet section first!

2. Cheap, but thoughtful gifts

Gifts don’t always have to be expensive! It’s worth keeping an eye out for little thoughtful trinkets, and things that are more meaningful. It could be a framed photo of a great memory, a book from their to-read list, or house plant to warm up their room. You can also check out our cheap gift ideas page, which has lots of thoughtful gift for under £5.

Track spending to save money this Christmas
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

3. Cashback

If you’re not sure what cashback is, it’s as simple as it sounds. You spend, and keep your receipts, then get cashback on brands like ASOS, Currys, Asda, Tesco and many more. You can actually save hundreds this way so it’s definitely worth signing up to.

4. Make a gift list for people

It is much harder to overspend when you plan it out. You’re a lot less likely to double the budget if you go out with a list! Avoid spontaneous purchasing when you’re trying to keep to a budget, because opportunistic shopping is bound to lead to overspending. When you have a list, you know exactly what you’re looking for, so will hopefully stay on track.

5. Compare prices

As with anything, Christmas presents can often be bought from lots of locations, both online and in person. So make sure you check where else you can find things, and for how much, before making the final purchases. You can actually use PriceRunner to compare over 2.6 million products across 6000+ shops, which makes things a little easier.

Black Friday discounts are a great hack for saving money on gifts at Christmas
Photo by Tamanna Rumee on Unsplash

6. Black Friday 

With winter, and Christmas, comes the ever-exciting Black Friday. Pretty much everywhere is running some sort of insane offer for you to take advantage of. If you’ve got a list, it’s probably possible for you to buy all of your presents on that one day, for half the money you’d usually spend!

7. Track your spending

If you’re someone who uses contactless or PayPal a lot, there is a high chance that you’re familiar with the notion of checking your bank and being very underwhelmed. There are ways to stop this. One, log out of PayPal. Two, leave your contactless card alone, or take Apple Pay off your phone. Three. Look into spending tracker apps, or banks with that facility like Monzo.

Group gifting is a great hack for saving money on Christmas gifts
Photo by Kira auf der Heide on Unsplash

8. Group gift or Secret Santa

If you’re buying for friends that live in the same flat, maybe discuss doing group gifts! An easy idea is something for the home that you all need and can enjoy. A coffee machine, subscription to a TV channel or artwork…just make sure it’s something that won’t cause problems when you all finally move out. Or you could try opting for Secret Santa, which is a great way to make sure everyone gets something good, without spending a fortune. It works by putting all names in a hat and each person picks one friend to buy for. It has the added bonus of surprise not knowing who is getting your gift. It’s much nicer to get one really good, heartfelt gift than 5 things you’ve never wanted.

9. eBay

Similarly to checking around for prices, it is always worth checking places like eBay. A lot of the things for sale are new, or in fantastic condition, but are a fraction of the price. It is also a more sustainable way to shop, if that is something you’re interested in.

10. Check student discounts

If you’ve yet to sign up for Unidays, Student Beans, Totum Online, etc. then it’s well worth doing so soon. Or, if you are shopping anywhere in person, be sure to have these apps installed and your student ID on you. Make sure you ask wherever you buy something, as some stores don’t advertise their student discount and you may miss out. Make sure you also check out our deals page for some great student bargains.