Mumsnet users share their best budget buys for Christmas 2020 with Park Christmas Savings

[LibbyMumsnet]

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When it comes to Christmas, planning ahead is key, especially if you want to stay within your budget. It can be so easy to get swept up in the excitement of Christmas and spend beyond your means, but festive fun doesn’t need to cost a fortune - you just need to be a savvy-shopper. With this in mind, Park Christmas Savings would like to hear what your best budget buys are this Christmas.

Here’s what Park Christmas Savings have to say: “For over 50 years now, families have trusted Park Christmas Savings to take the stress out of saving for Christmas. With our huge range of digital and physical gift cards with online spending options that allow you to shop in all your favourite retailers, we help you make Christmas truly magical.
Whether it’s covering the Christmas ‘big shop’ and not holding back on the fancy crackers and prosecco, using Love2shop Gift Cards to buy all the gifts on your list, or simply sending them to the people you can’t visit over Christmas – we’ve got you covered! To find out how you can start saving today and be the smug organised mum next year, take a look at our site”.

So, we are asking you, what are your best budget buys this Christmas? Have your past experiences of not properly budgeting for the festive season made you a super-saver this year? What steps have you taken to plan ahead and to make sure you stick to your budget? Maybe you have some tips and tricks for getting the best discount codes, recommended retailers, or you think getting crafty with homemade presents is the best way to keep costs down?

Share your best budget buys on the thread below to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £200 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

[Aroundtheworldin80moves]

My best budget buy this year eas discovering the second hand book shop. I got10 books for my DD for £2.50. One new book can be £5. She can read one in an evening.

[nellyburt]

By best budget buys were all found through the Christmas bargain thread. My biggest bargain was three neom candles for £35 which is normally the price of one.

That bargain has allowed me to really spoil some friends who deserve it.

[BristolMum96]

Echoing PP that I've bought tons of bargain buys from the Christmas bargain thread... almost too many to name. We have really enjoyed the £3 cinnamon buns kit from Amazon

[AliceMck]

Lots and lots of bargains, Disney Princess dolls for 99p each on the home bargains clearance shelf, also candy floss dolls £1.99 each, and lots of glittery makeup and lip glosses for 50p each, a gorgeous pink makeup case for £4 from a charity shop and roller blades for £5 from a different charity shop. Designafriends ice cream cart & gymnastics bar £10 each and a national geographic microscope for £14.99 from Aldi.

[Asuwere]

Best budget buys are usually crackers/cards/wrapping paper etc all bought in January. Means I can buy the better quality things but at really budget prices.
Also try to only buy what is necessary - it's only a bargain if you need it and/or will use it. (try to avoid being a sheep on the bargain threads )

[Theimpossiblegirl]

I always start early, prices to spread the cost and make the most of any sales. I also use cashback sites through the year and get Amazon vouchers.

[sharond101]

I got a near perfect LOL campervan from gumtree and a huge dolls house from Argos similar to the Barbie Dreamhouse for a third of the price. My DAughter wants the whole of Smyths catalogue so I need to save money somewhere!

[PetrovYelyenaAndMe]

Best of Jazz - 6 classic vinyl albums £19.99. For husband. Bargain!

Tesco Finest mincemeat with port: 50p in January clearance (use by Oct 2021!) - just opened it, is fab.

Candy canes - daughter’s request. Found in Home Bargains 79p.

I really love buying tissue paper, cards and crackers in the January sales, tucking them away and forgetting about them till December then rediscovering what I bought and enjoying using them!

[Hopezibah]

Keep an eye out with regular grocery shopping for anything that could be hidden away for Christmas. A while back Tesco had a load of stationery clearance items and they are going to make perfect stocking fillers. Worth having a list of any specific brands you love and then keep an eye out for black friday deals. Generally not a fan of black friday but if there are certain products you want for christmas then it can be a good time for a bit of targeted restrained shopping! Could you buy gifts for several people in one place online to get free delivery? Otherwise postage costs can add up. Best of all think twice about how much / who you are buying for - would they prefer something handmade with love and thought rather than shop bought? We buy very few christmas cards - saves money but also because of the environmental impact and it's exactly the same for crackers. I have a few we re-use as decorations year after year but no longer buy them. Christmas table can be decorated with some greenery from the garden and looks great so no need for extra decorations or tableware for that. Etsy has been a lovely place to find some good value "made with love" items with a personal touch - perfect as gifts.

[frankiefirstyear]

I buy things throughout the year, make lists of what people like or buy things that I know they'd enjoy little by little and often for my young child, secondhand. I only buy things on offer, discounted or secondhand anyway, so Christmas is no exception and that way the recipients get more and it costs me less. My young child is at the age where craft is a daily enjoyment, which means handmade cards and gifts are priceless and much more precious than shop bought. Within all of this I try to buy things that support charity too. I have to be on the look out all the time so I can find meaningful gifts to those I love. I used to get shopping vouchers which helped immensely, I started doing this when I'd miscalculated my pay day and was extremely sad and embarrassed to hardly have anything to offer anyone.

[PickledChicory]

I got some really good bargains at tk maxx. Must have hit it at the right time often its it or miss. I got a beautiful copy of chitty chitty bang bang for £3.00 and mouse trap for £3 rrp £19.99.

[NewtoHolland]

My husband is out of work so we have a very tight budget this year.
I am amazed at the lovely things I've picked up in charity shops; a couple of Djeco craft sets for £2, and a really lovely Hape dominoes set gor £8. I have asked my close friends and family if it's ok to get their children's gifts in a charity shop and they've been pretty keen on it too which is good. The other place which I've found is full of bargains is the works, I made my nieces little scrapbooking kits with lots of bits to stick in for only £8 each including a nice hard backed scrap book.

[voyager50]

I bought a gorgeous dark purple throw with silvery sparkly bits in it - just the thing my sister loves - I got in in the January sale for £10 - it was usually £40!

[Sooverthemill]

Not sure it's saving money exactly but we have a fixed budget per person for our presents and never go above that. We only buy presents for our adult kids and each other plus something like a bouquet to be delivered to elderly MIL. I buy a token gift for people who help us out eg dog Walker and this year have bought a nice gift for the neighbours who have been incredibly kind to us while we have been shielding. That's it. This year we won't buy cards except for MIL and instead have used the money we would spend on cards and stamps to donate to the charity we support which is really struggling for fundraising this year. We also give a donation to the local food bank. As for food we buy stuff as we go along from October and order a Turkey from local butcher. We don't get much extra food ( it's just a big roast really) and use all the leftovers ( which are the best bit anyway) for a few days after. Then we freeze any Turkey still left to make a pie or a curry later in January. I think it's just trying to be sensible and a bit frugal and not spend the whole year paying for it!

[ColintheCrow]

Waiting for deals on the techy presents on Amazon, shopping for bits... wrapping paper and crackers etc in Jan and buying simple gifts throughout the year. Managed some bargains and to spread the cost.

[GRAK]

I've used ClearPay to spread the cost of my Christmas shopping this year. I also found a great online toy shop for the kids toys www.maqio.com/

[Janaih]

The middle aisle in aldi is great for presents.
As a pp has said, set a price limit for each person and stick to it. As well as keeping within your means, you'll feel in control and therefore less stressed.

[Rapunzel91]

In all honesty what works for me is saving up throughout the year and pick up bargains from September onwards. That way I know I have the money I need and I can also spread the cost. I don't start any sooner as the kids change interest quickly so buying something in January might be a waste of money if they are no longer wanting that item come christmas.
I got quite a few things in the Black Friday sale which was a massive help.
Another help, enter competitions like this one! It's no guarantee but if I win it really helps:)

[JulesJules]

We only get gifts for the children (now teenagers) and it's usually a stocking with a mixture of practical and useful things and a few little luxury things. Plus handfuls of chocolates. I buy stuff through the year, especially in sales, multibuys etc. We don't do big presents but have a family trip somewhere in January so it's something to look forward to when Xmas is over - last year we had a weekend in London and went to the Tutankhamen exhibition. Nothing planned for this year!

Apart from that, my sister and I make and swap marmalade and chutney. I start buying a few extra groceries from September, and we save nectar points all year to use for Christmas food and drink.

[AWholeLottaRosie]

I buy things throughout the year when they’re on offer. I do always have someone in mind though - I don’t just buy a load of tat for the sake of it!
Around September I really start to think about Christmas, I buy non-perishable food, putting away a bit extra each week.
Crackers and wrapping paper I try to buy in January when they’re cheap, if I can get plain wrapping paper that’s a bonus because then it can be used for birthdays too.

My best way of saving money and taking advantage of bargains and discount codes is to look at the annual threads on Mumsnet. Every year I’m really grateful for people sharing codes and posting ideas. The only thing is they move so quickly that I have to check them multiple times a day.

[theneverendinglaundry]

I got my daughter an amazing second hand bike this year, it was a fraction of the cost and looks like new!

Buying second hand is better for the planet and better for your wallet.

[cvanessa12]

i normaly shop in the beggining of year for christmas like january /and february ,when everything is reduced and sales,its realy more cheap

[GYNisaliarWTF]

Making my own hot chocolate cones for our eight nieces and nephews saved me on the ‘add on’ selection boxes that somehow come to be an obligatory extra to the ‘£10’ limit we all have in the family for children’s gifts!

[MumC2141]

Pick things up throughout the year when I see them. Also buy from charity shops and second hand, have got some great value things that way and the kids are always happy to have them.