What are you cutting back on to save money this Christmas?

[brownwhisker]

We have just had notification that our gas and electricity direct debit is going up to £310 a month 🤯 and just starting to plan ahead to Christmas with our remaining wages....

There's definitely some stuff we will probably cut back on this year - thinking paid days out / pantomine ad maybe try and reduce families budget a bit per person.

Is anyone else cutting back in places?

I think food and drink is where we will cut down, will be harder as this year we are likely to be hosting for xmas day if not boxing day as well. But if I am hosting, I'll be asking for contributions towards it.

Usually it's just the 5 of us so not too extravagant. But we could have 14 or so this year 😳

Present wise, I've knocked money off what I would usually spend on the kids and so have probably saved £150‐£200 there.

Last year I bought all new decorations so need to do it this year (and to be fair I hadnt bought decorations for about a decade so we were due).

I have been saving all year to afford it, I'm more worried about next year. But the kids will be of an age where they understand money is tight.

We are having chicken rather than turkey. There's only 6 of us for dinner (including 2 small kids) so a large chicken plus the trimmings will be more than enough and only costs about £6 rather than £20.

I've reduced our budget for nephews and nieces over the last few years. It was £25, last year I spent £20 and this year I'm aiming for £10 to £15 (but buying savvy so they get something of greater value - for example I got a Lego set worth £25 for £14).

Shopping around for gifts to get the best prices, but I do that every year anyway!

Oh also:
No crackers
I bought reusable fabric wrap last year so no wrapping paper/bows to buy this year
Minimal Christmas cards
Those are more for environmental reasons but will save money too.

Also eating out has got so expensive. We aren't going out to a Christmas meal with our friends this year - mince pies and mulled wine at someone's house instead.
Foregoing DHs work Christmas do at £37 a head and going to a pub quiz wit friends instead, about £5 each including drinks!
Doing an escape room for £13 each instead of mum's night out with my NCT friends, and we aren't doing secret Santa this year.

I don't think it sounds grim at all. Lots of people prefer chicken to turkey anyway. And, personally I think a box of after eights would feel more 'special' than lots of tubs of sweets. They haven't tasted right for a few years, anyway!

Sounds like a lovely Christmas

We will probably spend less on alcohol as we will have a 6 month old baby so the odd glass of wine/tipple of Baileys will be it instead of a boozy Christmas.

I'm going to try make a conscious effort not to go mad on the food shopping, I usually pre-order from M&S but might swap out some items and try getting bits from Aldi.

Present wise - kids in family will all get bags/boxes with lots of little bits in from B&M, Home Bargains etc instead of expensive gifts from Smyths.

Adults minimal token gifts but thoughtful.

Panto- nearly £200 for 4 of us. Just can’t justify it this year.

Our Christmas will be more expensive as we have a little one now and I'll be spending money on experiences trips to see lights etc and getting some special photo snapshots of her but I will be cutting back on things such as Christmas night outs / buying for the sake of buying bits and bobs / I had planned on a trip to the panto etc but I won't be doing that

I just need to not let myself get more for DD (19) than I originally plan. I have bought her birthday presents for the 29th of November.

My plan for Christmas is a Dragon latch hook rug making kit. It’s £25 or £30 for the and the trio gift set of sanctuary body washes from Superdrug. But there isn’t really anything else she would want.

Her Dad will also buy gifts for her but when it seems like I should get more it’s important that I remember she neither needs nor wants it.

There is nothing else we need to reduce. We go for quality over quantity at Christmas and I would recommend this to anyone trying to cut back.