What is the best way to save for Christmas 2018?

[Oh2beatsea]

I always start well by saving cash at home or in a separate bank account then one month we are short on cash and I end up using the Christmas savings! Anyone got a better method please?

Regular amount into a fixed term deposit account which needs atleast 30 days notice to access money

I also save £2 coins into a savings tin which you need a can opener to open. It's half full now, I started it last year so I'm hoping there's a few hundred in there by the time I open it.

I buy savings stamps of upto £5-£10 every time I do my grocery shopping. I have a few hundred saved for the Christmas food shop by December.

A multi pronged approach works for me best as I've got a few saving streams on the go at the same time.

They are good ideas Moss. Might pinch a couple of those - thank you!

be very careful with savings stamps - they are the same as cash and need insuring and protecting the same as cash does. Even in the current bad times, you could get a bit of interest on this money and it would be safe in an account.

A 'few hundred' for the Christmas shop????? How many are you feeding?

also shopping at Boots is burning money. Everything they sell is available cheaper in other shops.

Just remembered to move my council tax payment into the Christmas savings account! I am planning to save the payments from Feb and March which will help. I’ve also been skimming oddments from my accounts into the savings pot and it’s all adding up!

I put £50 a month aside each month in a separate account. This month their is no "poll tax" council charge thingy so I saved that as well. It is a huge help. I am not a fan of voucher saving schemes as they tie you to particular shops and I tend to buy things from all sorts of retailers eg National Trust!

Now is a good time to tell extended family that you cant buy for them next year...gives them plenty of warning.

I pick up winter clothes in the final winter sales around Easter time and put them away for next year.

Use cashback sites for everything you buy online (Quidco and Topcashback) and redeem in December. I had £60 to spend with TCB this Xmas.

Every year :
I save my Nectar Points for Christmas and use as many of the Bonus Points that apply to my shopping as I can
NatWest rewards last year were new to us
Costco cashback (not loads , I go every 4-6 weeks which saves throughout the year)
Money tin (the can opener type) for £2 coins and 10p/5p/2p/1p
Everyone in the house knows on pain of death being cut out of the divvy up to give their coins

I write a list of who I'm buying for and buy throughout the year.

Mostly, this will be things on offer/charity shop finds etc. I also gave a lot of vouchers this year from the likes of groupon/itson and just checked date would be valid.

I'm lucky in that firstly I have a big loft to store things and secondly because only 1 of our 4 is at an age where they would want something specific /potentially expensive. I keep aside cash for them and aim to spread other costs e.g. panto throughout the year.