Saving for Christmas

[GretaVanFleet]

We were talking at work about how many pay days until Christmas and out of the 10 of us I am the only one who saves through the year towards Christmas. I have a standing order for £100 that begins December and then I pay it to myself once the November payment goes in. I’ve done it for about 25 years or so.
Do many of you put money aside, do you try but dip into it, is Christmas a December pay panic, do you put it all on a credit card then pay it off or something else?

I save 50 a month for birthdays and 50 amonth for Christmas. In a starling account, using 'spaces'.
It works really well as if I see/buy something early then I transfer the money across to my normal account.

with the 1p a day challenge when you get to February 1st it’s 32p, 2nd February 33p ? And so on sorry for been thick (baby brain)

I have usually waited for my pay award which takes month to agree with the unions then is paid as a decent lump sum in November. I didn't get a pay award last year so we just absorbed it from salaries but lucky we can do so.

I used to do £25 / month to Park for vouchers and I would spend them in Debenhams & boots on Christmas gifts for nephews & nieces. Since Debenhams, as it was, went I just save the cash (although I’ve increased it now) and give them the money. They are now all teens so happier with the cash anyway.

I started saving each month specifically for Christmas a few years ago. We don’t make enough just to use money from our normal monthly pay nearer the time otherwise. We use it for tree, FC, fun activities leading up to the day, food and presents etc.

Yep I do, my mum encouraged us to open a Christmas saver when we got married and had our first child, £50 a month. She encouraged this after spending years paying off christmases on credit cards. I have done it ever since (although pay a lot more in now) and no matter what our financial situation has been over the years Christmas has never been a financial worry. I start shopping October time, by which time most of the Christmas "pot" is there, Nov/Dec's payments usually cover food and Xmas activities.

Yes myself and dh put in 200pm from Joint account to my savings account.
Have done for years.

I also buy throughout the year. Already got both girls and youngest ds some stocking fillers. Eldest a tracksuit he had his eye on. A few toys for one of the dds.
Both girls a personalised locket each.

I do surveys that offer Amazon vouchers and save them through the year - most months get around 100

I put money away throughout the year into a Monzo pot. Not a set amount, just what I can afford each month. Sometimes it’s £20, sometimes it’s £80.

I keep the pot locked til October (I usually start my shopping in Oct/Nov). This year I’m on track to have about £400 by then. We don’t have any DC so that’s just for a few family presents, some nice food and maybe a festive day out somewhere.

That’s interesting @TheStarsDontShine where do you find the surveys?

I have a monthly standing order of £100 into a savings account and withdraw £1200 every December.

I've done this for about 14 years. Works for me.....

I use Swagbucks and qmee - disclaimer the qmee link is a referral - you and I get 50p if you sign up also Vypr is quick and easy you just click on pictures vypr.it and also HuYu for adding receipts www.huyuapp.co.uk

20 a week just started for this year (no in-laws presents to buy now so that can go on food etc) next year I’ll start in January.