Watch our last episode of Shop Talk where CarrieMumsnet discusses surviving the Christmas shop with Ruth Langsford. NOW CLOSED

[KatieBMumsnet]

Last week MNers were asked how they get the best deals on Christmas food and present shopping.

Watch episode 4 of Shop Talk now for tips on savvy seasonal shopping.

Barclaycard Freedom Rewards, in association with Mumsnet, created a new weekly online chat show, Shop Talk, and this is the last episode.

Here's what Barclaycard have to say about the show: "This is the final episode of Shop Talk, a weekly chat show where weve tackled the big shopping stories that you're talking about. A different presenter has hosted each show, and for our last show it was Ruth Langsford. Two panellists, including shopping blogger Emily and Carrie from MNHQ, joined Ruth to discuss surviving the Christmas shop and stocking filler saviours.

With regards to the Barclaycard Freedom Rewards credit card, Barclaycard say: Freedom Rewards is a credit card designed to reward you for the way you already shop. Collect Freedom Rewards points everywhere, and double at UK supermarkets and petrol stations, to turn into vouchers to spend at our huge range of high street and online shop.
If you loved Shop Talk and want to see the highlights from all four shows watch out for them here from Monday 18th November.

Thanks,

MNHQ

I start with an idea of what I'm going to buy each person - or a general theme. I start early. As my daughter is only 2, I can still get away with buying things I think she will like, rather than having to deal with a list which might change at the last minute. Hence my loft being full of presents in September :)

I use camelcamelcamel to track prices of toys particularly for my nephews. I also shop around at places like B&M, home bargains etc for cheaper toys and stocking fillers.

I also use cashback sites when purchasing online.

This year I will be doing my food shopping at Aldi to try and save some money.

My absolute best tip is to trawl the Chrismas bargain thread on here though - I have had some corker bargains from there :)

i use the christmas bargain threads on here, shop all year round if i spot something perfect. i always look for vouchers, codes and discounts if i can, and always check prices online if i am out shopping.
the only tip i can give for food shopping is that i shop at sainsburys and save nectar points all year ready for christmas, currently i have just over £95 on my nectar card, with 6 weeks still to go. that will be well over £100 by christmas week, which will pay for around half of my christmas food shop.

I look on money saving expert and the bargain thread here and do comping and always check amazon prices using wishlist

I make a list at end of August and start buying then to spread the cost. I buy things every week, the bigger things on pay day, right up until the end of November when most of it will be done (with the exception of food and alcohol). I try not to buy anything that isn't on the list or add anything to it.

I look for voucher codes where possible, bargains on eBay and I do actually use my Freedom card points on Amazon! Also try to buy things when they're reduced in price. I sign up to newsletters so I know when sales are happening and keep an eye out on Twitter.

Food wise I shop in Morrisons and buy a couple of saver stamps a week throughout the year plus I've been saving the vouchers they're doing this year so my food shop will practically be free.

I bake and make a lot of things myself so for example for a garland in the style I wanted it was £40 so I bought all of the things needed to make my own and it cost me half of that.

For wrapping paper I just buy brown paper (£1 for two rolls!) and add pretty ribbon and gift tags to it.

I get stuff in the January sales if I can. This year I had some wonderful gift packs in the 75% off Boots sale so some presents sorted then. Likewise I pick up suitable bargains throughout the year and put them aside as gifts. Handily this also gives me a cupboardful of presents I can search through for last minute birthday presents too.

If I buy anything online I search for a voucher code and use cashback websites.

I got some great deals from the book people last year, so will be checking them out again, but don't like to buy books as gifts for anyone twice running as no one I buy for is a massive reader, apart from DS.

Dad kindly always buys us a turkey, as he knows someone who rears them.

Food shopping is done gradually, taking advantage of offers as I see them.

Start early, and always, always shop around.

If I know a particular store usually has a sale on at certain times of the year I'll budget for that as well.

I'm almost finished buying all of my Christmas gifts now, and have started stockpiling non perishables, spreading the cost is so much easier - the thought of dashing around in a last minute panic would fill me with horror!

I We love Christmas shopping! I am a shopaholic, so Christmas is a lovely excuse for me to shower my child with gifts!

I buy stockings, fillable crackers, reusable advent calendars, wrapping paper etc in January when I spot them in the shops (usually when I'm returning surplus gifts)

The main gift is usually bought end Nov. I use HUKD, Camel, Mumsnet bargain threads or just trawl through my favourite shopping sites to find something bargainous and age-appropriate.

For Santa's gift, it's always a mad panicked scramble to real shops [shudder] as DD decides what she wants only by Dec 20 or even later!

Start early ....look for bargains (not only cheaper but you do get a bit of a thrill from it)
Never buy anything full price use as many voucher codes or discount codes.
Make you you keep n track with Reasties christmas bargain thread which Is a huge life saver
Don't be afraid of using charity shops, eBay amazon ect. Second hand dosnt mean crap
Because a book has been read once before dosnt mean it's no good as a present.
Keep track of what you have bought via lists or apps
Make sure you ask for ideas from ppl don't waste money buying things people won't want

Start buying not perishable food stuff early couple bits a weeks and store so you don't have a massive shop closer to Xmas.

I start at the beginning of October, making a list of the things I definitely want to buy my son and partner. I then have a rough idea of what I want to buy family members although this can change depending on what I see when all the Christmas brochures come out! I usually look on Amazon and put things in to my wishlist, and keep an eye them as the prices tend to go down in November. I look out for vouchers and discount codes as well as snapping up items in my "definitely to buy" list if I see them on offer.

I start adding extra food to my shopping every week from mid-October onwards. Things like chocolate, biscuits and drinks and food cupboard items that I know will have Best Before dates beyond Christmas. I make a list of all the food I'll need to buy including fresh and freezer and cross them off as and when I add them to my weekly shop, so come Christmas week all I have left is the fresh stuff.

Food, I look out for discounted items or items on offer that are ok to freeze. I have a huge chest freezer and tend to buy or make things a month or two in advance of Christmas and then freeze it so that I have lots of things all ready for the holidays that just need to defrost or cook from frozen. You can often get good deals on prawns, smoked salmon, joints of meat and party food, you just need to check carefully if it is suitable for freezing and how long for. Cakes, sauces and even pastry will also freeze really well and are useful to have on hand to whip out when you need them.

Presents, I make a list, allocate a budget for each person and add it up to make sure I have a total budget to keep to. Then I leave it all to the last minute and blow the budget anyway!

This year will be different however... This year I WILL be organised!

I have to do a lot of mine online due to lack of time -so I try to get people's suggestions early so I can start getting things ordered early and get all the stressful bit out of the way. It doesn't always work though!

I always shop (online) I the January sales for next year. Also, don't forget to look for voucher codes or for cash back deals to save even more!

I have a spreadsheet that helps me keep track of what I've bought this year, how much I've spent and what I still need to get. It goes back to '09 so I don't risk getting someone the same thing twice.

My family are open and ask each other what they'd like- yes there's fewer surprises, but you don't risk buying something for someone and then they don't like it.

I am a early bird with present buying to stretch the cost bit by bit over a few months...I already have all of my daughters presents!!!

I also make a lot of homemade and personal gifts for my family, which sounds pretty lame but they enjoy them and I enjoy making them :)

One favourite last year was christmas tree decorations made from my 2 year old daughters handprint, we then painted the fingers as santas beard and the thumb was the hat. They were just little stocking fillers but it's a little piece of Livvy for each family member to cherish when she is all grown up :)

I also have a huge clearout of old toys, electronics, clothes...everything we no longer use or need, before christmas...to make more space but also make a little bit more spending money for some christmas fun and donate some to our nursery and charity shops too :)

I like to fill in surveys in the hope that I might win some money / vouchers in the prize draw to buy the presents with :)

Always compare the internet and shops in order to get the best deals. Always look for online voucher codes for relevant items.

I just go to MN bargain thread and buy stuff that people suggest and have found great deals for. Sounds sheep-like I know. But it works and Christmas will be awesome as no worries over shopping or expense, can just enjoy carols and mulled wine and all the rest of it with no stress :)

I do as much as I can online. I usually have a few rough ideas per person and see what the best thing i can find is

I save my points/rewards at various places throughout the year, nectar points, boots points etc so I have a little more to spend.

I always do my research and look online before I go to the shops, though apart from eBay and amazon, I buy in the shops! I love to see the things I'm buying, to physically pick them up and put them in the basket is strangely satisfying!!

On my husbands side of the family, they send round specific lists of things for each person, which have already been bought and you just have to pick something and hand over the cash. I hate this! It doesn't give me any scope to be creative and thoughtful and try to get the best deal possible. On my side of the family, I think about Christmas presents all year - in the back of my mind, when the sales are on in places like Cath Kidston during the summer, I pick up little bits and pieces for people as we go through the year. I also shop for vintage items in charity shops as a number of the ladies in my family have a thing for vintage china.
I also like to make things for people - damson gin, home-made truffles and shortbread etc Sometimes I do just buy something I have seen in a sale or on offer and then try to figure out who I can give it to, but I do try to give gifts that will be valued and not tat that will end up straight in the bin!

I'm a last-minuter. I loathe surprises and prefer a) folk to ask me what I want and b) to tell me what they want. Then I can happily go out with a list or preferably go online. Endless browsing round crowded shops is a layer of hell to me as is trying to work out what to get folk. I don't do shopping at the best of times. I don't want to buy stuff which will be wasted, I'd rather get stuff which is needed/wanted.

DS's main present got click and collected into a local supermarket last night and I shall pick it up tomorrow. I know he's planning on writing to Santa for it and I can get it cheaper now before the inevitable Christmas hiking of toy prices which are almost as bad as hiking holiday prices when schools are out. Everyone else's? Um! Am waiting for someone to have an idea and tell me! We have asked!

Foodwise, we get John Lewis vouchers as cashback from credit cards, and use them to buy most of the fare from Waitrose. It may be more expensive than elsewhere but it is effectively free so we can treat ourselves. We also have Nectar points so we can use those too.

Little things like crackers I get in the week after Christmas when they are ridiculously reduced and then shove in a cupboard for 51 weeks. £15 boxes I'd never normally buy were £3.75 last year. Much better!

I have a list in my diary of everyone I have to buy for, what I think I might get and what I have got (if done) then I know exactly where I am when I am out shopping or shopping online.
Also I make sure to shop online early as deliveries can be delayed nearer Christmas by bad weather

I have a list of people to buy for and a plan of what to buy. I usually make the list in October so I can look for deals in the half-term toy sales, the Amazon black Friday flash sale etc. I'll do lots of Internet research to find the best prices before I buy most things but sometimes I'll come across a real bargain that's better than my original idea and I jump on it. I also have relatives living abroad so their presents need to be sent in the first half of November to get there on time.

DH goes shopping on Christmas Eve. His presents are 'interesting' and rarely wrapped!

I start my shopping year before.. yes you are reading it right...
Just after last Christmas we started preparation for this year... we bought lovely high end Christmas pudding after Christmas last year on sale - it cost us 1/10 of the original price and it has almost 2 years best before date
Same with wrapping paper and decorations... I always get it year before
and gifts...
I "hunt" for them all year round... there are always some new items on the wish list which are the latest edition or just come out but most of the things I am able to buy much earlier when I see them on special offer
This way I don't have to spend a huge amount of money in one go.
I like my system.
It works for me.

I shop all year, starting in the January sales for wrapping paper and staples.

I use camelcamelcamel to track prices at Amazon and get email alerts when the price of an item drops to what I want to pay. You can also use it to track the price though the year and see whether the latest 'offer' is actually that good - I just used it to buy the Playmobil Hotel (RRP around £100) for £66.

MSE is brilliant for linking to flash sales on Amazon as well, it's a lifesaver.