Share with Barclays how you get through the festive season on or in budget and you could win £200 to help...NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

The team at Barclays say "when it comes to getting honest reviews, we know who to come to. That's why we asked Mumsnetters how they find the Barclays Mobile Banking app. One thing that lots of people mentioned was how easy it is to keep an eye on what's going in and most importantly coming out of their account".

Take a look at one Mumsnetter's story here:

At this time of year, we all know it's more important than ever to know what you're spending. Even if you stretch your typical monthly budget, keeping an eye on how much is going where can help you make January a bit less of a shock when you get there.

With that in mind, and for your chance to win £200 John Lewis vouchers, Barclays would love to hear how you get through this time of year with as little stress as possible on your wallet. Last-minute pressies? Forgotten fancy dress emergencies? House-guests staying a little longer than planned? What are your foolproof ways of making it through the festive season without any nasty shocks to your bank balance in the New Year?

Add your comment(s) below and everyone who does will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky MNer will win a £200 John Lewis voucher. Prize draw 12 December at 12noon.

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

NB: For Barclays Mobile Banking Terms, conditions & restrictions apply.You must have a Barclays current account and be aged 16 or over to use Barclays Mobile Banking

For me the most importnat thing is that I enjoy doing it. I think about every gift that I am buying and who it is for. I make a day out of shopping, armed with a list, and then I make myself commit to getting a gift. I enjoy buying wrapping paper, and all the bits that go with making the present look lovely as well. I usually shop online from the Amnesty Shop for paper and tags ..... I like to think about the person that will receive it, and that it will make them happy. I dont see it as stressful, I have a budget, and i have to make that work. But i do put it "thinking" time on what someone would like, so it might not cost alot, but they would know that it was for them.

For food, we go to a lovely outdoor market where we pick up fresh produce, we order our ducks from the local butchery, and the local wine shop advised us on wines and champagnes.

I usually order other stuff online (nuts; christmas crakers; mince pies etc)

Apart from present buying, and eating better and drinking nicer wine, we dont realy find we have "nasty shocks". This is more becasue I am aware of what we have and what we need to pay for. My husband and I would also take the "hit" on our presents if we needed money for other stufff, and we are both happy to receive a well chosen book or small item, so that we can afford to buy others gifts.

We are only buying for kids in the family this year as we have two young children and I'm at home with them earning not very much!

I've made presents for parents and used vouchers for others. I also use tesco vouchers to pay for toys when they have their double up offers on.

We eat at MILs on the day and so that really keeps the spending down - I make the desserts and this year they want apple pie and pavlova so I'm using apples from the garden and eggs from the ducks. Very handy!

I don't send cards unless its close family and the kids made them this year - green fingerprint Xmas trees. That saves on postage and cards and I hate writing them anyway!

My mum mades a few Xmas cakes and I ice them for her so we all get one at a fraction of the cost.
Ill make mince pies for after dinner and in case we get guests and freeze some.

Our children get one big main toy each - this year the playmobil police station and happyland fairy tree then some small gifts and stocking fillers. No more than £100 each as they get so many presents from our extended family. We also liaise with parents etc so that nobody buys the same thing or so we can stick to a theme. Works well - aunts buy add ons to the main toy etc and they love knowing what to get.

I do most of my browsing online, then either go into shops knowing exactly what I want having compared prices, or buy via click and collect to avoid postage costs.

Wilkinsons/Home Bargains etc are great for decorations and wrapping paper.

I write a list and budget for each gift. The children know that Santa can't afford to buy expensive presents for all the children in the world, so they are happy with what they get.

I look for deals and compare and then go out and buy. I also shop online so I don't get taken in by shop displays and deals. I know what I want and get it online.

There is also always one item of clothing for the children so they have something new to wear and its part of their Christmas presents.

Where food is concerned, I don't go overboard as I don't like to waste. I buy enough and a variety but not too much so that half is thrown away.

I save up all of my loyalty points; Boots, Sainsburys and Tesco for Christmas time. Even if I can't buy presents with them I use them for my regular shopping which means I have more money for presents. I've also just got a barclaycard reward card so I plan to save those rewards for next year since I've finished this years shopping.

I save up all of my loyalty points; Boots, Sainsburys and Tesco for Christmas time. Even if I can't buy presents with them I use them for my regular shopping which means I have more money for presents. I've also just got a barclaycard reward card so I plan to save those rewards for next year since I've finished this years shopping.

Thinking of things in advance is a very big part of things. But so is avoiding buying stuff just because it is tradition. One year I also challenged myself to buy from charity shops and I made up baskets of antique glasses or cups and saucers - with teas, chocolate etc

Know what you want and buy when it's on offer. By the end of November I've got all my presents and mostvon my non-perishables.

If you're having a group of people round ask them all to bring dish/bottle/prize for children's party game. It spreads the workload and cost.

I buy a lot of my presents in m&s, and have a store card that I pay £10 a month on to, so the balance is already there when I need to start shopping.

I save my loyalty points for the food and when there are bogof offers, the 'spare' item goes in the Christmas pile.
Some of my gifts are homemade.
The most important thing I guess is to not go bonkers over it all. Presents are nice, but being with people is more important.

Its a bit sad to see people suggesting always buy online as its cheaper as this is why our high streets are failing. Small businesses may not always be able to have the same prices as online, but they can offer you superb customer service and you are supporting your local community.

I guess I'm trying to make my motto as: Buy less, but buy local.

We have a savings account set up separately and when our monthly pay goes into our joint account, a £50 standing order goes into our Christmas Savings. In addition we add the two months of Council Tax that we don't pay (as it's split over 10 months) into that.

Also, through work, we transfer £250 a month onto an ASDA card. £50 a week is spent on shopping and then whatever is left over at the end of the year is used for Christmas (usually around £250). So presents and food are all covered.

For 2014 I've changed to £200 a month for ASDA, £100 a month for Sainsburys, £10 a month for M&S and £10 a month for Love2Shop which means birthdays and Christmas will be covered and hopefully after a couple of months we'll be used to those amounts not being in the bank and will adjust our spending accordingly so we don't notice it's gone.

When it comes to dinner, it really is just a big roast dinner so there is a lot that I have normally or buy gradually in advance or when it is on special offer.

I agree with kitten. People are more important than presents, so I love receiving a handmade gift and try to make lots myself.

I don't like all the stressful focus on Christmas Day. I just want it to be a nice day with our family full of games and being together, so there aren't really nasty shocks.

Not going overboard with the Christmas shopping. Agreeing kids only for presents. Not buying in loads of food 'for Christmas' just getting extra for Xmas day.

I think the biggest way to stay within budget, is to not go too crazy!! It's just one day of the year, after all. And anything you don't buy for Christmas, there's always birthdays/anniversaries/random days to give gifts, right?!

I write a list and compare prices online and avoid the shops because it is way too stressful shopping in the city in December with a toddler and a pushchair!!! So for stress related reasons, I'd say shop before December. But if you want the special deals etc, obviously the closer to Christmas you shop, the better, right? 'Til everywhere runs out of stock, of course!!

We have a buffet that lasts from Christmas Eve until new years day that we top up and so when food shopping, I look for all the 3 for 2/bogof etc deals to help with that.

It also helps to estrange yourself from your crappy family and have friends that live around the world so you don't have to buy presents for a million people/cook for a million people! THAT ought to keep you within budget!!! ;)

Now the DD's are older they have cash to blow in the Boxing Day sales.
Buy things like Xmas crackers as close to Xmas as possible as you can be sure they'll be reduced by the 23rd, and they all contain the same tat!
Shop online for everything else - much easier to compare prices and stick to your list!
Use Nectar points to pay for the wine

I've saved all the Nectar and Boots points over the last year and done the Morrisons £40 off your Christmas shop thing as well, and started collecting for the DCs stockings in October to spread the cost out a bit. We've told some extended family and friends we're only buying for children this year, not adults, which has reduced costs and stress of thinking of something for someone you hardly know!

Also, to help DP on his budgeting way for his predictable mad dash for presents on Christmas eve, I will be giving him a very precise list of what might be suitable for me.

Usually I try and buy throughout the year to try and minimise the stress in December. But this year has gone a little awry so I try and write a list of what I would like to get and then I search for it looking for the best offers over a number of weeks to get the best price. I adapt what we already have costume wise and just make it work being creative! For last minute buys that I have forgotten about I tend to use amazon.co.uk as I am a prime subscriber which then delivers the following day straight to the person making it look like I remembered!
For keeping costs down for Christmas Lunch we try and spread it out across a few of us in the family - sharing out both the cooking and the cost.

I try to stock up on presents in the sales, and to do the food shopping over the weeks ahead so it does not become too stressful. I also buy all the stocking fillers either in sales or 3 for 2 offers.

I always start buying presents early and spread the cost from Oct-Dec. I We have a budget for each person which works well, and we don't spend lots and lots on DC. It is hard though, little cooking extras can really push the food bill up. I do try to shop for special offers but make sure I compare them to ensure they really are a good deal!

I try to get as much as possible reduced. So cards and gift wrap in January sales for the following year, presents as and when I see them throughout the year. We have an artifical tree which works out very cheap when I consider how many years it's done so far. I always make my cake and am going to try making mince pies this year. Also, being organised so having cards and presents ready for when you see people to save on postage. My sister and I often lend each other dresses and accessories to save on party outfits.

I make use of special offers throughout the year; from Christmas decorations in January to reduced turkey on 24th Dec.

The same as we do the rest of the year : we don't spend more than we have.

Christmas usually costs us less than our spend during our summer holiday and definitely costs less than filling our oil tank!

I always save up my loyalty points throughout the year (supermarkets, Boots etc) and then spend them in December, just makes December that much cheaper.

I shop in the sales well in advance of anything coming up, so I am prepared, and not doing last-minute panic-buying of overpriced unnecessary rubbish. Plus we only buy for DS now, and a small token gift or two for each other, and this has really cut costs. Felt pointless exchanging gifts with adults who can buy what they want. Less stress all round.

Lists. Lists are your friends!

I've found that the only way to keep to a budget over Christmas is to plan in advance and buy presents throughout the year when they are on offer. There is no shame in waiting for the January sales if you have something big to buy rather than spending a fortune just to have t a few days earlier.