Mumsnet users share their best budget buys for Christmas 2020 with Park Christmas Savings

[LibbyMumsnet]

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When it comes to Christmas, planning ahead is key, especially if you want to stay within your budget. It can be so easy to get swept up in the excitement of Christmas and spend beyond your means, but festive fun doesn’t need to cost a fortune - you just need to be a savvy-shopper. With this in mind, Park Christmas Savings would like to hear what your best budget buys are this Christmas.

Here’s what Park Christmas Savings have to say: “For over 50 years now, families have trusted Park Christmas Savings to take the stress out of saving for Christmas. With our huge range of digital and physical gift cards with online spending options that allow you to shop in all your favourite retailers, we help you make Christmas truly magical.
Whether it’s covering the Christmas ‘big shop’ and not holding back on the fancy crackers and prosecco, using Love2shop Gift Cards to buy all the gifts on your list, or simply sending them to the people you can’t visit over Christmas – we’ve got you covered! To find out how you can start saving today and be the smug organised mum next year, take a look at our site”.

So, we are asking you, what are your best budget buys this Christmas? Have your past experiences of not properly budgeting for the festive season made you a super-saver this year? What steps have you taken to plan ahead and to make sure you stick to your budget? Maybe you have some tips and tricks for getting the best discount codes, recommended retailers, or you think getting crafty with homemade presents is the best way to keep costs down?

Share your best budget buys on the thread below to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £200 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

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Biggest xmas budgeting tip from me is if you know you won’t see people on the day itself even more likely this year! then don’t arrange an exchange before xmas.

Meet in the weird space between Boxing day & NYE (or even later) and then you can buy those gifts in the sales.

My DC even told family he’d ‘rather wait and get more for the money’ 😂 than open on the day itself but have less.

My best budget buys this Xmas have been Xmas board books (50p each) and Xmas pj's (£2) for my youngest from charity shop! He loves them just as much as if I had bought them brand new and I got them for a fraction of the price.

Whatever else we buy for Christmas, I always buy everyone some holiday reading. We used to order from the Book People but they went bust last year so this year I've been looking at secondhand books on Music Magpie. They are sooooo cheap. The choice is limited but if they happen to have what you want it's a real bargain.

I got Some amazing bargains from the threads on here. Thanks All!

hamper company? What protections do you offer for savings if you go bust?

many people have lost a lot of money when it happened before.

I pick things up when I see them, buy cards in the sale in January. But mostly try to save money by only buying things people will actually want - it doesn't matter how cheap it is, if it goes straight in the bin/shoved at the back of a cupboard then it wasn't a bargain.

I think a great saving tip I learned from my cousin a few years ago is that when you know you would like a specific item and it's available all year round eg electricals (for me recently it was the Philips Lumea advanced) the sales around Christmas time often aren't the best. She was right; I looked all year round and in august I managed to snap one up for £100 (thanks to a £100 Amazon voucher from Mumsnet!) so it was retailing for £200 on Amazon. On Black Friday, the cheapest I could see it for this year was £250. So it goes to show that holding out for something if you aren't desperate is worth doing.

My best budget buy this christmas has been making hampers for friends and family. I have managed to make some lovely looking gifts without spending too much. Buying multi packs and splitting between hampers has been really good value.

Find what you want then find it again on Facebook Marketplace/ eBay, or go for a good rummage in the charity shops! Filled my DS stocking from charity shops!

Starting in November I buy whatever Christmas items are half price that week during my weekly shop. Starts with cheese biscuits, mince pies, crackers and Chocolates.

If I see something that I know someone I give gifts to will like, I buy it, doesn't matter when it is. Use Facebay, Gumtree, charity shops, TKMaxx, Aldi, Lidl, Home Bargains, etc. Always have a quick look up all the non-food aisles in eg Tesco when I'm shopping, found some great reduced buys, especially on the bottom shelves. I've cut right back on the number of cards I send. I also enter lots of competitions, but rarely win anything that I would want to give as a gift.

If anyone you know is giving/throwing away an old fake Christmas tree - nab it. I got mine from a neighbour. I pulled it apart and used old tinsel/string to wrap it around some twigs. Few lights, some old baubles and bits of holly and 5 garlands. Basically free

Aldi - 6 Nordman pine was £15. Usually we pay triple that.

My main approach to managing the cost of Christmas has been planning and spreading the cost of items over many months, plus also keeping an eye out for end of line discounts in main retailers over the summer and, not forgetting, finding items in charity shops.
I've read about the bargains thread here, so am about to have a look there!

The best bargains are the presents you pick up throughout the year which lighten the financial 'hit' of Christmas come November and December.

I have never really understood the Boots 75% off bargains mania though - who wants last year's gift sets?

Best bargain buys came via the Christmas threads (and the cheer to go with them). Favourites include the Barbie Camper at £54 instead of £80! The baked kits for baking too.

Best bargain was a bunch of Christmas decorations & some lovely small nativity figures from a charity shop for £1.50.

Great to see lots of comments on picking up items second hand! A large portion of my Christmas shopping has been done at charity shops, on Ebay & Facebook marketplace! As well as the obvious benefit of saving money, it's also much better for the environment.
I've found some great boardgames & jigsaws in fab condition & a lot of books look brand new! I often do the charity shop challenge for gifts with friends/family which is really fun - £5 budget. Often end up with some weird & wonderful items! Best bargain this year though was a very retro 1980s book of Eastenders knitting patterns, complete with photos of all the greats - Letitia Dean, Gillian Taylforth & Wendy Richard - brilliant & only £1!

I use the MN bargain threads for great deals on Christmas presents. I bought several half price Aveda hair care sets through it. Also TK Maxx is my go-to for a bargainious shopping free.

Ooh lots of bargains from the mumsnet bargain thread this year but the trick is to start early so you have some gifts ‘in the bag’ so you can play the waiting on other gifts...

I have used the box from a present to make a house for my 3y old to play in. I have also kept multicoloured packaging shredded paper and shredded cardboard packaging to put in big tub so I could hid little toys in £1 letters / numbers from a local store hidden have gave hours of fun.
We made a jars of jam / chutney over the summer for gifts and kept fancy jars from the year to present them in

I start early and keep a detailed list of who I'm buying for and budget.

My daughter wanted the our generation ice cream truck which is £130 new. I scoured the FB market place and found one in immaculate condition for £60.
I make sure I track cashback wherever possible too. My step son had a specific branded jumper he wanted. By keeping an eye on Black Friday sales and cashback sites, I ended up with a £180 jumper for £97. Still a lot but within my budget for him.

I've been caught in the past with overspending so now really try to be organised and don't go beyond my means. I've also culled a few people from my list who I'd gotten into the habit of buying for but dont see the rest of the year. They now get cards only.

Overall planning carefully and shopping for specific things is what I've done and it's meant I'm within budget again this year.

I start early and always have a budget.

In terms of presents I start early and look out for deals - like the entertainer having 20% off etc. I've got some good deals through prime deals.
We have a fake tree and reuse each year which saves money. I buy new decorations and Christmas cards and wrapping paper in the January sales to save money too.

Not necessarily budget but I'm signed up to ipsos isay and do product teats and surveys throughout the year. I cash in my points for vouchers for Amazon/John Lewis or pre paid credit cards and use those to buy presents. I cashed in £100 this month and still have points to spare.