Yes, you heard me correctly. It’s time to start thinking about Christmas. I mean, it’s the first of September so, personally, I’m pretty-much not thinking about anything else until the big day comes!
Let’s face it, Christmas always creeps up faster than we expect. I always found that the autumn academic term just flies by and it’s the festive break before you know it. And the costs of Christmas can stack up quickly.
There are the obvious things like gifts, food and decorations. But don’t forget the sneaky extras: travel costs to visit family and friends, wrapping supplies, party outfits, Secret Santa surprises and, for me, the festive-flavoured coffees I can never resist.
Starting saving for Christmas early spreads the expense and makes the season feel more magical and less stressful. So, here are some quirky ways to boost your budget for the festivities.
Create a Festive Budget That Works
Did you ever see the film ‘Christmas with the Kranks‘? Make like Luther Krank and list everything you usually spend on Christmas, even the tiny bits – stamps to post your cards, advent calendars and so on. Pop it all into a spreadsheet or your budget app so you can see the full picture.
Once you’ve got a total cost of Christmas, you’ll know how much you need save and can break it down into achievable amounts, month by month. An app like PocketGuard lets you set savings goals and track your spending to prepare for upcoming expenses in advance.
Try a Christmas Savings Challenge
Christmas is a good excuse to return to using cash so you can physically see your savings grow. Set a small weekly target to withdraw (£10, £20, whatever you can manage) and stash it away in a jar or savings pot. It won’t feel like you’re withdrawing too much at once and kick-starts your savings.
Also, throw in any change you get (even pennies) to add extra to the pot. You won’t even notice you’re putting aside the 50p change you got from buying a loaf of bread. It might feel like a tiny not-even-worth-saving amount now, but it adds up beautifully by December.
Make a “Festive Fund” Envelope System
A similar option is to divide up your Christmas categories – gifts, food, travel, fun etc – and label an envelope for each expense. Then, every payday (or once a week if that works for you) you can withdraw the savings you want to put aside and divide them between the envelopes.
It might be 50% into the gifts envelope, 30% into food, 15% into fun and 5% into travel – or whatever proportions suit your requirements. This means no part of your festive budget gets overlooked and every expense is covered.
Plus, it will be easier to see how much you have for each category rather than just one overall number for the whole budget. You can even tally up the total on the front of the envelope for added satisfaction as the number grows!
Turn Decluttering Into Cash
I love an autumn ‘new term’ clear out so join me in having a rummage through your cupboards and wardrobes for things you no longer use. Sell them online – Vinted, eBay, Facebook marketplace – or at a local car boot sale and put every penny you earn into your Christmas fund.
Vinted is handy because you can keep all your earnings from that within your account balance so it builds up over the months, even if you’re only selling £2 items. You can withdraw it in December, ready to spend on your Christmas food shop.
Make Money from Your Hobbies
If you love crafting, knitting, sewing or upcycling, now’s the time to turn it into a little side‑earner. Seasonal markets and online shops are perfect for selling small handmade items so look out for local events.
Perhaps you could tutor someone and share your art and craft skills for a fee, or maybe you could do simple alternations to clothing, hemming too-long trousers for a little extra cash to add to your Christmas savings.
Also, it’s not just about making money, but about saving money too. So, if you’re able to make a handmade gift, you’re cutting the cost of your Christmas present shopping. Bake a cake or a batch of cookies, knit a cosy headband or put together a DIY hamper – all personalised gift options that save money.
Use Cashback and Rewards
While we’re on the subject of saving money, check cashback sites and loyalty apps to see if you can get money off everyday purchases.
Even £1 off your food shopping with the Co-op or Lidl app is a pound you’ve saved towards Christmas. And with Tesco clubcard you can earn vouchers. Save all the rewards throughout autumn and use the money exclusively for Christmas shopping.
Try a “No‑Spend Weekend”
Pick one weekend a month where you avoid unnecessary spending. It might mean staying at home and relaxing under a blanket with a Christmas-themed book or watching a festive film – if you haven’t left the house, it’ll be easier not to spend money!
Or you could make it a challenge to enjoy a day out that’s entirely free. Look up local parks or museums you can visit for free, open mic nights or community events at your local library. Don’t forget to take a packed lunch! The money you save on your no-spend weekend goes straight into your festive pot.
Spread the Cost of Food Shopping
Buy long‑life Christmas treats early and store them away. I’ve already seen tubs of Christmas chocolates in the supermarkets and they’re a lot lower price than they are in December, so there are already savings to be made if you start shopping now.
You won’t notice the extra cost of adding just a few items to your usual food shop each week and it’ll mean that December’s ‘big shop’ won’t feel like such a shock. You’ll already have the Christmas pudding, stuffing mix and frozen sprouts etc sorted in advance.
DIY Decorations and Gifts
Handmade decorations feel more thoughtful and cost far less. Plus, crafting them now gives you a cosy autumn project to enjoy – something you can get stuck into during those “no-spend weekends”.
You can sew stockings for all the family or knit tiny festive jumpers to hang on your tree. Paperchains are a child-friendly activity, as is painting ceramic baubles or tying velvet bows to a faux-foliage garland.
Here are some of the decoration projects I’ve previously shared on my blog to get your started:
- Turn old toys into quirky decorations
- Upcycle old Christmas jumpers into festive cushions
- Three no-sew Christmas stockings for all the family
- Use garden foliage to create mini wreathes
- Turn leftover wood into three space saving Christmas trees
- Create a Christmas tree advent calendar
- Upcycle fabric scraps into a colourful wreath
- DIY a light-up snowflake using EL wire
- Make your own custom sequinned party hats
- Plus, many many more DIY projects to save money at Christmas!
Plan Ahead for Sales and Discounts
Keep an eye on seasonal sales and Black Friday deals. There are big discounts to be found on almost anything you want to buy, from tech to toys. Buying gifts early means you get better prices and avoid the December rush.
Then you’ll have extra money left over from the “gifts” category of your budget and you can use that for festive food, a visit to Santa’s grotto or a Christmas concert. Plus, you can wrap and label presents whenever you buy them over the next few months, to get a head-start on your wrapping.
I hope this article will help to kick-start your savings for this coming Christmas. It’s exciting to track your progress in your budget app or on a cute printable chart – seeing your savings grow makes the whole process feel really satisfying.
Starting now means your Christmas will feel calmer, more prepared and full of joy rather than worry. I’d love to hear how you’re planning for the festive season so please share your ideas in the comments below or explore more festive budgeting tips on my blog.
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This article is a sponsored collaboration. The pink links in the content indicate a sponsored link or information source. The blog post reflects my own experience and the sponsor hasn’t had any control over my content 🙂
