Doesn't it feel like the year has flown by since you wished your loved ones a ‘Happy New Year'? We're already more than halfway through, and while most of our resolutions may have faded, financial worries seem to have stayed with us. Now, with the festive season around the corner, excitement comes hand in hand with concern. From Secret Santa exchanges to family trips, it's all too easy to overspend and regret it when the January statement lands. Back in January, it may have felt like there was plenty of time to save, but looking at your balance now might tell a different story. If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. The festive season doesn't have to mean draining your savings or taking out a loan just to keep up. It's not too late to take control. By saving smart and trimming unnecessary costs, you can celebrate fully without the constant money worries. From finding cheaper UK train tickets to rethinking what celebration really means to you, here are nine ways to cut costs and still enjoy the festive season.
1. Be Flexible With Your Travel Dates
Travelling during the festive season can be costly, with prices for transport and accommodation climbing steeply. However, you don't need to cancel your holiday plans or borrow money to make them work. You might be surprised to learn how much you can save by making a small change, like moving your trip dates a bit. Travelling midweek, both when leaving and returning, often avoids peak holiday demand and opens up lower-cost options.
2. Book in Advance and Shop Around for Rail Tickets
Train fares are notoriously high during the holidays, but booking early is one of the best ways to cut costs. As soon as tickets are released, secure your seats to lock in lower prices. You can also use ticket-splitting apps to bring down the overall cost. If you're travelling with family, a railcard can pay for itself in just a couple of journeys. And don't overlook alternative routes, for example, spending an extra ten minutes comparing options could uncover cheaper UK train tickets and meaningful savings.
3. Share the Journey Where You Can
If you and your sibling are going from the same city to meet your parents, it's a better idea to share the ride. If you are not able to share the ride with your family members, you could try car-sharing apps or community boards where people list their upcoming trips. If someone is already on their way to your destination, it can help you save money that you would have spent if you had made the trip alone.
4. Stop Overbuying Festive Food
One thing you want to avoid this Christmas is throwing away leftover food once the festivities are over. This means you carefully plan your menu for all of the days you're celebrating and only shop for those items. You could leave room for a couple of spontaneous snacks you pick up while shopping, but try sticking only to your set menu. Supermarkets will encourage you to stock up and provide discounts if you purchase more than a certain amount. You should keep in mind that you do not need ten different items. One favourite dish per family member is more meaningful and manageable.
5. Get Creative With Decorations
Decorations are an important part of your celebrations, but they don't need to cost a fortune. You could use naturally available things like pinecones, branches or fruit to create your centrepieces. Hold a swap meet with your friends or family so everyone has a new set of decorations without having to spend any money. Additionally, using brown paper and decorating it with ribbon or fabric can save money on gift wrapping while still ensuring your gifts look nice.
6. Keep an Eye on Your Energy Bills
You might have noticed a spike in your energy bills during the winter months. While you can't completely avoid heating your home, you can use some tricks to make sure that your home stays warmer for a longer period of time. Changing to LED lighting, heating just the space you're in, and putting on an additional layer of clothing before turning up the heat are a few examples. Additionally, you could add thicker curtains or draught excluders.
7. Use Discounts and Rewards Carefully
All your loyalty cards, cashback apps, and voucher codes together could really help you if you know how to use them well. Try using multiple discounts where possible. While there will be many things on sale, remember to only buy things you actually need and not buy things just because they are on sale. It's also a good idea to start shopping early so that you can wait and see if the price fluctuates instead of panic buying things at inflated prices.
8. Don't Make Every Meal About Meat
It's tempting to go traditional and make turkey or roast for many meals during your celebrations, and while you can still do that, you could also accompany it with more vegetable-based dishes. This helps you manage your meat buying and also keeps portions in check and costs down. Even if you try making one or two of your festive meals meat-free, you'll be able to take the pressure off your budget.
9. Enjoy Free Festive Fun
If you're celebrating the festive season with your children, it could be tempting to book expensive experiences like ice skating trips or theatre shows. However, you can still give your children great memories without spending too much. It could include activities like a walk around your neighbourhood to see the Christmas lights, a themed movie night at home or joining a local carol service. These things show them the magic of Christmas without costing too much.
In Conclusion
Before you start spending on the upcoming festive season, you need to think about the memories you associate with this time. Do you remember the gifts you received, or do you cherish the conversation you had with your family? Would you rather make the best meal or spend time cherishing some fun memories together? The answer to these questions will tell you what is really important for you during the festive season and will also help you make smarter financial decisions.
MORE ON THE FLASH LIST
