How To Save Money This Christmas

Christmas is an expensive time of year as we all splash the cash to get ready for the big day - something we tend to regret in the New Year.

Check out these top ten tips from Georgie Frost, consumer champion, Share Radio on how to save money this Christmas.

1. Christmas tree-at!. A Christmas tree is the piece de resistance of every festive household so what's better than getting yours and receiving a voucher on top. On the 26th November, IKEA launches its annual Christmas tree offer where you'll receive a £20 voucher when you buy an IKEA real Christmas tree for £25 from a participating store.

2. Deck the halls... Now you have the tree, go creative with the decorations! I like baking orange slices, tying cinnamon sticks to them with ribbon and putting them on the tree or taking the kids out to pick pine cones, but the internet is full of cheap ideas for all abilities. You can sprinkle festive homemade chic over your home, without the big price tag.

3. Creative gifting: Get inspired by shows like the British Bake off and The Pottery Throw Down and use your creative talents to make gifts for the family and save money. Even if you’re not the most artistic, having a go at making wrapping paper, cards or putting together the perfect hamper. Pinterest and Instagram are great for inspiration and tips. It's great fun for the kids too and who doesn't appreciate a personal, homemade gift?!

4. Festive feasting: Eating your favourite festive fare doesn't have to cost a fortune. Why not upload a virtual shopping list to a grocery comparison website like mysupermarket.co.uk to find the cheapest prices. And don’t get swayed by fancy labels - Harrods may have won the Which? annual mince pie taste test, but at £8.95 for 6, it only narrowly beat Lidl’s offering at just £1.15!

5. Going home this Christmas? Book your train tickets now! Rail operators launch cheaper tickets from 12 weeks before, so if you want to buy cheap tickets for Christmas, check prices then, as they usual get snapped up quickly.

6. Watch out for costly TV subscriptions: According to Freesat, we spend an average of £471 per year on paid for Television. But the classic Christmas programmes, like the Queen’s speech, Dr Who and the Downton Abbey Christmas special, are all on subscription free channels.

7. Let loyalty pay! There’s a whopping £6billion in rewards sitting unclaimed from just the top 10 loyalty schemes - according to research from loyalive. Check your Boots Advantage, Tesco Club card points and Sainsbury’s Nectar points and turn your rewards into gifts for your loved ones.

8. Get cashback: We can all be guilty of going over budget during the holiday period, so why not make sure you get rewarded for doing so. Look into cashback websites such as Quido.com or Topcashback.co.uk, where you’ll receive a percentage back of the purchase amount. It’s easy to do and the money is paid directly into your bank account.

9. SSshh...Secret Santa: If you have lots of people to buy presents for, why not do Secret Santa? Whether it’s with your work colleagues, friends or even family members, set a budget and secretly draw names for who needs to buy for whom. This is a fun way to buy fewer presents and keep costs down too.

10. Go plastic: Cashback credit cards can be a good way to earn as you spend on all your Christmas goods. Make sure if you do get one, you set up a direct debit and repay in full every month so it's interest-free.