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Well, hello there!

Do you overspend at Christmas? Do you worry about money? Are you guilty of buying too much food and wasting it?

I think we have all been guilty of one of these during the Christmas period, but there really is no need.

I have created a list, complete with free printables to help you plan and budget through the Christmas season.

Bundle includes;

• Christmas light scavenger hunt

• Frugal fun to idea list

• 25 day Christmas Bucket list

• Letter to Santa template

If you like the bundle, please comment, like and share this post. Don't forget to subscribe!

Let's get to the tips!

1. Set a budget and stick to it

Make it a budget you can afford easily and stick to it. Why not make an arrangement within your friends and family circle to only buy for the children?

2. Consider doing a secret Santa with family on a small budget

If you want to buy gifts, why not set a small budget and do a secret Santa. It reduces costs and the stress of buying many gifts.

3. Use cash when buying Christmas gifts

If you feel comfortable using cash in these covid times, draw out the amount you intend to spend on people when you are shopping. It will help you keep track of what you are spending and might stop you from going over budget.

4. Craft your own gifts

Bath salts, cookies, dog biscuits, chutneys. There are so many things you can make which people prefer because they have a personal touch.

5. Don’t buy gifts that are wants

I want a hand-tailored 1950s style dress made in white and green. Will I be getting that? No. Prioritise and don’t be afraid to say no.

6. Reduce the number of people you buy gifts for

Do you always buy gifts for work colleagues? Why not buy a tub of chocolates and put them in the staff room instead? It will be cheaper and everyone will be thankful.

7. Don’t buy and send Christmas cards

Let’s face it, they are time-consuming and go in the bin. We stopped cards three years ago, we save half of the money and the other half goes to charity. You could take a festive family photo, edit it for free in Canva and send it as an email.

8. Don’t buy food people never eat

It may be tradition to buy mince pies, but if no one likes them then you are wasting your money. Don’t be sucked into buying foods on offer, especially if no one eats them!

9. Portion control

We all overindulge at Christmas, but what if you were mindful about your portion control? It would be better for your health and save money. Check packets for how many servings it contains.

10. Invite a neighbour over to reduce food waste

If you did buy too much food, why not invite a neighbour over for Christmas?

11. Create dishes you can freeze after to reduce waste

There are many ways you can save food. Cheese can be grated and frozen, cream can be whipped and frozen. Leftover mash? Freeze it! Check which foods you can freeze; it saves money, time and reduces waste.

12. Left-over food? Have a bring and share with friends

If you have food which can’t be frozen, why not have a bring and share night with friends. A great way to be social and frugal.

13. If you MUST get a credit card, get it on 0%

This should be for emergencies only, if you are trying to save money this shouldn’t be on gifts! But if you need cash, get a credit card on 0% finance. Make sure you read the offers and can afford the monthly payments. Remember they are only 0% for a fixed term, make sure you don’t forget to do a balance transfer or pay it off before the term runs out.

14. Consider creating a passive income

Do you have any crafty skills? You could create items and sell them online, Etsy and eBay would be a great place to start. You could also declutter and sell old clothes or toys, use my ultimate guide for selling on eBay to help you out.

15. Make your own decorations

Snowflakes, paper chains, popcorn garlands. The list is endless.

16. Host a cookie swap

Baked goods, such as cookies, cupcakes, tray bakes…whatever you like and swap with friends. Cheaper than buying your own.

17. Clone plants instead of buying them

Plants make great gifts. Plants like spider plants and aloe vera are easy to propagate and tough to kill and they make a pretty gift.

18. Create a foliage wreath from your garden

Use what you have, or go on a nature walk and forage for some foliage, then make what you have into a wreath for your door.

19. Offer your time as a gift (good at nails, give a free manicure)

We all have time we can offer. Why not offer your time as a gift? You could offer to walk a dog for a week, mow the lawn, do the laundry. Be as creative as you like!

20. Make your own gift tags

Cutting up last year's Christmas cards to create gift tags was all the rage when I was young. You could even create your own using Canva, which is free to use and has some great templates.

21. Make the most of free events in your town or area

No matter how small your village, there will be something you can do for free!

Download my FREE Christmas family frugal pack here.

If you like them, then why not check out my Etsy Shop The Fairy Print Mother.

22. Buy your items for next year’s Christmas in January

I always buy stocking fillers and smaller gifts in the January sales. I add a post-it note for who it is for and the gift goes in the cupboard until next year. It is also a great time to buy gift wrap and cards, if you are still sending them.

23. No spend weekends up to Christmas

On the build-up to Christmas don’t spend any money!

24. Get cashback on your Christmas purchases

When buying online make sure you are getting cashback using apps like Topcashback, which give you money back when you buy items via their website. Groupon and Pouch are some excellent apps that can save you money. Use them!

25. Say no! to things that are not within your budget

If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it. It is OK to say no, even at Christmas!

That brings me to the end of our list. I hope you liked it and thank you for dropping by!

A few words about Fair

Fair is a vintage gal on a journey to find financial freedom. She shares her best tips with you, so you can achieve the same goal, whether it is saving money or looking fabulous!

If you would like to learn more about Fair and how she measures wealth by the number of socks she owns, click here.

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