Get a year’s bonus from your supermarket card in ONE DAY and four other hacks from money saving experts to make Christmas cheaper than ever

TIS the season to start budgeting. Yes, really.

There are only three more pay packets until Christmas and just 84 days to save up the extra £821 that the average festive season costs.*

According to research, one in six Brits associate Christmas with dread, worry or anxiety.** But planning can make it easier.

“December 25th is not an unexpected expense, yet so many people forget to budget for it,” says Guy Anker, managing editor of Moneysavingexpert.com.

So if you want to avoid being one of the 7 million people in the UK who take out a loan to pay for the extra cost over the festive season**, here’s what you need to do now.

#1 Play the supermarkets

“Most of the major supermarkets offer schemes to encourage year-long saving for Christmas. You either buy stamps in store or load up a card. Yet a loophole allows you to get the year’s bonus – up to 4% paid on to your store card – in just one day,” explains Guy.

“Read the small print and you’ll see that most supermarkets pay out the bonus – based on how much is loaded on the card by a specific date – in November or December. So make a note in your diary to put your money into the account by that date, and then use those funds to do your Christmas food and present shopping. Just bear in mind that you are then tied to spending that money in that particular store.”

#2 Go east for stocking fillers

“Discount shops, such as Poundland, work by buying items from China at rock-bottom prices and selling them here,” explains Guy.

“Cut out the middleman by using online marketplaces, such as Aliexpress.com. I’ve found iPhone cases for 60p and T-shirts for £1.90.”

But there are caveats.

“Delivery can take six weeks, so factor in a lot of time and keep your order below £15 to avoid paying any tax. And steer clear of electricals, toys and cosmetics, as they may not reach UK standards.”

#3 Do a stock take

“Go through each room in your home and see if there’s anything you don’t use that could make you money,” says Claudia Hammond, author of Mind Over Money.

“Old phones, electricals – even if they’re broken – and DVDs all sell well. Keep an eye out for eBay free listing periods or use Facebook and Twitter with the hashtags #deal and #offer – although it’s worth knowing you won’t have the same consumer protections eBay offers.”

#4 Book your travel today

“Christmas is a peak travel time so rail companies hike their fares,” explains Guy.

“The cheapest fares are released 12 weeks in advance, so book your train tickets now. Check out sites such as Redspottedhanky.com, which helps you find the cheapest route if you’re flexible on times, as well as loyalty points to use for future bookings. And it’s worth checking if you’re eligible for any railcards, such as Family & Friends (up to four adults travelling with up to four children) or Two Together (two adults travelling together), which can cut costs by a third.”

#5 Points mean prizes

“Make use of unused loyalty points to start stockpiling presents now,” says Claudia.

And no, you don’t have to wrap up a can of baked beans you bought with your supermarket card.

“Airline and supermarket points can be spent in many different partner stores. For example, Sainsbury’s Nectar points can be used in Argos. Register on these companies’ websites and they will email you ways to maximise spending, too – like periods where points are doubled or you get bonus points for particular purchases.”

Recent research from Loyalive, a phone app that keeps track of your loyalty points, found that £6billion worth of points aren’t claimed in the UK.

The average Boots Advantage Card holder has £12.50 of unused points, while Tesco Clubcard users have almost £18.

FYI

• 78% of people spend an extra £1,000 over the festive period.**
• The average woman pays out nearly £100 more on Christmas than the average man.***
• Those who are married or in civil partnerships spend almost twice the amount of those who aren’t.***
• 1 in 5 people are still paying off Christmas debts in August.^?

Sources: *YouGov **CircleHousing ***Halifax ^?GetPaidTo 

Mind Over Money by Claudia Hammond (£14.99, Canongate Books)