How to Save Money at Christmas
A Few Seasonal Tips to Help Reduce the Cost of Festive Celebrations
Nov 12, 2008
Christmas needn't be an expensive time of year. With a little creative thought, many ways can be found to save money and have a great celebration!
Knowing how to save money at Christmas doesn't require lots of specialist knowledge or skills. Neither does it mean having an austere Christmas, pared of trimmings and special treats. Instead, saving money at Christmas is simply a case of using some creative thought to come up with low cost solutions.
Saving Money Off the Christmas Food Bill
One of the most significant costs that families incur over the Christmas holidays is food. And let's face it, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without the opportunity to indulge in culinary delights. Saving money needn't mean going without, instead think of ways that money can be saved. These include:
- Baking and Cooking – instead of buying ready prepared foods, money can be saved by baking and cooking at home. While this might appear less convenient than buying ready prepared food, with a little planning and forethought dishes can be created in the build up to Christmas and frozen. Tip: Clearing space in the freezer prior to Christmas will ensure that there is plenty of room to store food.
- Buying in Bulk – buying food in bulk is a great way to save money. Retailers and manufacturers often offer large pack sizes of food at competitive prices. At the other end of the scale, small or single portions of food are often sold at a premium, for instance a single portion of chicken will cost much more proportionately than a whole chicken. Many households are unable to buy in bulk. This might be because there is only one person in the household or because there is no requirement to buy a large amount of one thing. An alternative is for neighbors, friends or family to club together and buy their supplies in bulk and share it out from home. This is a good way for households large and small to be able to take advantage of bulk buy deals.
- Cheap Food – while many people would ideally steer clear of very cheap food at Christmas time, this can be a great way to extend the family budget. Supermarket 'value lines' can often be given a make over in the kitchen in such a way that belies their humble origins. Plain 'value' potato chips, for instance, when served with home made dips can taste wonderful. Other ways of finding cheap food is to look out for food that has been marked down because it is near the end of its 'sell by' date. Any food that can be frozen is suitable for buying and storing until Christmas. Another reason why food may be marked down in price is damaged packaging and this can be a good way to buy food for a low price that is otherwise perfect.
With a little forward planning and thought it is possible to have a Christmas celebration complete with great food without breaking the bank!
The copyright of the article How to Save Money at Christmas in Home Management is owned by Kate Pullen. Permission to republish How to Save Money at Christmas in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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