Consumer Expert Shares Tricks For FREE Christmas Presents
- Shoppers will likely want to cut costs where possible this festive season
- Deal Hunter Tom Church shares his top tips for saving on Christmas presents
- Tricks include where to find freebies and tools for getting the best prices
Christmas doesn’t need to be a source of stress if you’re worried about finding a budget for everyone’s gifts. That’s because deal hunter Tom Church has been hard at work compiling the ultimate collection of tips and tricks to help shoppers cut their costs.
The Co-Founder of money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk said: ‘This year, it’s more important than ever to think outside the box and make your money stretch. Fortunately, I’ve got some ideas that will help you get fantastic gifts without breaking the bank - as well as some hacks for finding the best prices.’
Make A List Of Names & Budgets To Avoid Overspending
Getting organised and working out how much you’ll spend on each family member or friend is a great way to keep in control of your budget. It may sound obvious, but we all get carried away in shops or while online shopping. If we don’t keep track, it’s easy to spend more than you thought and have a nasty surprise at checkout, accidentally buy gifts for the same person twice…you get the picture.
So make a list of who you’re buying for - Mum, Dad, your brother, your friends… and put your budget next to each person. £25 for Mum, £1 for your brother, and so on. If the total cost of your list is too much, then re-work it! Plus, make a note of what you’ve bought so far and keep it in the Notes app on your phone. You don’t want to be scratching your head, trying to remember if you’ve sorted your little brother’s gift or not in the middle of a shopping centre.
Get Stocking Presents for Free With These Websites
If you do Christmas stockings, try and get as many gifts as you can for free. There are a few ways you can do that. The first is to go to LatestFreeStuff.co.uk. This site is run by Deepak Tailor who won BBC Dragon’s Den. The website lists dozens of free samples and products you can order for free. Free shampoos, free chocolate, free magazines. They make nice stocking fillers.
The second trick is to get second-hand free stuff. Facebook Marketplace and NextDoor.co.uk are the best places for this. People in your local area are looking to get rid of stuff all the time. Toys, clothes, furniture - although I would love to see a sofa squeezed into a stocking! Clean it up, write a nice message with it, done. Free presents.
The third is to create your own presents. This is great for anyone with an drop of craftiness in their blood. There are plenty of Arts & Crafts Facebook groups where you’ll see thousands of members sharing their ideas. For example, knitted socks, personalised notebooks, and homemade candles.
Use Your Loyalty Cards And Turn Points Into Presents
Many shoppers save up their loyalty card points to cash in during the Christmas season. Just two days ago, Tesco announced an up to half price toy sale, which is running until 28 December. The deal includes 40% off selected Lego toys and up to half price on Paw Patrol toys.
If your nearest supermarket is Sainsburys, there are plenty of places you can spend your Nectar points. You can spend them on gifts from Argos, convert them and pay for a hotel so you can gift a holiday to your loved one for less, and even spend them on British Airways flights. Plus, Boots is doing its classic 3 for 2 Christmas Mix and Match deal again, so if you’ve been racking up the points across multiple cards all year now is the time to cash in.
Find Presents Within Budget With Amazon Tricks
The simplest tool for people to get started with is Amazon’s own Gift Finder Tool. You can use the price filter to adjust accordingly, depending on how much you want to spend. The lowest option is gifts under £10, and you can even select to filter gifts which are deals, or come with gift wrap! Recently I picked up gaming headphones for only £4.99. Plus, if you want an item with gift options, you can add a totally free gift message or a gift bag or box for a couple of pounds. Saves a lot of stress, especially if you’re looking for quick present ideas in the run-up to Christmas.
The Amazon Outlet section is another great place for bargain hunters to check out, as Amazon will offer overstocked products at discounted prices. Simply choose the category you’re interested in browsing and benefit from filters such as price, discount percentage and Prime Delivery availability. I recommend checking out the Overstock Deals section as this is where I’ve made some of the biggest savings.
Compare Prices to Save Even More Using These Tools
Once I have found a deal within budget, I like to compare prices to save even more. You should do this anyway, whether you’re shopping online or in-store. There are three tools I use. The first is an app called Idealo. It’s a free price comparison service. I recommend this one because I’ve tested them all over the years and I find Idealo to have the most accurate data.So even if you’ve found a deal, whack this out and have a quick look.
The second is Google Shopping. It’s a free tool with more results than Idealo, but with one problem you need to be aware of. You really need to watch out for scam websites on there. If a price is too good to be true, it probably is. If you haven’t heard of a website before check on TrustPilot first. Google’s not good at verifying shops, so be careful.
The third is the Latest Deals Price Comparison Tool. If you search for a product, you’ll get a price comparison so you know where to get the best deal.
Make Your Own Hampers - Create Gifts For Under £5
Gifts become more meaningful if you’ve put the time into creating something special, like a hamper. The Latest Deals community chipped in with their tips and tricks. Nicola Weeks advised: ‘When I’m on a tight budget I usually make a lot myself then do hampers for most of the family.’ Philippa Finch agreed: ‘I buy sweets, snacks and pop from a wholesaler and make hampers up, which also helps their budget. I give them out on Christmas Eve and they love seeing what's inside.’ Jemma Smith likes to get creative: ‘I make survival bags and put different things in them. Like a tea bag with a note saying we can make time for a cuppa, a chocolate heart with a note saying ‘you're always in my heart’ etc. So cheap and everybody loves it.’
Sam Green follows a theme, saying: ‘I usually do toiletry hampers. Lots of people on my list appreciate those. I include deodorants, shampoo, hair spray, body wash, bubble bath etc. Then I get a box and wrap it in cellophane, adding a bow at the end. It’s simple but they look nice and people will use the items everyday.’ Tom said: ‘Hampers are a great way to keep costs down while also adding a personal touch to your gifts. If you do a toiletries one like Sam, you can buy four or five decently sized items for under £1 each and put a great gift together for less than £5!’
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