Tis the season to be spending… but there are ways to save cash and still enjoy Christmas

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Plenty of us will be thinking about the festive season by now, but what are the ways we can enjoy Christmas on a budget?

Quids in! is a big fan of cutting out excessive spending at Christmas.

When it comes to presents, a Secret Santa among family and friends can be a great way to keep costs down. It also means we can focus on one person and get them something they’ll really like.

Because everyone’s feeling the pinch these days, it’s likely our friends and relatives will appreciate any suggestions to keep costs down.

We could suggest a book exchange instead of gifts. Everyone picks a book they’ve enjoyed and passes it on to someone else who they think would enjoy it. We can write a personal message inside, explaining why we think they’ll love it.

Or if we know of a book our loved-one will really enjoy, Amazon sell used books for a fraction of the regular price. (It’s ‘pre-loved’ these days, rather than ‘second-hand’!)

Whipping up a batch of home-made treats can be another way to give a lovely gift without spending loads.

And a gift of our time – something like babysitting for busy parents – is often far more valuable than buying a present.

As if we don’t have enough things to spend our cash on at Christmas, it’s also party season.

If we need something to wear, there’s no need to buy new.

Preworn is one of the UK’s biggest sellers of pre-loved clothes. There are around a million items on the site at any time, all of them at low prices.

The clothes are photographed and there’s an honest description of the condition of the item. It’s a great idea if it’s something we may only wear a handful of times.

And they have clothing for women, men and babies.

There are lots more ideas for enjoying Christmas on a budget on the Quids in! website.

Image: Leeloo Thefirst / Pexels