Christmas shopping is always so expensive, isn’t it? It doesn’t seem to matter how much you budget throughout the year and try to save, when it gets to the festive season, it always seems to cost more than expected. Aside from the price of all the Christmas food that has to be brought, there is also the cost of all the presents to buy as well, and making ends meet as well as covering the cost of everything else isn’t easy.

 

No matter how hard I try to save money during the year, I always seem to end up skint at Christmas, and it is a total and complete nightmare. I am one of those people who loves, loves, loves to give beautiful gifts, so having no money to buy them can be seriously upsetting. Luckily, I have learnt how to cut the cost of Christmas shopping and make gift giving that little bit more affordable.

 

Wondering what my secret to affordable gift giving is? Below I explain how I cut costs and make gift giving more affordable (and how you can too)…

 

Take advantage of Black Friday & Cyber Monday

 

Personally, I find that one of the best ways to save money on Christmas presents is to shop the sales. My favourite sales are Black Friday and Cyber Monday because the deals and discounts on offer on these days are AMAZING! I mean, when else can you pick up a tablet at 50 percent off, pick up a MAC lipstick at £11, or get a designer jacket at under £100? What’s not to love about these two days?! This year, I did half of my shopping on these days, and I made some incredible savings!

 

Utilise savings websites

 

Another handy hack that I like to take advantage of is using savings websites to get free stuff UK. There are some amazing savings websites that often offer a range of incredible deals on products as well as coupons and discount codes for activities and products that they don’t sell. Whenever I am looking for a gift, I always make sure to take a browse on these sites first, to ensure that I am getting the best deal for my money. If there’s a coupon to take 20 percent off the price of a gift, there is no doubt that I will use it.

 

Compare prices

 

When it comes to Christmas shopping, never ever buy a gift in the first place that you see it. Instead, note down the price and then shop around for the place that will offer you the cheapest price. Don’t just shop online, it is also worth taking the time to have a look in store, to see what deals you can get. Sometimes, believe it or not, you will come across an item that is half the price in store than it is online. I never buy an item without shopping around first, and neither should you.

 

So there you have it, a guide to my Christmas shopping hacks for cutting the cost of gift giving. Admittedly, Christmas will never be cheap, but if there are steps that you can take to shave a few pounds off, they are worthwhile taking.