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We know that for many of you, Christmas may look a little different this year. We've already had messages from parents worried about how to make Christmas magical when money is tighter.

So, as someone who absolutely LOVES Christmas but is also a huge bargain hunter, I'm sharing some of my favourite ways to save money at Christmas.

I'm definitely not a money-saving expert — but I do have a nose for a bargain! These are simply things that work for our family and hopefully they'll give you a few ideas too.

🎁 Reduce your Christmas present list
A few years ago I wrote down every single person I needed to buy a Christmas present for.

32 people. Thirty-two!

Aunts, uncles, friends, children's friends… it had got completely out of hand. I realised I was stuck in a cycle of reciprocal gifting: they buy for me, so I need to buy for them.

I wasn't enjoying it anymore, I was spending money on things people probably didn't need and it was creating unnecessary waste.

So we spoke up.

And do you know what? Most people were relieved!

If your Christmas present list is getting out of control, don't be afraid to suggest:

Stopping presents between adults
Secret Santa
A family gift rather than individual presents
A festive day out together
Meeting for a Christmas coffee or walk
Making a homemade gift
Donating to charity or a food bank instead
Sometimes the best Christmas present really is time together.

💷 Don't put yourself into debt for children's presents
Children's Christmas lists can contain some VERY expensive items!

If a games console, bike or other big-ticket present isn't within your budget, please don't feel pressured into buying it anyway.

Consider looking for second-hand games, consoles and toys through charity shops, Facebook Marketplace, eBay and Vinted.

Our local CeX in Hertford is also worth checking for second-hand games, consoles and electronics, with products covered by a warranty. You can also trade in old games and accessories for vouchers.

And if something is still too expensive, consider making it a longer-term goal. When my son wanted a games console, we explained that we couldn't afford to buy one but that he could save towards it. He saved pocket money and asked family members for money towards it, and eventually bought it himself.

He learned a pretty valuable lesson about saving — and treasured that console even more because he'd worked towards it.

🧦 Save money on stockings
You really don't need to spend a fortune filling a stocking.

In our house, we've always kept things fairly simple. Each child gets:

A chocolate Santa
New pyjamas
A book
One or two small things I know they'll actually use
I buy the pyjamas in sales throughout the year and pick up books from charity shops.

Our stockings have never cost more than around £10–£15 per child.

And remember: you don't have to do stockings at all! The same goes for Elf on the Shelf, advent calendars and Christmas Eve boxes. They're lovely traditions if you enjoy them, but they're not compulsory.

🎄 Make your own advent calendar
Some advent calendars now cost an eye-watering amount!

A chocolate advent calendar is absolutely fine, but if you'd like something more personal, why not make your own?

You could use:

A second-hand puzzle
Books
Chocolate coins
Christmas socks
Small treats
Bath bombs
Homemade vouchers
Christmas activities
You could even make a family advent calendar filled with free or cheap activities:

🎬 Christmas movie night
☕ Hot chocolate together
🎄 Put the decorations up
🚶 Go for a frosty walk
💡 Drive around to look at Christmas lights
✉️ Write Christmas cards
🍪 Bake something together

It costs very little but creates lots of memories.

🧝 Save money on Elf on the Shelf
If you have an Elf on the Shelf tradition, remember that your elf doesn't need a new outfit, accessory or elaborate set-up every single day!

Our elves simply move around the house and occasionally get up to some mischief.

Pants on the Christmas tree? Absolutely.

Drawing a face on the toilet roll? Of course.

Making snow angels in flour? Yep!

Use what you already have. There are loads of free ideas online and on Facebook if you need inspiration.

🎅 Keep your Christmas Eve box simple
Christmas Eve boxes can be lovely, but they don't need to cost £30+.

Our reusable box contains things like:

📖 A special Christmas book (reused every year!)
☕ Hot chocolate
🍪 A cookie mix to make together
🎨 A simple craft or colouring activity

The important part isn't what's inside the box — it's what we do together.

We bake the cookies for Santa, make a craft, have hot chocolate while watching a Christmas film and finish the evening by reading our special Christmas book.

That's our Christmas Eve tradition, and it costs very little.

🛍️ Shop second-hand in Hertford
Before buying Christmas jumpers, party outfits, toys or decorations brand new, have a look at Hertford's charity shops.

Christmas jumpers are particularly good things to buy second-hand. Children might only wear them a few times before they've grown out of them, so why pay full price?

Also look for:

Christmas party clothes
Coats and winter clothing
Toys and games
Books
Christmas decorations
Unwanted gifts
Stocking fillers
And don't forget Vinted!

It's brilliant for finding nearly-new children's clothes, Christmas jumpers, pyjamas, toys and gifts at a fraction of the original price.

You can also sell your own outgrown Christmas jumpers, toys and unwanted gifts afterwards and put the money towards next year's Christmas.

It's better for your bank balance and better for the planet.

🎀 Buy Christmas things in January
One of my favourite money-saving Christmas tips is actually to shop for Christmas after Christmas!

January clearance sales can be brilliant for picking up things for the following year.

Look out for:

Wrapping paper
Christmas cards
Gift bags
Decorations
Christmas Eve boxes
Craft activities
Stocking fillers
Christmas pyjamas
Crackers
I often buy the next size up in non-Christmas pyjamas in the January sales for the following year's stockings.

Store everything together in a Christmas box and future-you will be very grateful!

💰 Use TopCashback for your everyday spending
If you're already shopping online, make your money work a little harder by checking TopCashback before you buy.

And don't just think about Christmas presents.

You can potentially earn cashback on things you're going to buy anyway, including your:

🛒 Online supermarket shop
✈️ Holiday bookings
🚗 Car insurance
👗 Clothes
🎟️ Days out
🎁 Christmas shopping

Over the year, that cashback can really add up.

I personally save my TopCashback throughout the year and then, towards Christmas, cash it out or use the available options to turn it into vouchers/gift cards for retailers such as Amazon.

It's effectively turning some of your normal spending into a little Christmas fund.

🏦 Try a bank account round-up
Another little trick that can work surprisingly well is using a bank account or banking app with an automatic round-up savings feature. We use Starling for this.

Every time you spend on your card, it rounds the purchase up to the nearest pound and puts the difference into a separate savings space.

Spend £12.40 and 60p goes into your savings pot.

Spend £5.75 and 25p goes in.

You barely notice it happening, but over a year those little amounts can build up.

Make the savings space your Christmas pot and you could have a useful amount waiting for you by December.

🛒 Spread out your Christmas food shopping
You don't necessarily need to do one enormous Christmas food shop.

I like to pick up one or two extra things each week when I can, particularly things with a long shelf life.

Chocolates, biscuits, crackers, baking ingredients and cupboard essentials can gradually be bought throughout the year.

And remember: Christmas dinner is essentially just a fancy roast dinner!

It doesn't have to be turkey. You don't need every possible side dish. And if your family would rather eat a giant plate of pasta or have a buffet, do that!

It's your Christmas.

🎟️ Look for cheap and free Christmas activities
As a local family website, we know there are SO many lovely festive things to do around Hertford and East Herts without spending a fortune.

You don't need an expensive Christmas experience every weekend.

Try:

🎄 A Christmas lights walk or drive
☕ Hot chocolate and a frosty walk
🚂 A festive railway trip at Van Hage
🎅 Local Christmas trails
⛪ A Christmas service or carol concert
📚 Christmas stories at home
🎬 A family movie night
🧁 Christmas baking
🎨 Christmas crafts

We'll be sharing more low-cost Christmas activities in Hertford and East Herts as dates and details are confirmed.

And don't forget to check whether you can use Clubcard vouchers, cashback, discount codes or other offers for the activities you do choose to pay for.

🎁 Make gifts more meaningful
You don't have to spend lots of money to give a lovely present.

Some of the best gifts can be:

📸 A framed family photograph
🍫 Homemade fudge
🎨 Something handmade by the children
🎄 A homemade Christmas decoration
☕ A voucher for coffee and a catch-up
❤️ An afternoon spent together

My parents' favourite present was a framed photograph of all their grandchildren together.

Sometimes thought really is worth more than money.

👩‍🏫 Teacher gifts aren't compulsory
Teacher collections can add another expense at an already expensive time of year.

If you can afford to contribute, great. But if you can't, please don't feel guilty.

A handwritten card or a picture drawn by your child thanking their teacher can be incredibly meaningful.

❤️ Most importantly, don't put pressure on yourself
Different families have different budgets and traditions, and there is absolutely no judgement here.

In our house we loosely follow the something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read idea, plus a few extras. The boys ask Santa for one or two things and that's about it.

Some of their presents will be second-hand. Some will have been bought in sales. And some will have been saved for throughout the year.

Christmas doesn't need to be perfect.

Think back to your own childhood Christmases. What do you actually remember?

For me, it's the excitement of decorating the tree, watching Christmas films, writing cards, baking, being together and waiting for Christmas morning.

Sometimes we parents are our own worst enemies when it comes to putting pressure on ourselves.

So save where you can, shop second-hand, use cashback, make the most of January bargains, embrace free activities and — most importantly — remember that you don't have to spend a fortune to make Christmas magical.

Wishing you all a very merry, and hopefully slightly less expensive, Christmas! 🎄❤️

Kayleigh & The Boys xxx