How to bring Christmas Cheer on a budget

Money is tight for many of us at the moment and lots of us are on a budget, and a big, expensive Christmas may not be on the cards. 

But we can still enjoy the Christmas period without feeling stressed about money. 

Christmas doesn’t have to be about big presents and expensive activities filling our calendar. Christmas is about making memories. In years to come, our children, families and friends will remember the time we spent with them, more than the presents we gave.

So how can we make the most of the Christmas period this year whilst on a budget? 

1. Plan Ahead 

This can be easier said than done, but if you can find out what the children want in advance or you know early on what to get for your spouse, mother in law, niece, (insert other name!), then it can pay off to shop around. You can sometimes get lucky and find the item in a sale during the year. I have been known to buy gifts in the January sale and keep them for the following Christmas! 

This can also help to spread the cost as you can buy presents throughout the year, rather than having to spend lots of money in November and December. I also like to include some items for the children that they would need anyway, such as a pair of new pyjamas or trainers. 

2. Budget 

This is a bit of a boring one, but it is always worth setting a budget before you start splashing the cash around. Without one, before you know it you’ve spent far more than you meant to and you may regret it. 

A budget helps you set out who you need to buy for, what you need to buy  and how much you want to spend. You can always amend it if you need to, but it’s much better to have a rough guide to what you need before you start out. 

3. Secret Santa 

If you have lots of people to buy for then it could work to speak to groups of friends, family members or work colleagues and to set up a Secret Santa within each group. I always dread the thought of Secret Santa, worrying that I might get that Uncle that no one knows what to buy for,  but I remind myself that it can be more fun than it sounds! 

Although it means that everyone is receiving fewer presents numerically, it often means the one present they get is of more value and hopefully is something that they want. 

It also means you can put more thought into what to buy that person as you have more time and money to spend on them. 

4. Buy Second Hand or Make Your Own Presents

The second hand market is fantastic right now, with some really great deals on nearly new items, display stock and vintage items. Why not have a look at second hand sites (such as Vinted and Ebay, but many more exist) and see if you can find what you need. 

It’s also much better for the environment to recycle these old, used items, rather than them going to landfill. 

It is also much cheaper to make your own presents, and there are plenty of ideas out there from craft, beauty, food and drinks. Many of these could be made with the children’s help, providing opportunities for fun and laughter as you make memories together. 

5. Christmas Music 

This is one of the easiest ways to bring on some festive cheer! Who doesn’t love listening to Slade, Wham!, Mariah Carey, Coldplay, Elton John….the list goes on! You can play Christmas music in the car, while decorating the Christmas tree, wrapping presents, seeing friends and family. The opportunities are endless and music always makes me want to step into Christmas! 

6. Energy Consumption

It is worth thinking about your energy consumption in the run up to Christmas, as well as on the big day. This could mean assessing whether you need as many outdoor electric Christmas decorations, or maybe buying a smaller piece of meat for Christmas day which costs less and takes less time to cook. 

As a domestic electrician, I can’t help but think about how we can use less energy - this year we replaced our lightbulbs for LED bulbs. A more expensive outlay at first, but they could save us, and the average UK household, around £40 a year. Perhaps You could replace your Christmas tree lights with LED ones, which  are more energy efficient and durable.  

7. Enjoy the Big Day

Whatever your circumstances, make sure you take time to enjoy the big day itself. Put on some Christmas music, watch the kids open their presents and take a moment to treasure the memories. Perhaps you could hide the presents around the house and they have to find them before they can open them? You could take this up a step by writing clues to help them, like a scavenger hunt. As I’ve said, when we look back we treasure the memories more than the gifts. 

Merry Christmas from A Bathe Electrics

However you spend the Christmas period, I hope you have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Stay safe, stay warm and we hope you make some wonderful memories.