20 Christmas In South London, Friday, November 18, 2011


Save while you splurge P


By Hannah Stephenson


RESENTS, food,decoration, entertaining –itall adds up. And while most of us love the


festivities of Christmas, the extra cost can cause headaches. MoneyexpertAndrewHagger of


moneynet.co.uk advises setting abud- get and sticking to it –that wayyou’ll have everything youneed without the stress of overloaded credit cards once Januaryrolls in. “It might sound


likeahorrible task, butmaking abudget plan is actuallyquite easy,” said Andrew. “Just decide what you’re going to buy, makealist and stick to it. Don’tbetempt- ed by those goodies on offer,that sale rack you’re walking past or the tasty little treats at the checkout.” He suggests shop-


ping online, which can work wonders for your stress lev-


els, as you’ll avoid all the busy, bustling shops and whether or not that must-have toywill actuallybein stock or not. It also helps youtoavoid temptation so that sale bargain simply can’tfall into your basket unless you reallywant it to!


All the trimmings


ASK yourself howbig the turkey reallyneeds to be. Youjust need enough to feed the familyand friends around your Christmas table, with a little left over for sandwiches on Boxing Day. “Don’tgomad with luxuryrange Christmas items such as puds,”said Andrew. “People won’tbethat both- ered if theydon’tsee the wrapper.” It’sworth keeping an eyeout for special offers and stocking up as and when yousee the deals. It’sagood idea to buywine in bulk as well. Lots of supermarkets offer extra discount if youbuy six bottles. And don’tbeafraid to ask anyone joining youfor lunch to be in charge of one partofthe meal. They’ll enjoy feeling likethey’ve helped and you’ll save some pennies in the process.


Penny pinching presents


IF YOUneed to buysome make-up between nowand Christmas, ask for free samples –theymake


Save: Shopping online may help you save money this year


great stocking fillers! Those with toddlers should explore charity shops for quality second-hand toys in good condition. Clean them up, wrap them in Christmas paper and they’ll nevernotice the differ- ence. Forolder children, splash out on a


board game. It’ll keep them enter- tained over the winter and will also


All decked out


GET the kids involved with making the Christmas decorations this year. Dig out glitterand shinypaper from


old craft boxesinthe toycupboard or stock up on tinsel, glue and paper chains from Poundland. Trysewing popcornontothread for


arustic mantelpiece decoration or scour your local park for pine cones and use them as decorations at the base of candles or in pot pourri –you can even jazz them up with gold or silver spray.


Be eco with energy


YOUmay have splashed out on fes- tive outdoor lights –but don’tleave them on all night! Just acouple of hours in the evening will do, to get everyone in the mood.


occupythe whole familyon Christmas Day. And if that Christmas card list is making youfeel guilty,send e-cards instead. It’smore eco-friendlyand you’ll save moneyoncards and stamps. It’salso worthtaking advantage of


the ‘three for two’ deals on offer in manyshops. And if youhaveabig family, maybe


onlybuy for the children –adults aren’tgoing to mind when money’s tight.


Inside, replace reg-


ular lights with ener- gy saving ones. LED lights use less energy than


conventional


Christmas ones. Trynot to let your heating bill blow the budget. “Turnyour thermo-


stat down by one degree,”suggests Andrew. “It maynot sound likemuch but could help cut your heating bills by a noticeable amount.” Keep the curtains closed when you


go to bed to keep the heat in and use draught excluders by the front door to keep the cold air out.


Easy entertaining


IF YOUwant to go out, head for the nearest green space or beach to blow the cobwebs away on Christmas Day. Your libraryshould list local walks and other events to keep the family amused. Look for budget familydaysout


with English Heritage too, where kids can listen to storytellers or takepart in Christmas craft making. Alternatively,ifyou can’tstand the thought of cooking, find yourself a half-price restaurant meal deal and let someone else worryabout the wash- ing up!


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