Featured post: Top Christmas Tips with TSB

TSB have challenged me to write about my top Christmas tips and I’ve been good, I’ve not peeked at their TSB Christmas Tips guide. Santa would know…

My first big tip is pretty pointless for this year but great for next year- get some stocking fillers in the January sales. Some things like LEGO or Playmobil never go out of fashion and are often heavily discounted just after Christmas or in the summer as ranges are replaced in time for the following Christmas. A case in point is the AT-AT set I spent 50 quid on (not a stocking filler admittedly) in the Spring, that had been reduced from over £100. I saw it being sold on the Amazon Marketplace last week for £225!

Secondly, it is important to set your budget and keep to it. There’s no point in making Christmas the most magical day in the history of everything if you have to go down to Cash Converters after the holidays and sell everything to pay back the payday lenders (this is the story of one of the top thrifty bloggers by the way; I’m not exaggerating!). At the end of the day what kids treasure most is attention from their parents, so managing their expectations is important in making sure you have a (financially) successful Christmas.

IMG_20141225_060945Thirdly, don’t forget to trick your kids. A £3 A4 notebook with Marvel superheroes on it is worth more than £3 to your child if they’re a superhero fan.  You don’t have to spend a fortune to get something that your children will love. A case in point is young Ned this year. He’s desparate to have a “teddy bear full of sweeties for Christmas”, so we’ve bought him one of those teddy bear PJ cases and filled it with little packets of Haribo. Job done and that is literally all he actually asked for, so anything else we get him is going to be a big surprise!

Fourthly, and perhaps most importantly, remember that Christmas is only one day. It doesn’t help to build it up to be something super duper, much like Valentines Day (why be nice to your significant other only once a year? Better to do it all the time in my book!) The more you put pressure on Christmas to be that one super special day, like the Griswald’s in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, the more danger you’re in of spoiling it for yourself and everyone else.

Well, those are my top four tips, in the meantime, have a watch of TechnoDad’s tips in this handy video:

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