With the cost of living affecting households across the UK, half of all shoppers plan to cut back on their Christmas gift spending, or resort to buying no gifts at all. If you are looking to stick to a tight budget this Christmas, here are our favourite ways to give meaningful presents for free this year.
Kitchen Creations
Everyone loves a treat at Christmas, but all too often we see prices of Christmas-themed confectionaires and bakes rise. So, why not make them yourself? Baking or cooking these treats for friends and family can work out cheaper than buying them in a supermarket. This is especially true if you are an avid baker, and are likely to have some (if not all) ingredients in your cupboard already.
Budget supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl have also made homebaking a lot cheaper. We worked it out and to collect all the ingredients to make a batch of gingerbread men/ cookies would cost you roughly £6 in Aldi (plus any decorations you would like to add).
If baking doesn’t come naturally to you, not to worry. Cookie jars have grown in popularity over the years. Simply find an old jar (a jam jar or similar would do) and place all the dry ingredients needed for cookies in it. Seal the jar tightly and add baking instructions onto a label. Your friend or family member will just need to add the wet ingredients at home when it comes time to bake.
Christmas Crafts
If you have a crafty side to you, making something from scratch can often be a cheaper way to make a gift which means more. This could be mittens or a scarf if you can knit, pillowcases from old fabrics, embroidered Christmas tree decorations, personalised cross-stitch socks… the list is endless. There are so many great Christmas gift ideas online which you can personalise for your friends and family. A meaningful gift which doesn’t break the bank, a win-win in our books!
IOU Christmas Cheques
Our Christmas Cheque Generator is defrosting as we speak ready for another festive season! If you haven’t already heard of Christmas cheques, they work a little like an IOU. They are a personalised promise to your friends and family which they can ‘cash in’ at any point during the year. Popular examples could be a car wash, baby or pet sitting, a home cooked meal or tidying the house. We love these as they can be personalised and are completely free. Our Christmas Cheque Generator is available online. Simply add the gift you’re giving into the box, choose your design and you’re done! Visit the Christmas Cheque Generator here.
Regift
Regifting can sometimes be frowned upon, but if you have home decorations, clothing or shoes in good condition that you know your gift-receiver will love, why not pass them on? This is not only a great way to save money but also help the environment. In recent years, the idea of ‘thrifting’ and ‘upcycling’ clothing in particular has become increasingly popular especially with younger generations. So, why not hop on the environment (and money) saving trend and raid your wardrobe for Christmas gifts.
Share your Christmas gift ideas!
There are so many amazing gift ideas out there which can help you save money this Christmas, so if you have any more gift ideas, why not share them with us? You can get involved in the conversation on our social media pages, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Let us know if you try these ideas and how they turned out!
