Christmas money saving tips

When money's tight, it's really important to try and prioritise the everyday costs - like your rent, utility bills, food costs over and above the extra costs for Christmas. Please talk to us if you're struggling.

Christmas is just one day - don't ruin the rest of the year worrying about how you're going to pay what you've spent. Be honest with yourself and what you can afford to spend.

Make a budget and stick to it. The Money Saving Expert has a great FREE budget planner that will really help: Money Saving Expert Budget Planner

It's easy for gift giving to get out of control. And if you get a gift from a friend, you can feel you have to give one back. Why not agree with some of your friends not to give each other presents. Or do a Secret Santa instead - and set a £5 or £10 limit?

You might find that giving the gift of not buying gifts is the best present you could give to your friends this Christmas.

If you've got a list of who you need to buy for, when you see what they'd like at a price you can afford, whatever the time of year, get it and keep it safe ready for Christmas.

Don't be afraid to shop around - try as many places as possible to find the best deal. And be wary of extended warranty offers - the cost of a repair will often be cheaper than cost of the warranty.

The chances are that the best Christmases aren't the ones where you've spent the most money, they're the ones where you've spent quality time with friends and family.

The Money Saving Expert has 20 free (or very cheap) ways to sprinkle some Christmas magic that won't break the bank: 20 ways to sprinkle Christmas magic

If you can't afford Christmas, don't be afraid to go cold-turkey. See family, friends, watch TV. Christmas is one day a year.

Christmas shopping on impulse is dangerous. Making an old-fashioned shopping list and sticking to it will really help.

Many people can feel lonely and isolated over the festive season. Why not give the gift of some of your time this Christmas by helping neighbours and the elderly who may be struggling. Or you might even think about doing some volunteering to help those less fortunate?

Take a look at Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service's website to find out more.

If a few quid more in the Christmas fund would help and you've got presents that were given to you in the past that you've never used, why not sell them? Ebay or Facebook Marketplace are a good place to start.

It's far better to budget than borrow at Christmas if at all possible. And don't just run-up an overdraft with your bank, without talking to them first as unarranged overdrafts can be very expensive.

If you do decide you need to borrow, never use loan sharks to get access to cash. If your income is low, there are reputable lenders like Notts and Lincs Credit Union that promote affordable lending - and you can borrow from as little as £100.

Once Christmas is over, if you can afford to start saving a little ready for next Christmas, that might really help. And don't forget that things like decorations, cards, wrapping paper costs gets slashed by retailers straight after Christmas - so there's a chance to get some real bargains that will save you for next year.