CHRISTMAS TIPS TO SAVE MONEY AND MAKE LIFE EASIER
1. Plan out your gift giving
- Set a budget and plan out what present you want to buy for each person using a pen and paper or spreadsheet. Planning your gift giving this way will help you avoid going over budget and help you feel more organized.
2. Keep tabs on spending with an app
- Between festive food, presents and decorations, there’s a lot of spending to keep track of in December. Using an app like Emma or Plum can help you see what exactly you're spending the most on (e.g. shopping, food, travel) so you can budget accordingly.
3. Never miss a discount
- We all love the convenience of online shopping, so if you're planning on buying your Christmas presents online, I'm here and you're here now! Always check your email for more announcements, promotions and other information.
4. Reduce food waste
- We throw away more food at Christmas than at any other time. Using a portion planner will help you figure out exactly what you need to cook for each meal, so perfectly good food doesn’t end up in the bin when everyone’s too full to eat it.
5. Make the most of your leftovers
- We look forward to leftovers just as much as Christmas dinner itself! Make sure your freezer is defrosted and that there's adequate space in your fridge to store your leftovers securely and safely.
6. Organize your fridge
- Keeping your fridge organized is an easy way to reduce food waste, as if you have food tucked away at the back, you're more likely to forget it until it's gone off. We recommend putting foods that don't need cooking on the top shelf, dairy products on the second, then raw meat and fish at the bottom. Drawers are for veggies, salads and fruit.
7. Get the guest room ready
- If someone is staying with you this Christmas, getting your guestroom ready sooner rather than later will reduce stress as their arrival date approaches. Give the bedding a wash (yes, including the pillows and duvets), free up some wardrobe space and give the room a good declutter — voila!
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