Savvy mum reveals how she saves £500 on her Christmas shopping every year – here’s how you can too
EVERY year, we strive to be that person who starts their Christmas shopping in January and has it all done and dusted by December.
But time and time again, we leave it to the very last minute and panic buy a fortune's worth of presents in the process.
However, it doesn't always have to be this way - as savvy mum Stacy Warren has revealed how she saves £500 a YEAR with her easy shopping tips.
Speaking to , the mum-of-two, 42, from East Sussex, revealed how she's been fine-tuning her approach to Christmas shopping over the past 10 years.
She explained: "I remember seeing a gift set I had got someone in the sale in the January sale, and it was only £5.50 when I had originally spent £20.
"I was fuming so that made me think 'I need to start my Christmas shopping in January."
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Although it's expensive to start, Stacy says buying presents early saves her more money in the long-run - and Next and Boots are her favourite places to sale shop.
She added: "The first year you do it is an expensive one as I had just got all my Christmas gifts in November and December to then start Christmas shopping again in January, but once you get the first one out the way it's so worth it."
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Stacy will wait until the end of January to start snapping up bargains - as this is when things are around 70 per cent off.
She continued: "I then spend about £100 to £150 on gift sets, toiletries, socks, underwear and books. Basically, anything I can find that I would like as a gift. I would say this saves me appropriately £300!"
Once she's completed this big shop, Stacy will only pick up other presents - such as PJs, shoes and slippers - for loved ones when she sees them on sale throughout the year.
The mum estimates that this saves her a further £200.
I remember seeing a gift set I had got someone in the sale in the January sale, and it was only £5.50 when I had originally spent £20. I was fuming so that made me think 'I need to start my Christmas shopping in January.
Stacy Warren
What's more, Stacy also makes themed baskets for her loved ones depending on her sale buys - including a pamper hamper full of spa-worthy products and a tea and coffee bundle.
For her beauty hamper, the mum stocks up Body Shop minis which are sold for as little as £1 throughout the year.
She added: "The key is to never buy anything that is full price: always wait as things will always be reduced at some point.
"Also, always buy or create a hamper you would like to receive yourself. If you don't like it how do you expect someone else to like it!"
That said, the mum admitted it can be tempting to keep buying more items to her gift hampers.
She added: "If you buy a gift set that was originally £20 but you have spent only £6 for it, you need to remember you're giving a gift that is worth £20 so don't be adding to it with lots of extras otherwise, you're defeating the object of why you are buying all this sale stuff.
"If your gift budget is £20 for someone, then you give them the £6 sale item. They think you have spent £20, you are the only one who will know you only spent £6!"
As for toys, the mum says her best bargains have come from Argos in the clearance sale.
And rather than getting sucked into enticing three-for-two sales, Stacy says it's worth holding out until final reductions as you can get them MUCH cheaper.
She added: "Saving so much money every year means I can put the money I save away for a rainy day.
"When a big bill comes in or my car needs something doing to it, it makes life more manageable financially and my nearest and dearest are still getting good quality gifts, which makes me feel really happy!"
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