Five ways to save money as it’s just 100 days until Christmas

CHRISTMAS is 100 days away but households will already be beginning to make preparations.

Before the festive season begins, it's important to put a budget in place so you're not overspending.

Thinking about how to pay for the presents and all the trimmings will be a major headache for many people as finances are squeezed.

Just this week, MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE) founder Martin Lewis offered 12 money tips to make sure households don't get in the red over Christmas.

We’ve found five ways to help you save a whopping £1,677 between now and the big day. 

Switch your bank account - up to £175

You could get up to £175 in free cash just by switching to a new bank account.

First Direct is offering new customers £175 to switch across, but also the chance to win a whopping £12,500 cash prize.

Anyone who opens a First Direct 1st Account before October 1 is in with the chance of winning the lump sum.

But bear in mind there's only five £12,500 prizes up for grabs so your chances of winning are relatively slim.

To switch your bank you just need to open a new account. Tell the new bank your old account details and it will do the rest. The Current Account Switching Service guarantee means it should only take seven days.

You'll need to check before you switch as some will only offer the perk if you make it your main bank account, switch direct debits and pay in a minimum amount each month.

Ditch unused subscriptions -  up to £179

A few quick clicks will cancel pointless payments in time for Christmas.

Customers who forked out for Deliveroo’s £7.99-a-month delivery can save by axing it.

Only orders over £10 qualify for free delivery, so customers making smaller orders do not save.

This would save £31.96 before the big day.

There is a way you can get Deliveroo Plus free for a year through Amazon Prime - though only do this if you think it's really worth it.

If you splurge on an expensive gym membership, you try exercising outdoors for free.

For example, a membership at PureGym can cost you up to £26.99 a month, if you live in London.

You could save over £107 by axing this cost before Christmas.

Apps such as Strava log work-outs and check your progress.

You could get rid of insurance policies for products which have significantly reduced in value or you no longer own.

Premiums covering old mobile phones and ageing washing machines can be the source of those mystery payments of around £10 a month on your bank statement.

Use cashback websites - £123

Cashback websites get you money back on purchases you make online. 

When you buy something on the internet you just need to click through to the website from a cashback site such as Quidco or TopCashback.

It registers your visit and you earn cashback on your purchase. 

How much you’ll get depends on the retailer.

TopCashback says its users earn an average of £300 cashback a year.

With just over 100 days to go until Christmas, that means you could save around £63 before then.

You can boost that through its Tell a Friend scheme.

If you refer a friend and they earn cashback through the site, you get £30 and they get £10 cashback to spend with Boots. 

Once your friend has earned £10 in cashback, you’ll get another £30 too. 

Cash in on a clear out - up to £1,000

Selling unwanted items from around the house could make you more than £1,000, according to eBay expert Clare Seal.

Think laptops, pushchairs, musical instruments and gardening tools.

If not, you could always sell items in January - according to shopping expert Emma Grant said that bikes, tablets and games consoles are some of the most popular items sold online.

Facebook Marketplace and the Nextdoor app are also good for selling to people who live locally — and you don’t have to pay to list items.

You can earn up to £1,000 a year from selling items without having to pay tax.

Shop around for insurance - £100s

While you’re shopping around for better deals, you might want think about the rest of the household bills too.  

estimates that you could save £100s by finding a better deal.

If your insurances are not up for renewal yet, don't switch early as you may incur a cost.

Instead, put a reminder in your calendar for when they due for renewal. You can usually get the best rates if you shop around about a month before your deal is up. 

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.