Shoppers set to spend £1.6BILLION before Christmas – here’s our guide to picking up a bargain

HERE are some tips to make sure you survive the busy weekend of shopping

• Eat eggs: It’s important to eat well if you’re going to shop well. Protein is a good option rather than overdoing the carbs which will guarantee an energy slump. Sun nutritionist Amanda Ursell recommends two boiled eggs and a piece of granary toast. She says: “Research shows that two eggs first thing keep you full in the morning ahead, which means you won’t be lured in by the smell of croissants when you pass coffee shops.”
• Get a list app: Polly Hadden-Paton, Director at  suggests downloading the app . She says: “It’s easy to use and you can tick things off as you buy.”
• Stick to your budget: Experts at Which? say: “By writing down how much you plan to spend on presents it becomes much easier to resist impulse spending on unnecessary extras.”
• Reserve ahead: If there’s something specific that you’re after, Polly advises calling the store to reserve items before you go out there as it will save a lot of time browsing (if the collection queues aren’t too long!)
• Wrap it up: take advantage of any shops that offer a gift wrapping service to save you a job later on.
• Stay hydrated: Amanda says: “Even mild hydration leaves you feeling tired, stressed and likely to lose your rag when battling your way through fellow Christmas shoppers and waiting at the till. Keep some water in a bottle with you while shopping and sip regularly, even if it means having to hunt for the loo more often than usual.”

SUN SAVERS is the best way to get a FIVER in cash - just by reading The Sun. Here's how...

1. Sign up to Sun Savers
2. Pick up today's paper and scan in the unique code
3. Collect 28 codes and Sun Savers will put £5 in your account - no strings attached

It's that simple!

IT’S easy to start earning casback on your bills and purchases. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Sign up to a cashback website. Topcashback.co.uk and Quidco are two of the best. Click the ‘Join now’ option and enter your email address and password.
2. Make sure you click the free / basic membership option, otherwise you’ll be charged. If you want premium membership, both websites charge £5 a month for this. The premium membership will reward customers with bonus cashback, ad-free shopping and quicker payouts.
3. Find a deal that you want to purchase, whether that’s a home insurance policy, a new laptop from Currys, or a Tesco grocery shop. Instead of going directly to the retailer, you can access the shop through a link in the cashback website, and any purchase made will be registered with the cashback site.
4. You still receive your item directly from the retailer, and the casback earned will be added to your online account. Once it’s there, you can withdraw it and transfer it to your bank account, or you can turn your cashback into a gift voucher or code to spend at a retailer.
5. Bear in mind that it can take a few days or even weeks for the cashback to appear in your account on the website.

DON'T worry if you make a hash of your presents as most retailers offer a refunds or exchanges on unwanted Christmas gifts.

• Remember that retailers are only legally obliged to give you a refund if the item is faulty or not fit for purpose.
• Usually you'll only have 28 days to return non-faulty goods but shops often extend this period over Christmas.
• Most retailers will ask you for the receipt and/or the card you use to pay for your goods if you want a refund.
• In some cases you might need to produce the original packaging too so it's worth checking the retailer's website for the terms and conditions or give customer services a call before you set off to the shops.
• If you can’t get hold of the receipt and you’re taking an item back simply because you don’t like it, the retailer is under no legal obligation to give you a refund – but it might offer you a credit note or exchange it.