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The unsettling presence of festive tins and mince pies creeping onto the supermarket shelves while it\u2019s still a warm sunny day outside, is a harrowing reminder that, like it or not, Christmas is just around the corner.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Specifically, 100 days away.<\/p>\n
For lots of us, it\u2019s an unwelcome reminder. Christmas is an expensive time of year, and against the cost-of-living crisis, many feel under pressure. <\/p>\n
With just 14 weeks to go until 25 December, metro.co.uk spoke to social media finance guru Gemma Bird, aka Money Mum, about how we can avoid breaking the bank.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018It is not worth getting yourself in debt over,\u2019 says Gemma. \u2018Christmas is about the little ones and about getting together with loved ones and having a meal together.<\/p>\n
\u2018All the time I hear that people are getting stressed about Christmas. And I reiterate that it is one day of the year. \u2018<\/p>\n
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Here, Gemma shares her money-saving advice on how we can all spend that little less on gifts, decorations and food:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n There are 14 weeks until Christmas, so think about where you can possibly make savings. Can you cut back on takeout coffee or weekend treats anywhere? It\u2019s not possible for everyone, but definitely worth thinking about when you consider this: <\/p>\n Put \u00a35 a week away and you\u2019ll save \u00a370<\/p>\n Put \u00a310 a week away you\u2019ll save \u00a3140<\/p>\n Put \u00a315 a week away you\u2019ll save \u00a3210<\/p>\n Put \u00a320 a week away you\u2019ll save \u00a3280<\/p>\n Gemma, who lives in Essex with her partner and two children, adds that although she is financially comfortable now and has paid off her mortgage, years of scrimping and saving have left their mark. Even now, she says, she is careful about what she spends.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018People say to me every single day that they\u2019re worried about money, that they\u2019re in debt, that they\u2019ve not told anyone, that it\u2019s getting worse,\u2019 she adds. \u2018My best advice is go and speak to somebody. Speak to your bank, or your building society and they can do something about all those charges. Speak to a best friend, a family member or Citizens Advice. <\/p>\n \u2018And if it\u2019s got really bad, you can talk to Step Change who can put a debt plan in place for you.\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018Kids don\u2019t need millions of toys and you don\u2019t need to get yourself into debt. I\u2019m very blessed now. But I still have not changed the way I do things and the way I save small amounts because I\u2019d rather put it away. <\/p>\n I don\u2019t want the kids to be spoiled. We make Christmas cheap. In the days when we were really hard up, I did a roast dinner that cost around \u00a380. And it was just as magical. Everyone was happy.\u2019<\/p>\n\n
<\/i>Money mum’s quick money saving plan:<\/h2>\n
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