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Tips Budgeting

Tips & Tricks to Buy Christmas Presents on the Cheap

At the end of every year, the Christmas buying frenzy begins all over the world. Every single year, it seems to begin earlier and earlier. These days, the trees in shopping centres are up as early as Halloween!

As soon as Halloween is over, there is a massive temptation to begin buying. This is why the shopping centres try to get the tinsel up asap. Every single year, it is estimated that Australians spend roughly $11 billion on Christmas.

This figure includes decorations, food, presents, and even holidays. Obviously, this figure is a little insane. So, do you want to learn how to buy Christmas presents on the cheap this year?

If so, keep reading because we can help!

cheap christmas presents

How to Buy Christmas Presents on the Cheap

Spending all of your money on Christmas presents needs to be a thing of the past. It is always about the thought that goes into Christmas and gifting, not how expensive the gifts are. However, if you do want to go all out for Christmas, consider taking out a small loan to get started if you’re low on cash.

1. Use Credit Card Points

If you have credit card points available to use, try to save them all up for Christmas. You can use these points for groceries, gifts, or even decorations! You could also choose to use them to purchase gift cards.

This way, you are essentially shopping for free! Consider doing all of your shopping on Black Friday or Cyber Monday in order to get the best deals possible. This way, you can certainly buy Christmas presents on the cheap.

2. Watch Out for Christmas ‘Deals’

Being overwhelmed by festive joy, it can become easy to get sucked in by ‘fleeting deals’ and ‘special offers’ that you don’t actually need. Sometimes, it can seem as if retailers are just attempting to spread festive cheer. However, they are just trying to stop you from saving money.

They NEED you to spend your money. However, there are still some excellent deals out there. You just need to pay attention. If you want to learn how to buy Christmas presents on the cheap, you need to keep this trick in mind.

3. Use Price Trackers

Don’t just buy whenever you want to. In order to buy Christmas presents on the cheap, you need to keep an eye on the gifts you want to buy and how they will fluctuate in price. There are plenty of price trackers on the market right now. During Christmas, they will be your best friend.

All you do with price trackers is enter the product you’re interested in. From there, the app will tell you how the price has changed over time. On top of this, it will tell you where you can go to buy it for the best price possible.

While buying presents early might seem like a good idea, checking a product’s price is the best idea. This way, you can decide whether you should wait a couple of weeks. However, make sure you don’t wait too long. Otherwise, you may miss out on Christmas cut-off dates.

use price trackers

4. Use Your Loyalty Points of Savings Schemes

Both Coles and Woolworths offer loyalty cards. You can gain points with every shop that can later be used to buy gift cards, and items, or can be exchanged for cash. However, you do have to start early with loyalty cards. Coles and Woolworths allow you to shop and scan your card to earn the points that can contribute towards Christmas.

With Woolworths, you use a Rewards Card. This card offers you $10 off your shop when you earn 2,000 points. Coles, however, uses Flybuys. Not only can your points be exchanged for money, but you can also buy things with your points.

You can choose to use both or just one. Either way, they are a great way to save money on your Christmas shopping.

5. Give presents late

This might sound like a strange tip to buy Christmas presents on the cheap, but it’s one of the best. If you have family members / friends who you’re seeing at a later date than Christmas day then you could buy presents between boxing day and new years day and give them their gifts in person.

Buying presents after Christmas has passed can mean huge savings since the shops need to flog their excess stock. If you can take advantage of this opportunity without upsetting your loved ones with late gifts then you’re on to a winner!

(p.s. “Australia Post delays” is always a good excuse if you’re holding out for savings…)

The Bottom Line of How to Buy Christmas Presents on the Cheap

Are you looking to buy Christmas presents on the cheap this year? If so, we have the perfect solutions above to suit the needs of everyone. Whether you are looking to buy presents, groceries, or decorations, these solutions will work for all of these things.

Every year, it seems that the festive season becomes more and more expensive. That is why more people are trying to learn tips and tricks to make it cheaper. If you struggle to find the funds to make your Christmas perfect this year, consider your financial options.

The team at the Australian Lending Centre can always help you apply for finance when you need it. They make the whole process as easy as possible for you every time. Get in touch with the friendly team at Australian Lending Centre today to get started!

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News Personal Loans Short Term Loans

Best Last Minute Christmas Gifts

With the holiday season just around the corner, everybody is thinking of the best Christmas gifts that would make the loved ones in their lives happy and appreciated. But, most of the times, this season catches us off guard and utterly unprepared, and, all of a sudden, Christmas is only a few weeks away. This is where our guide comes to the rescue – keep on reading to get inspired with ideas for best last minute Christmas gifts. We wish you the best of luck and happy shopping!

Christmas gifts for travelling enthusiasts – “Where I’ve been” scratch travel map

This is a great Christmas gift idea, especially for those who are keen on travelling. It is a map that is covered in a particular kind of sheet you can scratch off. Scratching the map on the parts that the travelling enthusiast has visited will be utterly exciting, and fun as well. Of course, you can also opt for booking a vacation for your beloved one. It depends on your budget.

Spa gift card

Out of Christmas gifts inspiration? If you wish to spoil your significant other, you could opt for offering her a spa gift card. Whether it’s a card for getting a manicure, facial, or even a relaxing massage, your loved one will genuinely adore being pampered and look her best during the most beautiful season of the year. Take it from us. If not, you could consider a spa skincare set, for your loved one to create a spa day at home. You can take your pick.

Concert tickets

Getting concert tickets for your dear ones is a great, effortless idea. You don’t have to shop around, be it the case you are a terrible shopper. If you know your dear one’s preferences in music, purchasing concert tickets to his/her favourite artist is simply great. He/she will love the gesture.

Charitable donations

This is a great idea for a last minute Christmas gift, and it works, especially if the person you intend to get the gift for is interested in this kind of thing. Still, before making the donation, consider the person’s interests. For instance, if your dear one loves animals very much, then make the donation to a charity organisation concerned about it. Or, if your dear one has fought cancer in the past, make a donation on his/her behalf to such an organisation.

If you have any trouble in the financial department, enquire with Australian Lending Centre to get you sorted before Christmas!

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Debt Management

Tips to Avoid Debt this Christmas

Every year the Christmas holidays could be considered as the most expensive shopping season. That is because consumers usually spend so much during this period as giving gifts has been synonymous to the spirit of the season all across the globe. Of course, buying presents come with specific price tags.

Are you ready to once again spend a fortune this Christmas? You do not have to, if you would be more frugal to manage your money this holiday season. Do not spend way beyond your budget set for Christmas shopping. Otherwise, you may end up accumulating more debt that you would take care to repay months after the season. Here are five ideas on how to manage your money this Christmas holiday season so you would not end up being in debt.

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Debt Consolidation

Consolidate Now to Have a Stress Free Christmas

We know it makes sense to save throughout the year for annual spending events such as the Christmas season; however year after year so many of us continue to blow our budget and then spend the following months trying to pay off credit cards and the accumulated interest.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, last Christmas we spent $18 billion at retailers, including $70 million on stuffed toys, $54 million on dolls, $659 million on video games, $10 million on Christmas tree lighting and $63 million on other Christmas goods.

Preparation is the key to a financially stress-free Christmas. Make a list of everyone you need to buy for and write down a limit for each of them. Once you know your total cost you can calculate what you are going to save over the coming three weeks to be able to afford it. Make sure you take your list shopping with you and stick to your limits.