Christmas is almost here, meaning it is now the perfect time to start buying your presents (if you haven't already). How4ever, many of us will not have prepared for the Christmas season, and with so much to do, and so many things to buy, you may find that you need a budget in order to make sure your Christmas runs smoothly. In 2015, UK retailers took over £24bn throughout an 8 week period (November 1 – December 1), and 2018 is looking to be even bigger. There are a number of ways that you can cut down your festive expenses, both in the build up to Christmas, and throughout the months after, so you don't have to struggle through the slow months while you're waiting for your January pay packet to come in.

One of the biggest ways that you can save money and budget for Christmas is by cutting down on your telecoms bills. You'll be surprised at the amount of money that people will pay every year in order to have the best fiber optic internet, and a great broadband/phone line package from the top providers. Finding a more efficient telecommunications package that is available worldwide can help you to save a lot of money, both on international calls, and local calls. In addition to this, cutting down your mobile bills is another way that you can ultimately save a lot of money in the long run.

In most cases, your November pay packet alone will not always cover the Christmas holiday, and with so many presents, decorations, essentials and food to buy for the day. Even small amounts of saving can go a long way towards helping you with a Christmas budget. While using a payday loan lender may be a good idea in the short-term, it will come at the cost of interest. This is a great idea if you're in need of a short term loan in order to finalise some of the last minute Christmas presents, but savings will be a much easier option in the long term.

There are many reasons why you may Christmas is one of the best times of year, and in order to budget this Christmas it may be worth setting in some new Christmas traditions. Picking up Christmas essentials early (as in just after the Christmas before) can see you saving huge amounts of money on things like crackers and decorations. In the sales, you can save almost 50% on these essentials if you prepare, and this is a great way to save money in the build up to the festive holiday. Other ways to spread the cost is through buying the presents throughout the year, rather than all at once. On top of that, you can embrace the digital age and email Christmas cards instead of sending them via the post. If you prefer, you can also create your own cards, which is still a cheaper option than purchasing all of the cards in a store.

Generic advice is not a service regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.