WITH the cost-of-living crisis affecting households up and down the country, chances are you won’t have much spare cash to splurge on Christmas presents this year.
If you are feeling overwhelmed at the thought of buying gifts this festive season, fear not, you’ve come to the right place.
We spoke to Gemma Bird, also known as the Money Saving Mum, to get her recommendations for great items that would make lovely gifts this Christmas.
So whether you need to buy for your child, a partner or even a grandparent, Gemma has shared her five present recommendations that everyone will love.
And don’t worry, you won’t need to walk up and down the high-street and spend a fortune, as these presents are all available at Home Bargains.
The 40-year-old mum-of-two, who lives in Billericay, Essex, lives mortgage-free in a four-bedroom detached house, drives a Range Rover and jets off on multiple holidays a year to plush resorts in Mexico, Lapland and Dubai.
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But Gemma isn’t an heiress or a lottery winner – no, she’s achieved this comfortable life despite never earning more than £25k a year.
The money-saver previously told Fabulous: “I’ve never earned more than £25,000 a year. I live and breathe deals. I don’t care how much money you have, people always love a bargain.
“I’ve saved every solitary penny since the age of seven. I once managed to save almost £10,000 on a £12,000 salary thanks to my must-know hacks.”
Gemma has a whopping 298k Instagram fans and has shared her super-saver wisdom with Fabulous.
The money-saving expert counts Stacey Solomon as a fan and told us about the five bargain Christmas presents that you should buy this year.
Gemma explained that you don’t need to spend hundreds of pounds on fancy Christmas presents, as you can find amazing items in high-street stores, with many lovely bits in Home Bargains.
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Gemma told Fabulous: “I think people should be able to give a Christmas present for £20, you don’t need to spend much more.
“Especially if you’re buying for a kid, you can buy cheap things for around £3”.
The first item that Gemma thinks would make a lovely gift this Christmas is Dove’s Summer Collection Washbag Gift Set.
Originally £16, this gift set has now been reduced to just £5.99 and is get for those that want a faux glow.
She said: “This is a perfect gift for any woman and this can be a woman of any age – starting from a teenage girl, right up to your 80-year-old grandma.
“It’s beautifully presented and it’s great value for money”.
Next up, Gemma was stunned when she spotted this Harry Potter Light Painting Wand in Home Bargains.
It was once £24.99 but is now just £12.99 – this wand is a bargain for any Harry Potter fan.
Gemma explained: “Harry Potter is an absolute fortune, especially when you want to buy wands, particularly if you take your children to places like Universal Studios, my kids always want them.
“I thought this was a great way of surprising your kids with a Harry Potter wand, without having to spend the whopping price tag”.
If you’ve got a young girl that you need to get a gift for, LOL dolls are particularly popular at the moment.
At Home Bargains, you can pick up a great LOL Make Your Own Hair Accessories Set, that was once £9.99 but is now just £3.99.
Gemma added: “This is such a great stocking filler and is great for any young children you may know.
“You don’t have to spend the earth and little girls absolutely love LOL.
“I’m actually going to get this LOL set for my daughter.”
If you want to treat someone, but without splashing too much cash, this Oral-B Pro Electric Toothbrush is one for you.
Gemma spotted this bargain toothbrush – originally £59.99 but in Home Bargains for just £25 – and it’s a great gift for a loved one this festive season.
Gemma continued: “Great, great deal on this Oral-B toothbrush.
“Again this is for anybody – men and women – I think this is such great value for money”.
Finally, the money-saving mum was particularly impressed with the James London Straighteners that are available in Home Bargains for just £8.99.
Long gone are the days of spending hundreds of pounds on straighteners, as thanks to these, you can give your bestie a great gift, without having to break the bank.
Gemma concluded: “I think this is absolutely brilliant for £8.99.
“With hair straighteners, you can tong your hair and make it look like a curly blow dry – I actually use hair straighteners to get the curl in my hair.
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“You can treat somebody that can’t afford to go and get their hair done, you can do it with a hair straightener and don’t need to fork out for those expensive GHDs.
“You can gift these to anyone, they’ll be perfect for a Secret Santa gift”.
