CHRISTMAS is always an expensive time of year, especially for Tess Giddings who has seven children.
Thankfully the mum has shared how she manages to keep the festive spirit while doing it on a budget.
The mum-of-seven to Jacob, 18, Savannah, 16, Amiah, 14, Zion, 12, Nevaeh, nine, and twins, Hezekiah and Levi, seven, like most parents, is looking for ways to get more bang for her buck this Christmas.
And Tess has revealed how she managed to do it for under £800 including doing their Christmas dinner for £25 and not buying gifts for relatives.
“I think a big expense for many is the dreaded Christmas food shop,” the digital content creator, from Bournemouth, told What’s The Jam.
“People think they have to go and do a huge spend for that three-day period.
“I’ve got friends who will easily do around £400 – it’s mad. “We don’t do a specific food shop as such and make sure to never go over our usual weekly budget.
“A Christmas dinner doesn’t have to cost a fortune; for nine of us, it costs £25.
“We usually buy £10 worth of sliced deli meat, instead of a whole Turkey, and £10 worth of vegetables, with £5 spent on pudding.
“Obviously, we buy treats like a tin of chocolates, and some other snacks, but it doesn’t need to be a massive spend for just one day.”
When other family members come over during the festive period, they opt for a takeaway instead, each paying £20.
It also saves on the washing up.
When it comes to gifting, Tess keeps it simple and only buys for her kids and husband.
She said: “I don’t get anything for close friends, my parents, siblings or the in-laws, as it’s a waste of money.
“I’ll give them a token present like a box of fudge, but it’s more about the kids, in my opinion.
“And our families have agreed with us in recent years that it’s just a hassle and unneeded expense to buy for everyone – including the adults.”
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping.
Limit the amount of presents – buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.
Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you’re not having to buy multiple presents.
Plan ahead – if you’ve got the stamina and budget, it’s worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales.
Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you’re not forking out more than you should though.
Buy in Boxing Day sales – some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25.
Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent.
Shop via outlet stores – you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.
They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor.
Tess’ large brood, like most kids, always asks for anything top-of-the-range and trending from Santa. But to avoid a large credit card bill, the mum goes bargain-hunting instead.
The 36-year-old said: “One of the best ways I’ve found to save money is buying second-hand, as there’s no shame in buying used items.
“I’ve saved so much money looking on Facebook Marketplace, Vinted and eBay, for example.
“Last Christmas, one of my sons wanted a specific Xbox, which was £380 brand-new.
“I managed to get one for £115, still boxed with all the packing, from Facebook Marketplace.
“It’s the same for things like bikes, I’ve never paid more than £35 for an immaculate used one, which sells for over £100 brand-new.
“For the kids, stocking fillers are from AliExpress or Temu, which cost no more than 10p each.
“And I always re-sell the kids’ clothes and shoes when they’ve outgrown them.
“Once, I bought a pair of Nike trainers for £7 on Vinted and re-sold them for £25 – so it’s a win-win really.”
To help manage the cost, the mum also puts away £100 a month in the lead-up to Christmas.
She said: “I have always been extremely savvy when it comes to buying presents and sticking to a budget.
“People tend to get so carried away at Christmas and it often becomes a competition.
“I also believe that the more you buy for kids, the less they’ll appreciate it.
“I used to be guilty of over-buying, but they were just ripping them open and then moving onto the next.
“Now, we tend to stick to one main present and a couple of smaller gifts.”
And it’s not only food and gifts where they’re scrimping and saving.
The family have kept the same artificial tree for 18 years which they bought for £11 on eBay and a single pack of new baubles in the last few years costing £2 from a charity shop.
Tess says it’s important for parents to remember not to push themselves to the limit and to stop comparing their lives to those on social media.
For them, they stick to the basics and even have enough left over to give back to those less fortunate.
She added: “Christmas puts a huge amount of strain on parents financially, especially with the ever-growing trends, such as Elf on a Shelf and Christmas Eve boxes.
“Each to their own, and there’s no right or wrong on how to do the holiday, but for us, I try to keep it traditional.
“It’s all about quality family time.
“I give out food to the homeless, too, and I recently found out my eldest son has been using his hard-earned wages to do the same – which makes me very proud.
“It’s not always about what is under the tree, but who is around it.”
