by 
Alright, I’m sorry to be that guy but we are now in the season to be jolly. Or more skint and in debt than usual, however you want to look at it. Between work nights out, presents for family members and of course, just remaining in the festive spirit, this isn’t a time of year for tighter purse strings.
There are ways to keep things a little cheaper, a little more manageable at home, though. We can’t be frugal at this time of year but we can be creative.
Go sober
Sorry. I know. I don’t mean until January 1st. I mean just for October. There’s even a campaign behind it- Go Sober for October. The money you would usually spend on alcohol can go toward the festive funds! Apparently Brits spend 10 months of their lives recovering from hangovers (source) and with that taken into consideration, the health benefits would be tenfold, as well.
Plan your meals
Planning meals sounds seriously tedious and even on my most enthusiastic days, meal planning doesn’t sound appealing. If you take the time to plan meals, you’re less likely to buy meals spontaneously and therefore, less likely to waste money. So, at the beginning of every month, plan 2 weeks worth of meals in advance, take a shopping list with only what you’ll need for foods on it and for the love of God, buy some tupperware.
Once that’s done, have a cook-off day. Cook as many things in advance as you can- soups are your best friends. Store them in your freezer and voila- you’re sorted for 2 weeks and once that cooking is done, you don’t need to worry about it for 2 weeks! It’s like an investment to alleviate tedium.
Track your spends
I avoid looking at the balance on my online banking app. If you can’t see a problem, it’s not a problem, right?
There are actually apps that help you track the money you spend like Goodbudget. Once you see how much money you spend on even little things, you’ll probably curb your spending ways enough to save up towards Christmas/New Year!
