10 tips to help you pay for Christmas

There are companies out there charging a tenner to reply to children's letters to Santa. Yet you can do it for free. If children post (with stamp) a letter to Santa, Reindeerland, SAN TA1 before 13 Dec (though preferably earlier), the Royal Mail says he'll write back.

5. Instant boost to your Christmas spending budget.

Many supermarkets have 'Christmas saving stamps schemes', where you're supposed to squirrel away a bit monthly and then they add a bonus on top. Yet actually, provided you have the money in on a set date (it differs for each chain but is usually Nov-Dec) you get the bonus.

So just put some cash in a few days before and get a boost of up to 6% on your Christmas shopping budget. This year Wilkinson is paying out 5%, Asda is offering 4% and Tesco 2%. Read a full guide to Christmas saving stamps at www.moneysavingexpert.com/xmasstamps

6. Get a 4% discount on all your prezzie shopping.

Lots of credit cards on the market will give you cashback every time you spend on them, no matter where you spend (unlike the Abbey free £50 above which is only for supermarket spending).

The current top card gives 4% cashback on everything for the first three months. So get it now and you'll get all your Christmas shopping 4% cheaper, and January sales' depending on how long it takes to apply.

7. Bah Humbug, Delay Christmas.

Well, delay it for a few presents at least. Don't feel forced into giving huge presents in time for Christmas.

If the gift is likely to be one that'll be substantially reduced in the sales e.g. a new hi-tech TV, computer or dress, why not simply send an IOU note with a promise to buy by mid-January.

Put it in a nice card, tie a ribbon round it and make it look special, but remember by spending less for Christmas you'll have more money in the family kitty.

8. Use a shopbot to find the cheapest books, CDs, games and electrical goods.

Why go direct to Amazon to buy a book, when in the same amount of time you can use a shopbot (shopping-robot), tell it what's required, click on compare prices and it searches a raft of e-retailers (including Amazon) to find the cheapest for you.

This works for all kinds of goods and is the perfect way to cut internet shopping costs. The big three are Kelkoo, Pricerunner and Shopping.com.

9. Don't ask "How can I get it cheapest?", ask "What can I afford?"

A common mistake is deciding what you want first, then trying to find it cheapest. Yet the first question you should ask is "What can I afford?"

Let your finances dictate your Christmas, because fun as it may be, Christmas is just one day. It's not worth ruining the whole of next year for.

10. If you need to borrow, use a 0% credit card for spending.

Borrowing for Christmas is always a bad idea. Yet I know some people will still do it. So if that's you, at least be sensible with your borrowing.

Currently three credit cards will loan you money at 0% for a year; so if you do borrow and you can repay it in that time you won't pay for the borrowing.

11. Be creative not costly.

There are many ways to give great presents that don't cost a fortune; it just takes a little thought. It could be giving your partner a voucher promising to do the dishes, clean the car, give them a back-rub or something saucier.

Or write your other half a letter telling them why you love them; make some naughty or nice pics into a DIY calendar.

It's always said young children prefer the wrapping not the gift, so buy the biggest box you can, fill it with blown up balloons and wrap the whole thing in Christmas paper, they'll love the huge box and jumping on the balloons.

12. Stop spending on the things you don't need to boost your Christmas cash.

If you buy a can of Coke and a packet of crisps every day at work from now to Christmas, you'll spend just over £100 on it.

So give these or other unnecessary expenditures up, and put the same cash in a savings jar, and you'll be quids in.

Martin Lewis concludes: "In many ways, even now it's late to get the very best MoneySaving Christmas. The perfect time is January, when as well as buying cheaply at the sales for the following year, you can start a savings fund, putting cash aside each month and earning interest on it. Then come December, you'll know exactly what money you've spent and can have Christmas without the worry of debts..."