THE big Christmas countdown has begun.
With 99 days to go, this is the week supermarkets start displaying their festive offerings — and if you plan ahead, you can trim your bills.
9
Here’s some ways I slash my festive trolley total . . .
SWEET SAVINGS: Tinned sweets and chocs keep for months so buy them now. Whether your family favourites are Celebrations, Heroes or Quality Street, these tend to stay around the £4-£5 mark but Tesco has cut price to £3.50 per tub, while they’re still £4 at Asda. It may be just a 50p saving but if you were to only save 50p a week an item it would total £7.50 by Christmas, enough for some crackers. If you’re more likely to share biscuits, McVitie’s Family Circle tubs are half price at £2 at Tesco.
RECIP-EASY: I can save loads by baking my own cake, mince pies and biscuits. Plus baked goods make great, cheap presents. I gather recipes from online (especially budget chef Miguel Barclay) and try to add an ingredient that’s on offer every week (for example, The Range is currently doing a 2 for £3 deal on coloured icing, normally £1.79 per pack) and then I should have plenty of baking options come December.
FREEZE FRAME: Once October hits, I try do my weekly shopping later at night or first thing in the morning as it’s when there are more yellow-sticker bargains. Then I simply pop them in my freezer when I get home. Waitrose Essentials range also does great frozen Brussels sprouts for 60p per pack.
REFER A FRIEND: Sharing the festive feasting really helps. This year I’ve got a few people coming over, so I’ve decided to give everyone a food category to bring. My brother’s friends are on savoury snack duties while my pals are handling the wine. If you have a Christmas guest list, there’s no reason why you can’t get people to bring something. It’s giving me the chance to focus on saving for the main event- and it allows them time to look out for deals too.
- All prices correct at time of going to press. Deals/offers subject to availability.
Deal of the day
9
LET off some steam with a Vileda steam mop, £59, down from £89 at Homebase.
Save: £30
Cheap treat
9
SCOOP UP Carte D’or Vanilla ice cream for £1.75, down from £3.50 at Tesco.
Save: £1.75
My Sun Savers fiver
JANE CRISP, from Gravesend, Kent, says: “I’m saving my Sun Savers fivers for a new table and chairs set for the garden.”
- Send us your Savers fiver stories to sunsavers.co.uk/fivers and you’ll get 28 codes worth £5 if yours is used. Please include your name and town.
Top swap
9
Everyone loves a pair of Dr Marten Boots, £139 at Office, above, but for a pair that suits a tight budget I like the similar version from New Look, for £27.99, below.
Save: £111.01
9
Shop and save
9
STRINGS & Things Twisted eight-pack of Cheese strings, now £1.50, reduced from £2.75 at Asda.
Save: £1.25
Reader’s saving tip
JOAN PEACE, from Deal, Kent, says: “Cheaply remove stains from teaspoons by soaking them in a cup of hot water and washing powder – they’ll be sparkling clean.”
- Share your tips at sunsavers.co.uk/tips and you will get 28 codes worth £5 if yours is used. Please include your name and town.
Play now to win £50,000 on the Sun Savers Raffle
JOIN thousands of readers taking part in the new Sun Savers Raffle.
Every Sun Savers code you enter will earn you a ticket for our £50k monthly Raffle. And for every ten tickets you collect in a calendar month, you get a GOLDEN TICKET for our £80k Raffle, which takes place every three months, with the first one at the end of June.
9
There is no limit to how many tickets you can collect. So the more you enter, the better your chances.
To take part go to sunsavers.co.uk or open the Sun Savers app. Then opt in to each month’s Raffle by clicking “Yes!” when prompted and start collecting the Sun Savers codes printed daily in the paper.
Every time you scan or enter a code into Sun Savers, you get a Raffle ticket in the £50k Raffle.
Not yet a Sun Savers member? Just go to sunsavers.co.uk or find “Sun Savers” in the app store to get started.
Fancy a free fiver?
YOU can get FREE cash with super Sun Savers just for buying your favourite paper.
Our brilliant new rewards club will pay back our most loyal readers.
9
Just pick up the paper each day to collect your Sun Savers codes and we will GIVE YOU £5 when you have collected 28.
This isn’t a one-off and there is no limit to how much cash you can save.
For every 28 codes you enter, we will give you a fiver. So over the course of a year, that could add up to £65.
We are keeping it super-simple. You don’t have to enter codes from consecutive days, so don’t worry if you forget a day or two.
9
Download our easy Sun Savers app and quickly scan your code using your smartphone. Or go online and enter your code at sunsavers.co.uk.
To get you on your way, join today and we will put a bonus £1 in your Sun Savers wallet tomorrow. And the good news doesn’t stop with free cash.
With Sun Savers, we give you the best hacks, deals and tips to save money every single day.
TO JOIN: Don’t worry, folks — joining takes just 30 seconds, in three steps.
- PRICES correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk
