How To Save Money Over Christmas
'Well this year (2011) has been very challenging for everyone. We have seen house prices plummeting, the world has fallen into a global recession, hundreds of businesses have folded and it is almost impossible to take out a mortgage.'
Personal spending has hit an all time low, the time of spending beyond our means with credit cards and store credit is something most are now having to address.
So how can we make our money spread a little further?
Below you will find some simple advise to make your Christmas a little less expensive.
What with all the wrapping and the
decorations and the cooking, it might seem impossible to make your
Christmas green. But with a bit of planning ahead, you can easily
make your festivities that little bit more sustainable.
With over a billion Christmas cards sent,
and enough wrapping used to cover Guernsey, we get through a lot of
paper over the holidays. You can help to cut that mountain of waste
down:
-
Forget buying gift wrap. Scraps of fabric, with contrasting fastenings, look stylish and can be reused
-
Newspaper, especially the Financial Times' stocks and shares pages, can be used as a stylish alternative too
-
Use ribbon or string instead of tape, so your friends and family can use them again
-
Keep the cards you're sent, and re-use them as gift tags next year
-
And why not start sending e-Christmas cards?
Decorating for a natural Christmas
-
Keep the tinsel and the baubles in the loft this year. Eco Christmas decorations are more stylish, and easy to create:
-
Spray some twigs with silver paint to make table centerpieces
-
Edible tree decorations can be tasty as well as green. Gingerbread snowmen, Santa's and stars are also fun for any little helpers to make
-
Thread some popcorn together on to cotton, for an original alternative to tinsel. Decorate it with organic paint and you'll still be able to compost them after Christmas
-
Stud an orange with cloves, and bake it long and slow, to create a pomander with an atmospheric fragrance
-
Buy a sustainably grown tree. Contact your local council about recycling it after the big day
You might not think so, but it’s actually
pretty straightforward to cut back on the energy cost of your turkey
and trimmings:
Joint your turkey, so it doesn't need to
cook for as long
Organize your timings so you only switch
the oven on once. And avoid opening the oven door too often
Seasonal favorites like potatoes, sprouts
and parsnips will be even tastier if they're organic and locally
sourced
Use steamer baskets to cook the veg. It's
healthier and only uses one ring on the stove
Don't overcook the sprouts. The planet
and your family won't thank you
And if you can recycle as much of your seasonal waste as possible, think of that as your little gift to the planet.
Merry Christmas 2011 To All HomeBrewPower Readers!