Finance Roll

Christmas is the Western world's biggest holiday celebration and although it only comes around once a year it often has us spending months in advance whilst the after-effects can include a big dent in our bank accounts for weeks afterward. Frugal Christmas shoppers often gather presents throughout the rest of the year in order to spread the cost but perhaps the best advice of all is to save rather than spend so you can go all out when December comes around.

There are lots of ways in which we can make small changes to our everyday lives in order to build up our Christmas savings pot. The first piece of advice for those looking to save is to cut back on your food bills. This doesn't necessarily mean eating less, in fact you could end up eating more! A big expenditure with regard to food is eating out at lunch and dinner time. While the lure of the office canteen or local eateries can prove more mouth watering than a home made roll or salad, you'll actually find it much more economic to prepare your own meals rather then opting for restaurant, café or pre-packaged, shop bought grub.

The second way to add to your Christmas savings pot is to avoid taking the car and opt for public transport, walking and cycling where and when you can. Walking and cycling to work is not only a great way to get fit but is also better for the environment when compared to carbon footprint left by car fumes, especially when the car is only used to transport one person. With petrol prices in a constant state of flux, walking or cycling will save valuable pounds - perhaps even hundreds of pounds over a month long period.

When saving for Christmas, the everyday consumer will find there's plenty of changes that can be made to their personal lives in order to save money but not infringe on the enjoyment of their free time. Instead of splashing out on going to cinema, why not see what the DVD rental store has to offer? Enjoying the great outdoors is another money saver - fresh air and a relaxing walk along the beach rarely costs anything at all.

Finally, another money saving tip is to tighten up your financial outgoings and add to your money saving pot instead. The average UK citizen will have a range of necessary monthly outgoings such as car, life and health insurance as well as phone and energy bills. Take a moment to look online at the many sites offering to compare life insurance or health cover and you could end up saving hundreds of pounds when switching to a plan that not only gives you more for your money but also saves you money in the process. Don't get complacent or apathetic about your finances, tightening up here and there won't make a noticeable difference in the meantime but will when you're able to treat loved ones to a dream Christmas.