Before Christmas Shopping Begins: Start Saving Money Now

Get ahead of festive spending by using October deals wisely and spreading the cost before the Christmas rush begins.

Christmas might still feel some distance away, but October is one of the best times to start preparing your festive budget.

Waiting until December can mean buying everything at once, making impulse purchases and relying on whatever deals happen to be available.

Instead, start with a simple gift list.

Write down everyone you're planning to buy for and set a maximum budget beside each name. Add everything together before purchasing anything. You might be surprised by how quickly seemingly small gifts create a large total.

October promotions are already appearing across the UK, including toy sales with reductions reaching around 50%, beauty gift promotions and autumn clearance events.

If something on your Christmas list is genuinely discounted, buying early can spread the cost across several paydays.

But don't buy something simply because it's reduced.

Keep a list of the normal prices of products you're interested in. When Black Friday and other major sale events arrive, you'll have a much better idea whether the advertised discount is actually worthwhile.

You can also start a small Christmas fund now. Even putting aside £10 or £20 each week can reduce the financial pressure when December arrives.

Christmas saving rule: Decide your total budget first, create your list second and look for deals third — not the other way around.

A little preparation now could mean enjoying Christmas without starting the new year worrying about the bill.