A woman has shared the perfect way to keep your Christmas cupboard stocked on a budget.
Many of us leave festive food shopping until the last minute to avoid dipping into our provisions ahead of the big day, but this can mean our shop comes out more expensive. However, one mum has suggested a clever method to ensure your snack cupboard is fully stocked – and she starts doing it really early in the year.
Meg, known on TikTok as @megleab, says she does the same trick “every year” and everyone calls the tip “genius” when she tells them about it, so now she’s encouraging others to copy her.
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While she started in September, there’s nothing stopping you from doing it either next year or from now to make sure that everything you need is sitting in your cupboard, ready to be devoured over December 25 and the following days.
She said it’s an easy way to “budget” and make sure you also have enough money for the festive season, as obviously it can be a very expensive time.
She said: “From the first of September until Christmas Day, on every single weekly shop, I buy one small long-life Christmas item like this”, as she held up some Cadbury’s Heroes.
“It basically means that when I get to Christmas, I have all of my long-life snacks or condiments and stuff like that, already bought so it eases the financial difficulties around Christmas,” she explained.
Meg explained when it’s only a “couple of pounds” a week, you don’t notice it as much either, compared to if you purchase everything in one go – which becomes a lot more noticeable when you also have presents for the whole family to factor in alongside it.
She also said it stops you from “spending £100 on random snacks” because you can plan what you want, and what your family will actually be able to make the most out of. In the comments, Meg admitted it’s “hard” to not eat everything before Christmas, but joked it’s a great way to keep “self-discipline”.
Someone said: “My family cannot cope when there’s chocolate in the house. We have no self-control,” admitting everything would get consumed before the big day.
Another mum gave one of her Christmas top tips, penning: “I save my Asda rewards points into the Christmas saving pot. Can’t be used until a certain time. Helps with Christmas food shops, even gifts or pyjamas.” Meg replied: “That’s handy!! I try to keep my Nectar Points for my fresh food shop.”
Someone else wrote similar: “I save all my Tesco Clubcard points and Nectar Points through the year and use that. Last year with the Nectar Double Up I had just over £100 in points.”