A mum-of-three who was dreading the cost of feeding her family over Christmas has revealed how she is spending just £5 a week to take the financial pressure off December.
Kate Deacon has started building her own Christmas box months before the big day, gradually filling it with chocolates, biscuits, crackers, stuffing, gravy and other festive essentials.
The 41-year-old said she has always found Christmas financially stressful, particularly when it comes to trying to find the money for a big food shop at once.
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But this year she decided to do things differently, putting just £5 aside each week and using it to buy items whenever she spots a bargain.
Kate hopes her Christmas box will be worth more than £100 by December.
“I knew I needed to do something different this year as every year I leave everything last minute,” Kate, a stay-at-home mum from Angmering, West Sussex, told Whats The Jam.
“I couldn’t afford to do the big Christmas eve spread I wanted for the kids.
“Or come Boxing Day, all the chocolates would be gone and I couldn’t afford more.
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“I was fed up of never having lots of goodies over Christmas or I couldn’t do a roast dinner a week after Christmas because I couldn’t afford it.
“That’s why I did this.
“I love watching the hauls on social media but as someone that can’t afford £50 here and there, I came up with something to help families in the same position.
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“With Christmas presents and utility bills, saving a larger amount is difficult for so many of us but £5 a week is a lot more realistic.”
When she gets paid child benefit, she takes out £20 and divides it into four £5 envelopes, knowing each one is earmarked for Christmas.
Kate will also put loose change into her Christmas pot when she has paid for something in cash.
She said: “I don’t have a target, I just want to show families this is what you can get.
“Get what you can afford.
“I do know I would have saved a lot by December.
“I get everything on offer, yellow sticker, and buy own shop brand items.
“It saves so much.”
A recent £5 shop bought her two boxes of stuffing mix, UHT milk, mint sauce, gravy and Yorkshire pudding mix — all items she can store now and use during the festive period.
Her box is packed with food and household essentials, including crackers, chocolates, biscuits, trays, foil, stuffing, spreads, breadsticks, crisps, nuts and medicine for herself and her children.
She plans to leave drinks, frozen goods and fresh food until nearer Christmas.
Kate said: “I put everything in my box from non perishable items, sauces, crisps, chocolate and breakfast things.
“I will be doing my drinks, frozen items and fresh items nearer the time.
“I’ll also get be meat and vegetables when in they’re in the 15p sale just before Christmas and maybe some desserts.
“My biggest tip and I say this all the time, do what you can afford.
“Its easy to watch hauls on social media and try and get all that in one go but don’t.
“If you cant afford a box a chocolates, get a multi pack of the fun size own brand ,pop them away and put them in a Christmas jar.
“Spend what you can afford, even if its £1 one week.
“I find bargains anywhere.
“Sometimes, a little corner shop may have new biscuits out for 50p.”
Rather than seeing Christmas as one enormous expense, Kate says she is breaking it down into manageable chunks.
She added: “This does stop me from impulse buying.
“But if I’m out and its a bargain, I have to get it if i have the money.
“It’s never to early to prepare for Christmas.
“Families are struggling at the minute and if buying just a couple of items can take that slight burden off then why would you not do it?.
“My goal is for struggling families to see a mum getting what she can and what she can afford so they feel less alone.”
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