If you want to be really thoughtful this Christmas, buy gifts to save your friends and family money all year round.
Here’s my list to get you thinking…
1.Money box
I love a traditional money box as a great way for people to start saving but I prefer ones you can see into. Being able to see your money growing really encourages further spending. That’s why I love these clear jars from Sass and Belle. Or you could make your own to save yourself money too! These would make a lovely gift for anyone, any age.
2.Cash envelopes
Another way to get someone saving up is to gift them some pretty cash envelopes to help them budget. They can just label up each one on a category such as petrol, toiletries, nights out and the ideas is they stick to how much they have put aside for those items.
3.Period pants
The cost of sanitary wear really adds up over the months so gifting someone period pants could save them a packet! I’m a big fan of Wuka pants. (previously gifted) They’re really comfortable and secure without being bulky. Might be a bit of a weird gift…suggest you limit this to people you know really well!!
4.Flask
You can’t beat a flask full of hot chocolate on a winter’s walk but imagine saving someone £3 each time they take it out because that’s the reality! I have a classic Stanley hot drinks flask as I have leakage related trust issues! But you could gift a smaller version or even a cheeky hip flask!
5.Reusable ice
Now I know that ice is not expensive but I personally now have the worlds smallest freezer compartment since moving house so actually I would find these extremely useful. Reuable ice cubes take up so much less room as you can just shove them in a little gap rather than having to find space of a tray of water to sit without anything risking falling on top of it! When you buy ice from the supermarket its always in massive bags! So whether you opt of plastic, steel or even granite, these are an (ice) cool solution for someone special!
6.Electric blanket
Particularly ideal for the older generation, but growing in popularity with everyone else. An electric blanket can mean someone can lower their thermostat by a few degrees so instead of unnecessarily heating up an entire house (and the costs that comes with), the person you gift this to can cosy themselves up on the sofa knowing they’re saving loads of money.
7.Make up pads
Even just not having to think about adding cotton wool pads to the grocery shopping must save an extra one or two pounds a week. Maybe slightly less now I’m not really going anywhere to warrant wearing make up! But these reuseable make up padsare great for the planet as well as the recipient’s pocket! Opt for ones made of bamboo for their natural anti bacterial properties.
8.Straws
Might sounds like something else which isn’t exactly breaking the bank alone but without my reuseable straws I’d be spending a small fortune! My kids are still a bit too clumsy to go it alone on cups to straws really help us out. I use steel ones like these and they get used every day!
9.Shopping bags
Another thing which you might to think to gift but after seeing my friend panic at the checkout in Aldi and just dump everything in her trolley to then sort out when she got back to the car, I thought these would be the perfect gift for her! I’ve had this set for two years now and love them so much. They always get people looking with admiration! These trolley bags are colour coded so I always put the heaviest items like tin cans in the blue one, meat in the red one, veg in the green and all my store cupboard stuff in the large orange one. I pop the items in the bags as I go around the store so I know when they’re full. It also means I can put things onto the checkout in order of how I want to pack! Give someone the saving of buying plastic bags but also the relaxation of organisation!
10.Coffee pods
If you have a friend that enjoys a decent coffee then buying them reuseable coffee pods could save them some serious cash.
11.Candles
I have a friend who is currently trying to really tighten his belt on utility bills and is sitting in the darkness on an even apart from one candle. It’s a bit extreme but sometimes needs must. Not only will it help him save money on electricity but its just a little bit more atmospheric to have a couple of candles on rather than one out of necessity so he doesn’t trip over!
12.Kitchen roll
Did you know that reuseable kitchen roll is even a thing? Maybe your friends and family don’t yet either but this Christmas you could cut down on their grocery shopping costs by getting them a set of plain or patterned kitchen roll.
13.Beeswax food wraps
Forget having drawers full of foil and clingflim, help someone make the switch to beeswax food wraps for their lunchtime sarnies and save them a few pennies. There’s so many different designs to pick from so would make an attractive gift too.
14.Slow cooker
I use my slow cooker so much but did you know it uses so much lesspower than a regular oven so saving hundreds! I got mine in a sale for only £15 but if I was to buy a new one I’d go for this chic black and rose gold slow cooker!
15.Hive thermostat
I’ve just bought a Hive thermostat for my new house with the aim to only heat it when I actually need to and you can choose to set up lots of different zones too so you only need to heat up part of the house that you’re using. This is ideal for me when the kids are staying at their dad’s. I can just heat where I’ll be using and save on energy and money at those times! A little pricier than some of the other items on this list but a smart home is at the top of many adults’ Christmas wish list – this could be the perfect way to get their homes smarter, more energy efficient and cheaper to run!
16.Sodastream
Not sure you can get any more retro than a sodastream but having one of these could save them oodles of money on buying fizzy drinks for the family! Save yourself some cash too by buying an alternative make to Soda Stream such as the Levivo water carbonator set.
17. Cheaper days out
Family days out are super expensive and it can be tempting to buy family friends tickets for a day out. However, by buying them a Kids Pass, you can help them save on all of their trips to zoos, cinemas and even family holidays! You can buy a year membersip for £34.99 or could even just get them the 30 day trial which only costs £1. Total bargain gift but huge saving for someone else too.
18.Rechargable batteries
Sounds like a mad idea for a Christmas gift but how many packs of batteries do you go through a year!? Buying someone a battery charger and rechargeable battery set would save someone so much! Perhaps you’re getting their kids a battery powered gift? This would really help them out!
19.Meal planning board and chalk pen
Meal planning is the first step to saving money on groceries and you can get some lovely meal planners and chalk or chalk pens which look equally great on display. I picked this one up from B&M for only £1.99.
20. Giftcards
Gift cards are brilliant for families that are looking to save money. They really help budget, especially for treats! Sometimes you can feel too guilty to spend on yourself but if you have a giftcard specifically for you then its nice to (literally) have in your back pocket for those rainy days when you need a little pick-me-up. Love2Shop is ideal as there are so many places for your recipient to spend it – even days out!
21.Solar fairy lights
If you want to make someone’s Christmas super sparkly without it costing them any extra to own, then solar powered fairy lights are the answer.
22.Solar phone charger
Perfect for camping or convenient for long days out but also saves the owner loads of money from having to have their phones plugged in all night or throughout the day. Using solar power is the perfect thrifty electricity cost saver.
23.Camping gear
After a year of no foreign holidays and even limited opportunities to go elsewhere in a little B&B, having our camping trips as an option was a lovely highlight of our summer. I’d, fortunately, picked up a cheap tent from the middle aisle in Aldi the previous year at the end of the season. However, camping gear can really add up! Gifting someone a tent and enabling them to have a little family holiday would be such an amazing gift!
24.Veggie seeds
Next year I’m determined to grow more of my own food to save money and know how much I’d appreciate any seeds or gardening gear to make it happen. You could gift these (and they’re so cheap!) and help another family have lots of free meals next summer!
25.Fruit tree
I really love gifting fruit trees as they will keep on giving each year (depending on what fruit you’ve chosen them). These are great to buy for little ones too as they’ll grow with the children.
26.Water bottle
Have you ever noticed that Evian spelt backwards is “naive”… Coincidence? Anyway, buying your friend a nice reusable drinking bottle will encourage them to fill it up and take it out everywhere they go. At a few pounds per plastic bottle of water in a shop, imagine how much money this would save them! I’ve tried lots of different types as I’ve had lots of them fail on me so suggest an investment in the iconic Chilly bottle is worth the cash.
27.Wind up torch
Batteries can be a real killer, especially if you have a child like I do who loves running around with a torch playing poliemen! Gift a wind up torch and not only will it save your friend or family member money on batteries, but will always work in an emergency…or just keep their kid quiet for a while when they’re winding it up for the millionth time!
28.Dryer balls
Laundry balls help to dry your clothes quicker in the tumble dryer and therefore save lots of money on dryer electricity running costs. They also reduce wrinkles too so even more savings on iron useage. And who wouldn’t want to receive the added gift of time due to not having to iron as much!
29.Laundry nuts
Most people won’t have heard of soap nuts yet but they are set to save someone lots of money. They completely replace laundry detergent and fabric conditioner and can last 70+ washes. You could even buy your friend some refills to get them free fresh laundry for an entire year!
30.Herbs
Herbs are a great gift to give anyone who enjoys cooking as you can replant them and they will continue to grow thus saving the new owners lots of money on buying new at the supermarket.
31.Exercise equipment
Unbelievably I was paying £80 a month last year on gym membership. I realised during lockdown that I could buy all the equipment I needed secondhand off facebook for the equivalent of one month’s fee. Ok, so I don’t have a home swimming pool obviously but the extra cash this has freed up has been a blessing! Maybe a set of dumbells or kettle bells would be a great way to help your friend kick start their healthy new year?
32.Library of stuff membership
It’s not just stuff that costs us, but it’s the cost for us to have the room to store it. Having just bought a house that doesn’t have a garage, minimising the number of things I own has been necessary. That’s why places like The Library of Stuff is so useful. Imagine a library of all the Aldi middle aisle special buys but you only have to pay a small subscription and book the things out for as long as you need it WHEN you need it rather than feeling like you have to own everything. It’s a great scheme to back and encourage others to use. However it does come at a small subscription cost, so this would make a great gift for your thrifty friend.
33.Sewing machine
34.Thermal underwear
35.Led/smart lightbulbs
36.Home gel nail kit
37.Bread maker
38.Popcorn maker
39.Ice cream maker
40.Cookie cutters
