GIVING gifts over the festive period doesn’t need to break the bank.
Money-saving mum Rosie Henshaw has proved just that with her savvy hack – and all her gifts still look super luxurious.
The mum had fun cinema snack buckets for next to nothing[/caption]
You’d never know the entire hamper cost a fiver[/caption]
After a trip to Poundland, Rosie had plenty of gifts to give out to family and friends for Christmas.
The only problem was that the presents didn’t exactly look high-end.
She took to YouTube to explain exactly how she transformed them into luxurious presents that anyone would be happy to receive.
“This is something you can do last minute; go and get these bits, wrap them up like this, and they will be beautiful gifts, and you won’t have to spend a lot,” she said.
SPRUCE UP A CANDLE
The first item the mum picked up in Poundland was a large candle for £4, but because it didn’t come in a box like some more luxurious brands do, she decided to spruce it up a bit.
“Something like this can look a bit naff,” she said.
Using off cuts of old fabric, which you can get at your local haberdashery, and ribbon from Amazon, Rosie made the gift look like something she’d spent a fortune on.
Rather than using wrapping paper, she wrapped the candle in the fabric and added a lush velvet ribbon on top.
It’s also key to take off any labels, minus safety stickers, because that will give the gift a more homemade look and feel – plus it doesn’t let anyone know it’s from Poundland.
You could gift the candle on it’s own, or add it to a larger hamper using other Poundland products, she explained.
DIY A HAMPER
Premade gift hampers can end up costing hundreds of pounds – not exactly budget friendly stuff.
But Rosie explained how anyone can make their own with a few cheap buys.
She suggested getting a basket from a local charity shop or in stores like Home Bargains or B&M for a couple of quid.
Then pad it out with some paper or fabric, then place the products on top, making sure to organise them all to sit nicely in the basket.
Rosie used a two pots of body butter for £1.50 each, and a bath bomb for £1 in the basket, meaning she only spend £4 on the entire thing.
“No way are you ever going to know this is £4 from the pound shop, ever, in a million years.
“It looks really, really cute, and even if you have to buy the basket from the pound shop for £1.50, that’s a £5.50 gift, so it’s still not breaking the bank,” Rosie said.
FOR THE FOODIE FRIEND
If you’ve got a friend who loves a little snack, making them a food hamper is a great shout.
The mum started with two popcorn buckets, which she picked up for £1, then filled each one with a bag of popcorn, chocolate and other snacks – delicious.
And if you want to really push the boat out, you could add something like a voucher to the cinema to the popcorn bucket so they’ve got a good excuse to indulge in the treats.
You could do this with any nice treats as well, not just popcorn.
A make your own hot chocolate hamper, for example, could include the chocolate powder, a nice mug, marshmallows, and some other chocolatey treats.
“It’s not just going to add to the piles of stuff they don’t use and don’t want,” Rosie added.
After sharing her ideas on YouTube other money-saving mums praised her clever ideas.
One said: “You have given me a great idea for my friend’s daughter, thank you!”
And a second raved: “Great ideas and not too pricey, perfect.”
Christmas gifts don’t have to cost a fortune to look posh[/caption]
How to save money on Christmas shopping
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping.
Limit the amount of presents – buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.
Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you’re not having to buy multiple presents.
Plan ahead – if you’ve got the stamina and budget, it’s worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales.
Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you’re not forking out more than you should though.
Buy in Boxing Day sales – some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25.
Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent.
Shop via outlet stores – you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.
They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor.
