How to Get Ahead on Christmas Now, So You're Not Stressed in December

To get ahead of Christmas financially, help spread the cost of the festive season by putting away a certain amount of money per week. You could either transfer it straight into your savings account, or relive your youth and put actual cash into a piggy bank.

The earlier you start this the better, naturally, but you can tailor it to your specific situation by working out how much you need for gifts, food, travel, nights out etc, and then divide that by the number of weeks left. Making a list and setting a budget will help you feel in control.

Keeping your eye out for discounts and voucher codes in the months leading up to Christmas will help make December much more affordable.

There are certain big sales ahead of the big day — like Black Friday and Cyber Monday at the end of November — when most retailers will be offering savings on certain items. But you don't have to wait until then. Sign up for emails to get alerts for your favorite shops and grab the bargains when they come up.

Having a handmade Christmas will certainly save you money, but you have to be organized to make it work. That's why starting early is so important. Some of the Christmas items you can make yourself include:

• Decorations
• Cards
• Gifts
• Wrapping paper

Writing Christmas cards ranks pretty high on many people's lists of tedious festive chores. That's if you actually send any. However, there are a couple of ways you can make it easier.

The first option is to design a postcard-style card online that has a stock phrase, which you can post to everyone without having to hand write anything other than their address.

The second option is to buy cards small enough to fit in your bag, and write a few whenever you have a spare moment — on the bus, waiting in a line, etc.

It goes without saying that the sooner you get started buying gifts, the quicker you'll be done. That's not always practical in terms of finances, but if you buy some in September, some in October, and some in November, you won't have to battle with other shoppers in December or pay over the odds for those must-buy gifts that have sold out already.

Make a list of everyone you need to buy for and figure out which presents you can (or should) get early — this is particularly pertinent for children who want a toy that's sure to sell out.

Once you've bought a gift, wrap it. Trust us, you'll be so glad you've done it bit by bit, way in advance, when you're chilled out on Christmas Eve sipping on something sweet while your friends are elbows deep wrapping every single present in one day.

You don't need to use Christmas wrapping paper either. It's cheaper (and more chic, some might say) to use brown parcel paper, or plain red or white. Wrap with a metallic ribbon to give it a more celebratory vibe.

Visiting family and friends around Christmas time can take a big chunk out of your budget, especially when you've left buying your plane ticket to the last minute. Make plans now for who you're seeing when, and get your travel sorted. After all, the earlier you book, the cheaper it is.

Many aspects of Christmas dinner have to be left to the day, but there are ways you can get organized ahead of time with your food and drink, to save time and money:

• Go to the grocery store as early as possible
• Cook and freeze certain items ahead of time
• Bulk buy your booze to get the best discounts
• Share the load with friends and family by dishing out dishes to prepare

All those sequins that will soon arrive in the shops are very tempting, but you can probably rewear quite a few outfits from last year, if you mix them up a bit.

Spend some time analyzing your wardrobe, and figure out which pieces you can pull together to make a fresh party outfit for this year. You can then spend less by buying some new accessories, rather than whole outfits. You'll also be ready for all those parties without stressing about what you're going to wear and panic buying.