Five ways to avoid the Christmas Eve frenzy ...and save yourself a few euro in the process

We’ve all done the last-minute Christmas shopping frenzy.

You left everything until the eleventhhour and dash into town on Christmas Eve to buy half a dozen pressies.

This is the worst way to do your seasonal spree.

Not only will you end up spending too much money on panic buys but you’re also quite likely to waste your hardearned cash on stuff people don’t really want.

When it comes to pressies, it really is the thought that counts.

Put a little time and thought into your present-buying and you’ve a much better chance of making a big impact with a small gift.

You’ll also get better quality buys and snap up online bargains. Here are five moneysaving tips that should help you get it right:

WRAP IT UP EARLY

There’s no reason why we have to buy presents in a mad rush. Why not buy whenever you see something you know someone special would like, whether that’s in August or December? Aldi and Lidl have great offers every week on all kinds of stuff that could make great presents. You can always keep them in the wardrobe till the time is right. This year, get going as quickly as possible. You still have time to sign up for tasty online voucher deals and snap up online bargains.

KRIS KINDLE

Even better, save everyone a lot of hassle and do a Kris Kindle.

This means that everyone in the office or family gets one person a pressie. This not only saves a lot of brain-racking and money, it also means people get more substantial and meaningful gifts that aren’t bought in a hurry.

There’s even a Kris Kindle organiser app to help.

STICK TO THE PLAN

Work out a pressie plan. Make a list of everyone in your life for whom you want to buy a present and write down ideas for what to buy before you go near the shops.

Even more importantly – keep track of your budget as you go and stick to it.

RESEARCH ONLINE

It’s a lot quicker to click your way through a range of stores online instead of pounding the pavement.

Even if you don’t want to buy online, you can suss out what’s available, and where, a lot more quickly through the internet.

LEAVE THE CREDIT CARD AT HOME

Debit cards are just as handy and as functional as credit cards.

The crucial difference is that you only spend money you actually have and don’t rack up as much interest when you are in the red.

You can also save yourself bank charges by getting ‘cashback’ through your debit card when you make a purchase, instead of hitting the ATM.