£ The Smarter Spender

Spending money is not bad, but spending other people’s money is! Be money-smart – spend the money you can afford and get the best deal you can.

What has dipped in price this week?

Interactive soft toys

21% cheaper on average than last week

Smartwatches

9% cheaper on average than last week

PS4 games

15% cheaper on average than last week

Cooker hoods

13% cheaper on average than last week

Travel bags

11% cheaper on average than last week

Espresso machines

12% cheaper on average than last week

This is a good week to think about buying... a cot

If you’re expecting a baby, it’s worth knowing that December is the cheapest month to buy a cot.

You’ll save as much as £50 on the same model compared to buying it in the most expensive month of June.

It’s worth noting that January is also still quite an affordable month to buy a cot – prices are only around £10 more than in December, so don’t panic if you can’t stretch to it t this month.

There are still good deals to be had, especially if you use a pricecomparison app to shop around.

This week, we reckon UK consumers will be shopping for... last-minute Christmas gifts

While many of us often leave buying gifts right up until Christmas Eve, this year could be a little different. Due to the pandemic, we’re doing much more of our shopping online so that we can avoid the crowds.

But by now it’s getting tight for ordering online and being guaranteed your items will arrive in time for the big day.

If you’re still buying gifts this week, the best tip for in-store shopping would be to check the shop or shopping mall on Google maps, where you can see a live update of the least busy times.

If you’re still hoping to order gifts online, check out the last date for Christmas delivery – or be prepared to shell out a bit more for next-day delivery.

■ Data provided by pricecomparison site idealo.co.uk