Stress-free saving

IT’S not a white Christmas that most of us are dreaming of – it’s an easy one. A happy festive period is one with no stress and no money worries, just the opportunity to sit back and enjoy the celebrations.

And some people have found a way to make that dream a reality.

Over 350,000 people across Britain use Park Christmas Savings, putting away an affordable amount of money each week or month, then receiving gift cards and vouchers to spend with their favourite retailers at the end of the year.

Savvy Park planners say paying monthly or weekly is an easy habit to get into. You can set your own savings goal, choosing an amount that fits your budget. You can also pay by standing order, or top up your account each month at a time that works for you. Even small amounts of money add up throughout the year, so when the Christmas lights go up in December, Park savers have a healthy total to enjoy some worry-free shopping.

There’s also no need for worry at any other point in the year. Money deposited with Park Christmas Savings is safe; it’s held in a trust and Park is a member of the Christmas Prepayment Association. And you can’t dip into the funds you’ve saved so, whatever happens throughout the year, you will always know that you’ve got Christmas covered.

The first step of your journey towards a debt-free Christmas is downloading the Park app or visiting the website. Decide the amount you want to save, and when you’ve reached your total

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Park will send out your chosen rewards – with plenty of time for you to find thoughtful gifts for your loved ones and to plan some delicious festive meals.

Park offers gift cards and vouchers for all your favourite retailers. On the high street there’s JD Sports, Primark, The Entertainer toy shop and more. You can also choose from a wide range of popular online shops, including Amazon and Asos.

If you’re planning a big Christmas dinner or party, then gift cards for Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and M&S can help you buy food and drink to wow your guests.

You can also give experiences as gifts with companies like Red Letter Days. Or use the Dining Out gift card – you could even treat a friend to a cheeky Nandos!

Thousands of savers rely on Park to help them have a happy Christmas. Saving throughout the year is painless and means you avoid a heavy financial hangover in January. Spread the cost and feel good as you watch your money mount up and enjoy a little bit of Christmas cheer every single month.

It’s not just Christmas for me: three of my children have got December birthdays. It’s a busy time of year! I started saving with Park just after my youngest two were born. Having twins had come as a bit of a shock, so I thought I’d better get saving for the next Christmas. They’re 18 now – I’m still doing Park and now I’m an agent too. It’s a real weight off your shoulders and you know you won’t end up getting into debt. I like to tell other people about it because it’s helped me so much. And I think if I can help someone else, then I’ve done a good deed. I know it can help other people, especially now the prices are going up all over. I’ve certainly made new friends through being a Park agent. I talk to everyone in our community. I’d never want anyone to commit to anything they couldn’t afford, but I’ll help people work out what they can manage and make sure it’s an amount they won’t really miss. Honestly, if I can help just one other person by telling them about this then I’m happy.