Eight presents that will save them money

Rachel Wait reveals some great gift ideas to help your friends and family save money.

We all know that Christmas is a time for giving. But imagine if you could give your friends and family a gift that would not only make them smile, but also help them to save money.

Here are eight ways to do just that.

1. Counting money jar

To start off with, why not give someone a counting money jar? These clever jars allow you to save up your coins and will count up the total as you go along. The LCD display records your savings so that you don’t have to sit there counting up your coins!

You can currently pick one up for £7.45 at Amazon, or if you’d prefer to get it in pink you can get your hands on this one for £1.99.

Bear in mind that batteries are not included.

2. National Trust/ English Heritage membership

If someone in your family likes to get out and about, why not buy him/her a National Trust membership?

There are more than 300 historic houses and gardens to visit up and down the country, so there’s plenty to see and do! And becoming a member works out to be far cheaper than paying entry fees at each place.

If you pay by annual direct debit, for the first year it will only cost £36.38 per person (£59.63 for a couple) – after that it goes up to £48.50 (£79.50 for a couple). Just be warned that this will renew automatically, so if you don’t want to renew the membership after the first year, make sure you cancel it (you will receive a letter in the post to remind you).

Be aware that in order to guarantee deliver in time for Christmas, you need to place your order by Monday 13 December.

Alternatively, you could buy an English Heritage membership for £44 per person (£77 per couple). The last order date for Christmas deliver is Friday 17 December. Membership will provide free entry to more than 400 historic sites.

3. Free cinema

For film buffs, the perfect present could be a cinema membership card. For example, with the Cineworld Unlimited Card, you can see as many films as you like at most Cineworld cinemas!

The card costs £13.50 a month, but if you’d like to get someone an annual card, you can get one for £168 which excludes central London cinemas or one for £198 which includes them. Cards are sent out within two weeks, so if you want to order one in time for Christmas, make sure you get in quick!

4. Bicycle

If a family member lives fairly close to work, why not buy him/her a bicycle so that he/she can cycle to work instead of driving or getting public transport. This is likely to shave a large amount of money off the price of the commute!

Amazon sells a wide selection of bikes, including this Raleigh bike for £74.99. Alternatively, check out sites such as Gumtree and Freegle to see whether you can pick one up second hand.

5. Beer or wine-making kit

If you know someone who loves their tipple, help him/her to save money by buying him/her a beer or wine-making kit.

The Thrifty Shopper has a selection of homebrew starter kits, including this beginner’s bitter starter kit and this beginner’s red wine starter kit for £49.99 each.

Amazon also has a range of home brew kits such as this beer be quick set for £24.95.

You can find some top tips for home brewing in How to slash the cost of a pint.

6. Water pebble

The water pebble is a nifty little device for saving water (and therefore money) and would make a great stocking filler! It works by telling you when it’s time to get out of the shower, helping you to reduce the amount of time you spend in the shower and therefore save water.

The water pebble sits by the plug hole and monitors water as it goes down. The first time you use it, the pebble will remember how long you’ve spent in the shower and after that, it will turn green, amber and red to alert you to how long you’ve been showering.

Nigel’s Eco Store reckons it could save a family of four £180 a year! You can pick one up for £9.99.

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7. Winter veg patch kit

Keen gardeners will love this one!

This fantastic mini winter veg patch kit allows you to grow seasonal vegetables really easily. Simply plant seeds during the summer in containers and then see the benefits in autumn and winter, helping you to save on your food bills! It costs £7.99 at Nigel’s Eco Store and includes an advice booklet and pencil.

Alternatively, you can pick up the jumbo version for £14.99.

8. Meal discount cards

Anyone who loves eating out can save some serious money with a Taste card. That’s because it offers a range of 2 for 1 deals or 50% off the bill at more than 3,500 restaurants across the country. So it makes a perfect gift!

Annual memberships cost £69.95, although if you add the voucher code MERRY at the online checkout, you’ll get it for just £29.95 instead! You can also add your own personalised message. 

Alternatively, the Gourmet Society card also offers some great discounts at a wide variety of restaurants, such as 2 for 1 meals and 25% off the bill.

If you’d like to buy a card for someone this Christmas, you can currently enjoy £25 off and pick one up for £44.95. Alternatively, if you’re planning to buy more than one card, you can also get a 3 for 2 offer, allowing you to get three cards for £89.90.

Hopefully this will have provided you with some great gift inspiration this Christmas. However, if you have any ideas of your own, feel free to post them in the comments boxes below.

More: 30 affordable gifts that you won’t find on the high street | Five fantastic gifts you can make for under £5