Current Discounts And Deals #10

Christmas is costly, but take the strain out of your shop with these money saving tips. As a bonus, we've found three special freebies to put you in the Christmas spirit.

Fun as it is, Christmas can put a major strain on our wallets. So as part of this week's midweek money saving tips, here are three of the latest deals to whet your appetite. And the best thing about them? You don't have to spend a single penny to benefit.

Fancy an hour of free calls to catch up with your loved ones on Christmas Day? Well, sign up to Jajah Direct and you can have just that. All you have to do to qualify for 60 minutes of free airtime is register for an account, dial a local access number followed by the number that you want to call and Jajah will connect you. You don't need to sign a contract or buy a snazzy phone to qualify. Just register and bag those free minutes!

Our next freebie comes from Virgin, which is offering a free mobile SIM card per household. What's more, you also get £5 of free credit to get you started. Simply fill out the online form to claim your SIM.

Finally, calling all nature lovers, why not order a free Nature Of Britain calendar courtesy of the Open University? Alternatively, you can pick one up at your local library while stocks last, or download a copy from the website.

Offers which continue to be valid:

Need extra tables and chairs to accommodate the masses on Christmas Day? Ikea is currently offering 20% off its full EKTORP furniture range.

If you're still looking for stocking fillers for the men in your life, Burton is currently offering 30% off a range of scarves, hats and other winter accessories.

Argos has knocked 50% off over 600 toys and gifts.

For regular rail users, beat the fare hike blues and console yourself with some discounted food. Sign up for a BiTE card and you can get 20% off food and drink at many participating outlets across the country. Registration is as simple as filling out an online form - and cards valid for 2008 are available now.

Looking for a personalised gift? Why not take advantage of a special offer at createagift.co.uk on A3 posters. Register, upload your chosen image, then enter discount code PBPOSTER at the checkout to get your gift for the bargain price of £1.50. That's 70% off the regular price.

For those looking for a luxurious bargain this Christmas, Uniqlo has cashmere sweatshirts on offer for the bargain price of £29.99. There are 11 colours available, and you're unlikely to find 100% cashmere for cheaper than this.

Calling all students: Opinionpanel Research have teamed up with Amazon to offer free gift certificates in return for the completion of short web-surveys. You get £10.00 in total when you register, and a further £1.00 to £2.00 per survey thereafter. Once you've reached £25, you receive your Amazon gift certificates by email.

In order to qualify, you must have a valid email address issued by your university (ie, ending in ac.uk). The certificates continue to roll-in after you've graduated, as you are automatically transferred to the Graduate Panel when you finish your studies.

For the food connoisseurs among us, why not sign up to Toptable, where you can earn points by booking restaurant tables through their website. Currently, 6 bookings will earn you a free two or three course meal, with an automatic 200 points for signing up. If you eat out regularly, the points can quickly build up, and there are lots of offers such as 2 for 1 dining available through their regular newsletters.

Boots and Marks & Spencer have their usual 3 for 2 offer on toys and gifts this Christmas - and as Boots is giving £1 to Children in Need for every toy sold, you can be doing some good at the same time. Don't forget to check out the Advantage Point machines in-store to see if there are any further offers you could be benefiting from.

For bargain cinema tickets, why not check out lastminute.com, which is offering tickets at any one of 14 participating VUE cinemas (unfortunately this offer is only available in London) for the bargain price of £4.99.

Register your details with Vision Express and you can get a voucher entitling you to a half-price eye examination, and one for 10% off prescription glasses.

Or for those who enjoy the great outdoors, Field and Trek are offering 20% discount on all orders above £45. Simply enter discount code DV41 at the checkout to qualify.

And Nectar is continuing its special Christmas offers, including 25% off theatre tokens.

Finally, everything can be neatly wrapped up with a trip to Bhs - which is now offering 50% off lots of cards, crackers and gift wrap.

If you have any more suggestions, please let us know by posting them on the Moneysaving tips discussion board, adding your comments to this article or by sending us an email at moneysavingtips@fool.co.uk.