CHRISTMAS IS A time for giving, going out and doing lots of fun things, generally.

But there’s no denying that all these fun times and presents can add up to quite a bill. So, we asked you to give us your best tips for saving money over the Christmas period and you didn’t disappoint.

We bow down to your wisdom.

1. Start early

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It might be a little late for this tip – but it’s a good one for next year, from reader Catherine M:

This might sounds lame but start early. I finished my Christmas shopping at the start of December, but I started some time at the end of September to spread out the cost.

2. Make the most of sales

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Reader Brendan Mason is really on the ball if he sticks to this tip:

Do all the Christmas shopping in January for next Christmas. No Christmas rush then. More time for the festivities.

3. Remember what’s important

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Of course, spending money isn’t what Christmas is all about as reader Brendan Gordon reminds us, saying not to buy expensive presents just for the sake of it:

Money does not equal love for your family and friends.

There are lots of ways to have a great Christmas without spending loads of money – from having a pot-luck style dinner at someone’s house, where everyone brings a different dish, to going for long walks to work off those Christmas indulgences.

4. Delayed gratification…

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If you really want to make a savings, you could do as reader Patrick Gough suggests and:

Agree with your loved ones to wait for the New Year sales to buy presents.

He’s probably joking but it’s not a bad idea to maybe think about giving little gifts on Christmas day and holding off buying the more expensive items when the sales start?

5. Pace yourself

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This reader makes a valid point about reining in those urges to buy everything:

Yes have fun but remember that the shops are only closed for 2 days at a time at most, so no you do not need to buy enough food to feed an army for a month.

6. Post-Christmas help

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Catherine M had another great tip about how to get through January if you’re feeling the pinch of Christmas – and it sounds delicious:

After Christmas I’m always flat broke – which I think everyone is in the same boat there. Anyway, if you have a slow cooker or something along those lines you can make about two weeks worth of dinners over the course of one weekend.

She continued, “Slap them in containers, bang them in the freezer and there you go! Defrost when you need and that’s one big meal a day taken care of. Chilli con carne, Bolognese, beef stroganoff, casserole etc… big sloppy dinners like that with rice will have you sorted for ages! Pre-frozen fruit is also great it lasts for ages!”

Do you have any money-saving tips to share? Let us know in the comments below.

Another easy way to save some money over the Christmas period is to switch to Bord Gáis Energy where you can get 10% off electricity and €100 switching gift. Head over to Bord Gáis Energy to switch and save.