With less than 50 days left until Christmas, fast approaches the season of gift-giving and bargain buying. But, amidst the cost of living crisis, perhaps saving a little bit of money wouldn’t go amiss for a lot of Brits. Talking to market trader and ex-Apprentice contestant Tom Skinner, what advice did he offer to saving money on Christmas shopping? And what’s his approach?
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00:00 By the way, how fast has it come around this year?
00:05 We're only a few weeks to Christmas now.
00:07 This year's been a mental year.
00:09 It's come around really quick.
00:11 With less than 50 days left until Christmas,
00:13 fast approaches the season of gift-giving and bargain-buying.
00:16 But amidst the cost-of-living crisis,
00:18 perhaps saving a little bit of money wouldn't go amiss for a lot of Brits.
00:22 Talking to market trader and ex-Apprentice contestant Tom Skinner,
00:26 what advice did he offer the saving money on Christmas shopping?
00:29 And what's his approach?
00:31 I love Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve.
00:34 Who doesn't love that?
00:36 I love that last-minute deal hunting.
00:39 I'm very lucky that I've got market stalls
00:41 and we do get a lot of presents off our own stalls, of course.
00:44 But, yeah, honestly, in all honesty,
00:48 I do actually buy a few presents as the year goes on.
00:51 And then what I find out is I might have put ten presents away
00:54 by the time it gets to Christmas.
00:56 And that doesn't feel like I've spent loads of money
00:58 because I've bought them over the long course of time.
01:00 And, listen, I'm a market trader, I've worked in the markets my whole life,
01:04 and my first bit of advice is to anyone out there,
01:07 go and have a look at your independent shops,
01:09 go and have a look on your local markets
01:11 because that is where you are going to find the best deals.
01:14 Dealing with the proper people, you're not dealing with big corporations,
01:17 you're not dealing with supermarkets and online things,
01:20 you're dealing with people on the street who are finding the best deals,
01:23 who have got the best products at the best prices.
01:25 According to finder.com, Brits are expected to spend an average of £602 each
01:31 on Christmas gifts in 2023,
01:33 and it's thought the UK as a whole will spend £27.6 billion altogether,
01:38 with 43% of Brits planning to cover their Christmas spending on credit cards.
01:42 How will the cost of living crisis impact the holiday season this year?
01:47 And obviously the cost of living has gone up, you know,
01:50 everything's more expensive, so this year we need to be looking out
01:53 for the bargains for Christmas more than we ever have.
01:56 So, I like, do you know what, I like to make a little list, yeah?
01:59 Who don't like, even Father Christmas writes a list into Christmas,
02:02 the naughty and nice list, and I put on there who I've got to buy for,
02:06 roughly what I want to spend for each person and what they're into.
02:09 So if I know if I'm buying for the kids, that one of them's into Paw Patrol,
02:13 so I make sure I get some Paw Patrol bits if I'm buying for my auntie,
02:16 I know she likes Calvin Klein, so I get some Calvin Klein perfume,
02:19 just make it, and don't buy the first thing you see,
02:22 shop about, have a look about, because you might find deals,
02:26 and people are doing deals this Christmas, you know,
02:28 especially on the market stores, they might be doing three for the price of two
02:31 or different bargains, so you've got to have a look about.
02:34 We all know it's been a difficult year, and I think hopefully,
02:37 I've been looking at what's going on in the world,
02:39 this time next year we'll be in a better situation,
02:41 but this Christmas it's going to be a difficult one
02:43 for thousands and thousands of people out there.
02:46 So don't spend all your money on presents, don't go mental, listen,
02:49 it's all about the sentimental value, you know.
02:52 People are just as happy with a simple card
02:55 than they are with a bottle of aftershave or a bottle of perfume.
02:57 As long as you tell your loved ones you love them on Christmas Day,
03:00 that's all that matters.