Christmas is a wonderful time of year, but the pressure to put on a good spread and satisfy your family’s gift wishes can cause a lot of stress, especially if you’re on a budget.

However, being low on cash doesn’t have to mean foregoing the festivities. Here are some ways that you can still have a wonderful (but low-cost) Christmas.

Gift your time instead of presents

Buying presents is probably the biggest expense associated with Christmas. It’s natural to want to give your friends and family exactly what they want, but not if it means you end up in financial trouble.

If you’re short on money, rather gift a favour. Offer to wash their car for a few months or give them a personal voucher for a massage.

Don’t give unnecessary gifts

People often enjoy giving gifts more than receiving them, so buying only for your immediate family and very good friends is perfectly acceptable. The body wash you gave to your best friend’s second cousin will probably be re-gifted anyway.

Don’t buy wrapping paper

Wrapping paper is not only wasteful, it can also be very expensive. Instead, wrap your presents in newspaper or butcher paper. It’s much cheaper and it gets ripped up and thrown away just the same.

You can also decorate the paper with felt tip pens instead of ribbon to save even more money.

Make your own decorations

This is not only a good way to save money, but it’s a lot more fun than fighting other harassed shoppers for the last box of baubles on the shelf.

Save yourself the stress and expense of Christmas shopping by making your own decorations. You can get the whole family involved.

Repurpose where possible

You can re-use or re-purpose things around the house to make your own ornaments and even Christmas tree if you’re clever. If you don’t have a tree already, try making one from unusual items around the house or in the garden.

Spread the load

If you have a number of family members coming over for dinner, ask each of them to bring something. It can be a dish for the dinner table, a box of crackers or even some extra decorations.

Keep an eye out for specials and sales

It’s never too early to start your Christmas shopping. Prices tend to be higher just before Christmas so buying presents earlier in the year will help ease the expense of the holiday season.

Make use of coupons or cash back schemes

Remember the loyalty card you’ve been swiping each time you shop? Time to check how many points you have available. Even a few hundred rand can make a big difference.

Save throughout the year

Make this one of your New Year’s resolutions for next year. Put aside a bit of money each month and by the time Christmas comes round again, you’ll have a nice nest egg to ease the financial strain of the festive season.

Short-term loans with Lamna

If you’re really stuck this Christmas, a low-risk way of getting cash is to secure a short-term loan with Lamna.

We offer fast, discreet loans against the value of a wide range of assets, from luxury watches and jewellery to vehicles or artwork. We’re a well-established company with nationwide branches, and are registered as a financial service provider with the National Credit Agency.

For more information about using an asset to secure a short-term loan, contact us on 086 111 2866 or simply complete and submit our online application form.