With the rising cost of living, this year has been tough on everyone's pockets. The thought of Christmas gifts, decorations and social gatherings might feel overwhelming but on this page, you'll find advice and tips to make the most of the festive season without breaking the bank.
Remember, our Cost of Living Support site is full of more valuable tips and resources to make your student budget stretch throughout the year. You'll also find information on financial assistance from the University and Guild of Students.
Set your budget and make a list
Santa isn’t the only one who likes to make a list at Christmas...
Planning what you need to spend your money on can help make sure you've got the essentials covered and hopefully reduce any stress for a fun, yet cost-effective Christmas.
Before you set your festive budget, make sure you factor in your usual expenses, bills or any pending transactions, so you know how much money you have to work with.
December can end up being an expensive month, so if you can, start shopping around early. You can pick up some good discounts and bargains all year round. In November, look out for 'Black Friday' shopping deals. Many deals will start in the weeks leading up to the day itself (29 November 2024), and last until Cyber Monday (2 December 2024). Don’t forget to look at your student discount apps such as UniDays, StudentBeans and TOTUM for exclusive offers.
Remember, you don't need to give presents. However, if you do want to, as well as making the most of discounts and offers on new items, keep reading for other budget-friendly gift ideas.
Mahina
Student Content Shaper
“Use Black Friday sales to your advantage! But also, sometimes the best gift are materialised, writing sincere Christmas cards and DIY gifts are not only budget friendly, but shows how much love you have for your friend to make something personalised!”
Buy second-hand
There's no better time to shop for second-hand (or pre-loved) items. With so many online marketplaces such as Vinted, Depop, Ebay and Hazaar (conveniently located on campus), it's a lot easier to discover something unique, while being sustainable and saving money.
Plus, there are lots of charity shops in Birmingham, especially Selly Oak and Harborne, which are full of hidden gems at a fraction of the cost. Not only are you being sustainable but you’re also supporting a worthy cause.
Robert
Student Content Shaper
“I have had a second-hand leather jacket for the past 4 years that I only stopped wearing because it stopped fitting - second hand gifts can mean as much as brand new ones, so don't worry if it's not in perfect condition!”
Secret Santa
Talking of gifts...
If you have a large friendship group or family, buying presents for each person can get expensive which is why lots of people choose to take part in a classic Christmas tradition called ‘Secret Santa.’ This is a fun way to save money and make Christmas more affordable and manageable for everyone.
Here's how you can set up a Secret Santa:
- Set a price limit – Before you start, set a price that you know everyone in the group can afford. For example, a £5 or £10 limit. You can also set a theme. For example, only buying something pre-loved, handmade or a novelty gift.
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Write everyone’s name down – Whoever you’re playing with, it’s a good idea to write the names of everyone participating on individual pieces of paper.
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Toss the names into a hat – Don't have a hat? Grab a bowl or a Christmas stocking and place all of the folded names in your chosen item. Give it a good mix so all names are shuffled. No cheating!
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Draw names – Give everyone the opportunity to choose a name. Just don’t share who it is!
- Exchange gifts – Plan when you'll be exchanging and unwrapping your gifts. To keep the element of surprise, place your item in bag without anyone seeing. However, it's up to you if you want your 'Secret Santa' to remain a mystery or not when gifts are being opened.
Student Natalie shares her best affordable and fun ways to exchange gifts this Christmas. Read her blog.
Amelya
Student Content Shaper
“I’ve always found within friendship groups, doing secret Santa instead of getting presents for everyone is more budget friendly!”
An important reminder...
During this time of year, scammers may take advantage of the increase in Christmas shopping. Whether this is promoting ‘too-good-to-be-true’ deals or giving you misleading information about any parcel deliveries, you should be extra cautious in the festive period. Criminals will try to reach out to you to get a hold of personal and sensitive information.
Some examples may include text messages, phone calls or email attachment scams by impersonating courier companies such as Amazon, Evri, DPD or Royal Mail. We encourage you to avoid clicking on any suspicious links, be careful where you share your personal information and be wary of false urgency. If you think that you have been scammed, report the activity as soon as possible to the police, your bank (if you have given any bank details) and the Community Safety Team. Read our scam advice pages.
Get crafty
There are so many opportunities to be creative with things like presents, cards and decorations including at different free events held on campus throughout December.
Whether you’re whipping up some mince pies or crafting some paper snowflakes, you’ll score points for the thought and effort you put into gifting something personalised, truly unique, and which money can’t buy. The best thing? You don’t need to be that creative. Crafts can be so simple and really make your space feel extra Christmassy. To get you started, UoB CraftSoc has shared plenty of tutorials to follow:
UoB CraftSoc Secretary Megan shares her top tips for festive crafts:
Megan
UoB CraftSoc Secretary
“Make everything as colourful as possible! Christmas is a time for happiness and celebration! Be open to trying something new. It doesn't matter if you aren't the most skilled crafter- it truly is just the thought that counts!”
Other tips and tricks
If you love baking or cooking, then why not get in the kitchen and surprise someone with a festive treat? Check out this video from students Nataliia and Karina where they show you how to make delicious jam cookies as well as other DIY crafts.
Every picture tells a story and in this digital age, printed photos are a wonderful idea. We love student Olivia’s idea of making a photo scrapbook. If you’re registered with UniDays or StudentBeans check out the student discounts and deals, including half price prints from Photobox.
Looking for more ways to have an eco-friendly Christmas this year? Our Student Content Shaper Alice has some great hacks to follow for an environmentally friendly festive season, full of all the things you love – but better! Read her blog.
Festive food
From mince pies to pigs in blankets, food is an important part of Christmas celebrations, but good food doesn’t have to be expensive! Meal prepping and planning is a great way to keep costs low, especially if you’re planning on spending Christmas with your mates.
“For things like vegetables, it's usually cheaper buying them frozen, so that you can spend a bit extra on a good quality Chicken/Turkey/meat of your choosing. Bonus tip: Iceland does wonderful frozen desserts - their £4 chocolate Gateau’s are perfect for big gatherings!”
Buying frozen food will also help with costs as recommended by student Zainab, but if you do want fresh vegetables then shop around the local supermarkets for discounted Christmas dinner veg. Lots of supermarkets have their own brands which are cheaper but just as tasty, just watch this video from Student Content Shapers Srushti and Ishita.
If you’re having a Christmas dinner with your friends or housemates, then student Issy recommends sharing the responsibilities and getting everyone to chip in so you’re not doing or paying for everything yourself.
Issy
EDI Student Ambassador
“Why not share out the cooking responsibilities by planning a ‘Bring and Share’ Christmas dinner? This way one person isn’t left to pay for all the ingredients and do all the work, but make sure to plan everything out so you’re not left with a table full of Brussels sprouts! Some dishes may be more expensive than others, so it might be a good idea for everyone to contribute a set amount (say £10) then pool the funds and do one group grocery shop. Or divide the tasks Secret-Santa-style. Get everyone together to pick one dish each at random, so it’s a surprise to see who’s cooked which meal during dinner!”
Travelling back home
If, like many other students, you’re planning on returning home to your family for Christmas, it’s a good idea to consider the cost of travel in your holiday budget. We’ve put together some handy tips to help you save on costs this holiday.
Trainline
If you’re travelling within the UK, you’ll most likely be using the train. Train companies tend to release their tickets early in advance, so as soon as you know when you’re heading home, book that ticket! You might want to use an app called Trainline. The earlier you book; the cheaper tickets will be, plus, you might want to look around at different times to travel.
The Friday night and the weekend can be very expensive, as can peak tickets. You can also buy split tickets to save money on your journey so take a look at the SplitSave options. Also, remember to add your student railcard (if you have one) when booking your tickets to save up to 1/3 on prices.
Megabus
Coaches are a great option for the holidays and can be much cheaper than taking the train. To get the most choices and best prices, we recommend booking early on on sites like CheckMyBus or Megabus. Megabus is partnered with StudentBeans and TOTUM to give students 10% off their journey.
National Express
Make the most of the free bus travel available in Birmingham this Christmas. From Monday 9 December to Friday 13 December, all of the West Midlands bus services will be free to use from 7pm onwards. You don't need a ticket or a pass, just hop onboard and travel anywhere across the West Midlands bus network.
Whilst getting a coach can sometimes take a lot longer than a train, you'll often find that the ticket prices are a lot cheaper. National Express is also partnered with UNiDAYS, StudentBeans, Amazon Prime Student and TOTUM to provide students with 15% off National Express coach journeys. For any festive trips you may plan to take, their services will continue to run on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
Whatever you decide to do this Christmas, and however much you decide to spend, we hope you all have a wonderful time. If you have any other tips you’d like to share with us, email The Student Communications Team at studentcommunications@contacts.bham.ac.uk