Budget Shopping in London

I have a lot of admiration for those of you who have already completed your Christmas shopping. You will have snapped up the best bargains, and will be spared from the stress of last-minute-mad-dash-present-buying that so many of us leave ourselves subject to (meaning you actually get to relax and enjoy the Christmas period). Although I don’t always take my own advice, here are a few tips to keep your costs and your stress-levels low.

Never underestimate how much friends and family appreciate home-made gifts. If you’re short on cash, use your skills to put smiles on their faces. Good at baking? Get some pretty tins or containers from the pound shop, then make mince pies in bulk for your loved ones. It might not be something they can keep (except the tin - everyone loves a nice biscuit tin), but they’ll remember the effort you put in. Turn your mind to arts and crafts, or even customising clothes and jewellery.

Keep an eye out for special offers in the shops; a lot of gift sets can be bought ‘3 for 2’, or ‘buy one get one free’. If you’re thrifty, you could save yourself a bucket full of cash.

Public transport becomes even busier than usual in the lead up to Christmas; people flock from the suburbs of Greater London and the rest of the county to take advantage of retail havens such as Harrods and Selfridges, as well as all the gorgeous markets, Oxford Street and Regent Street. There are also Westfield Shopping Centres in East and West London now, which will be another pull for those living outside the city. Make sure you book a minicab to White City to beat the Westfield crowds; they’ll be so envious when you tumble into the back of a nice shiny car laden with your purchases!