Beware the hidden costs of Christmas

As the countdown to Christmas gets underway, many of us are concerned as to whether our budgets will stretch to dealing with the hefty demands made on their finances over the festive period. Most of these demands are the ones you’d expect – gifts for family and friends, Christmas cards, food and drink, office parties – but there are others that somehow slip under the radar, expenditure that is unlikely to be included on anyone’s list of Christmas costs but can nevertheless leave you nursing a painful post-party hangover of the financial kind early in the new year.

Hidden costs such as these, undervalued, undiscovered, underappreciated, and unexpected, can include drinks with friends, outings to shows, endless raffles, travelling to see family members, and the purchasing of a new party outfit – financial outlays that don’t seem to add up to much at the time but which can soon return with a vengeance.

The need to be aware of such ‘phantom’ costs is backed up by a recent survey undertaken by the consumer champion Which? that revealed 50% of us are worried about the mounting cost of Christmas and 4 out of 10 are likely to cutback this year.

In a bid to address consumer concerns, YouCouldSave.co.uk has revealed a  number of tips for keeping travel costs in particular within reasonable limits this Christmas – costs that in many cases can add up to just a little bit less than what is otherwise being spent on gifts, food and other festive necessities:

• Train tickets can bought cheaply online when you book in advance (12 weeks prior to your date of travel for maximum savings)

• Rail season tickets can also give provide substantial savings

• Advance airfares provide good deals when flying over the Christmas period, shopping around is also likely to save the pounds

• Although for many it is far from glamorous, taking the bus could save you a fortune

• Driving to your destination can save money, it’ll save you from hiring a car when you get to where you’re going, and with fuel prices on the up, sharing a journey is extremely cost-effective

• Driving at night when road are quieter will not only get you reduce journey times but cut fuel consumption and reduce the chance of getting stuck in traffic jams

• Try and avoid paying for travel fares with a credit card where possible as many companies charge extra fees, use a debit card instead

Merry Christmas!