Christmas money: finance expert shares 5 money saving tips, gift ideas - and how to have a debt-free Christmas

• Financial expert Sally Mills shares her advice for managing holiday spending without incurring debt
• She highlights how holiday pressures can lead to overspending and financial stress
• Her guidance is centred on thoughtful planning and setting clear gifting boundaries
• Personal experiences and practical suggestions shape her approach to holiday budgeting
• Her advice encourages focusing on meaningful gestures over excessive purchases

A financial expert has shared her top tips for a debt-free Christmas, including ideas like organising a Secret Santa and stocking up on festive supplies at charity shops.

Sally Mills, 47, spends her days helping clients manage and eliminate debt, and says the holiday season can bring heightened financial stress as many feel pressured to overspend.

To avoid this, the grandmother of two advises cutting out “buying for the sake of it,” and instead recommends doing a family-wide Secret Santa, where each person buys one meaningful gift rather than multiple smaller presents for everyone.

She also suggests setting clear boundaries with more distant relatives to avoid unnecessary gift exchanges, recommends browsing Pinterest for DIY gift ideas, and says that you’re missing out if you overlook charity shops.

Mills, from Romford, east London, works for the charity Christians Against Poverty, and says: "Ultimately you can't buy people's love. Christmas is about spending time with your loved ones, no matter what age.

"Nobody wants to see their parents or loved ones stressed trying to pay for something beyond their reach. But there are ways to reduce the costs."

The mum-of-four Sally says she and all the adults in her own family have been doing a Secret Santa for the past four years.

With a set budget on the higher end - she suggests £50 - everyone can get one big present instead of smaller, less satisfying ones.

They use an app called Elfster to allocate people names and you can also write wish lists and link ideas to give your Secret Santa inspiration. Mills says this way everyone gets something they really like.

She says: "When my adult daughters were younger I'd have a budget for each of them. But now they all have partners and two of them have children as well, the list gets a bit ridiculous.

"You can end up buying for the sake of buying - this is a cheaper way of doing things and it works really well."

Similarly, Mills suggests having a conversation around who you want to buy for - and setting some boundaries by having conversations with adult cousins, siblings and siblings-in-laws about whether presents are necessary.

She says: "We made an agreement with my brother and his wife - we only buy presents for my nephew, and they only buy for our kids."

She also suggests checking out charity shops - especially for children in the family who won't care if their toys or jigsaws are brand new.

Mills also recommends buying presents that are an 'investment' - citing the example of an Oodie - which she says will not only be a nice gift but will keep them warm and potentially reduce heating bills.

And when it comes to gifts for teachers at the end of term, she suggests avoiding buying 'tat' like mugs - because they probably won't get used. Instead she suggests buying a plant - which can be a lower price point than some gifts and won't end up at the back of a cupboard.

Or she says setting up a parents WhatsApp group to arrange everyone chipping in a smaller amount could be more cost-effective - and result in a better present too.

Mills' final tip before splashing out is to consider a DIY gift, and to find inspiration on Pinterest. She says: "Pinterest has a wealth of knowledge and you can make things yourself.

"Like a jar with all the ingredients in it for cookies or hot chocolate. Or make a pot with ideas for activities to do, like a movie day or games night, for them to choose from."

Mills’ tips for a debt-free Christmas:

• Try a family Secret Santa
• Set boundaries with people you don't need to buy for
• Check out charity shops
• Club together to buy quality gifts - don't just buy tat for the sake of it
• Try your hand at DIY gifts using Pinterest inspiration

Ready to make this holiday season stress-free and debt-free? Share your own budget-friendly holiday tips or let us know which strategies you’re excited to try in the comments section.