#Money Saving Tips

You checked the calendar. Your stomach dropped. It’s the 100-day mark. For many, this isn’t a countdown to joy; it’s a countdown to debt. The “festive financial hangover” is a real phenomenon, usually hitting around the third week of January when the credit card bills land. But 100 days is actually the sweet spot. It is the perfect runway to land the holidays without crashing your finances. We are going to ignore the generic “just spend less” advice. Instead, we are looking at a tactical, military-grade operation to spread the cost of Christmas across three distinct paydays.

Buying furniture online is terrifying. You look at a picture of a velvet chesterfield sofa or an ottoman bed, and it looks perfect. But you can’t touch it. You can’t sit on it. You have to trust that the pixelated image matches reality. That anxiety is why many people stick to big-box retailers. But there is a shift happening. Shoppers are moving back towards heritage manufacturing, looking for “Made in Britain” stamps rather than flat-pack boxes shipped from halfway across the world.

As we move through 2025, the conversation around the cost of living continues to dominate household planning. While December might feel distant, savvy parents know that the key to a magical, budget-friendly Christmas is early preparation. According to recent retail forecasts, the average spend per person in the UK during the six-week Christmas period in 2025 is projected to reach £1,371.44—a figure that includes gifts, travel, and festive entertainment. With “festive inflation” impacting everything from mince pies to train tickets, finding affordable alternatives to big-ticket attractions is more important than ever.

The sound is unmistakable. The heavy rumble of the ball on wood, followed by the chaotic crash of pins. For many, Tenpin is the backdrop of British adolescence. It is where you went for your 12th birthday party. It is where you went for awkward first dates. It is the go-to Friday night option when the weather ruins outdoor plans. But if you haven’t visited a Tenpin location recently, you might be working off an outdated mental image. The days of flickering neon lights and sticky carpets are largely gone. The brand has aggressively pivoted. They are no longer just a bowling alley; they are attempting to be a total entertainment hub.

If you are a woman over 5’8”, you know the struggle. It’s the jeans that stop awkwardly above the ankle. It’s the “long sleeve” shirt that becomes a three-quarter sleeve every time you reach for something. It’s the constant battle of pulling down a hemline because a “maxi” skirt is behaving like a midi. For years, the high street ignored us. We were told to just “buy a bigger size,” as if being taller meant we were automatically wider. It didn’t work.