There’s no doubt about it, Christmas can be an expensive time of the year, not to mention wasteful. The good thing is, there are some really simple steps you can take to save yourself some pennies while being more eco-friendly at the same time.

Reduce food waste by saving leftovers

Throughout the festive period we’re sure there will be lots of leftovers from meals – especially on Christmas Day! One good way to combat wasting this food is to either reheat it the next day in the microwave or use it to cook a different meal. Turkey is the perfect meat to pop in a curry, and roasties are delicious in a potato hash.

You could also give your leftovers or spare food to a food bank to support those in your community who may not have enough this Christmas.

Send eco-cards online

Every year in the UK Royal Mail sends out around 150 million cards, most of which will end up in the bin. This year, why not try sending e-cards online instead? There are lots of free designs to choose from, and they can simply be emailed to people which saves you a lot of money on stamps and cards!

Ditch the wrapping paper

Did you know that a lot of the typical wrapping papers cannot be recycled? This is because they often contain glitter, plastic or sellotape which makes them difficult to recycle. Rather than buying your usual wrapping paper in bulk, you can instead get creative with your options!

Glass jars can be reused for gifting things like candles or toiletries, while brown paper gives a charming effect when wrapping presents. You can pick this up cheaply from most post offices in bulk.

Give the gift of time

When it comes to buying presents at Christmas, we can often feel pressured to buy as much as possible – even if it’s more than we can afford. This means that people will receive gifts that they don’t really need, resulting in more things being thrown away.

Not only is this a waste of money, but it’s also not sustainable as more items end up in landfill sites. Rather than blowing your budget buying tonnes of presents this year, giving the gift of time could be more thoughtful and cheaper. A good example of this would be to organise a full day to spend with loved ones.

Find free events around the city

If you’re looking for some fun-filled weekend events to enjoy as a family, there are lots of free, festive events throughout December. The Christmas markets offer you the chance to soak up the festivities without having to buy anything.

Pack yourself a flask of tea and wander around the stalls while the smell of mulled wine and hot chocolate wafts in the air! You might even get some free samples.

Utilise free apps for the best deals

Reusing as much as possible at Christmas time will help you save some money while helping the environment as well. There are lots of free apps out there designed to help you grab preloved bargains. You can often pick up high-quality, second-hand items to gift to people for half the price.

Apps like Shpock and Depop allow you to find the best deals and buy second-hand items online. The Too Good to Go app is also great as it allows shops, restaurants and cafes to resell food at a fraction of the price when it’s past its best-before date. This helps to combat food waste, as food that would usually be thrown away can be resold for much less money. The food is still safe to eat and just as tasty!

We hope that our blog has helped to provide you with some inspiration on ways to cut costs while helping the environment this Christmas. For more eco-friendly news and top tips, follow us on social media @ForHousing.