WITH just seven weeks until Christmas, here is the second part of my top tips to make sure you don’t break the bank.

7. USE DISCOUNT VOUCHERS RATHER THAN PAY FULL PRICE

As we near Christmas there are loads of click ’n’ print around – a daily updated list of all the hot legitimate ones is at moneysavingexpert.com/ discountvouchers and a wider range at myvouchercodes.co.uk

8. GRAB STORE CARD DISCOUNTS AT NO COST

Pre-Christmas high street retailers try to bribe us with huge introductory shopping discounts if we sign up for their store cards.

The problem is the 25-30 per cent interest. Thus never, ever, ever borrow on store cards. Instead, the disciplined can spend on them to bag the discount, and immediately repay in full, so there’s no interest charge. Better still, team up with friends, so one gets a card, you all spend on it for the discount, and they give you the money. Then next time you shop, someone gets the card and you use the same trick to perpetually keep the discount.

9. GET EXPENSIVE PERFUME ON THE CHEAP

A bunch of specialist online sellers sell perfume for a fraction of the price. Better still, buy even cheaper unboxed bottles, then get a pretty box and wrapping for a couple of quid. For a full breakdown go to moneysaving expert.com/perfume.

10. USE A MONEY MANTRA BEFORE YOU SPEND

Before you buy, ask yourself: If you’re skint: Do I need it? / Can I afford it? / Have I checked if I can find it cheaper elsewhere?

If you’re not skint: Will I use it? / Is it worth it? /Have I checked if I can find it cheaper elsewhere?

If the answer is ‘no’, don’t buy it!

11. KNOCK £100S OFF YOUR CHRISTMAS FOOD & DRINK Use mysupermarket.co.uk to compare the cost of your big Christmas shop at Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Ocado (Waitrose) and Asda online. Even if you don’t want to actually buy online, it’s a good indication of which store is generally cheapest.

12. DELAY CHRISTMAS If you’re buying a big item like a hi-tech TV or games console, it’s likely to be vastly cheaper after Christmas. So why not give the kids a nicely wrapped IOU for the January sales, and a small present for the day?