Credit: PA Real Life Maddy Alexander-Grout's son, Ben, on Christmas Day(Collect/PA Real Life)Credit: PA Real Life Ben Alexander-Grout enjoying his second-hand Christmas presents last year (Collect/PA Real Life)Credit: PA Real Life She has bought books for her husband, James Alexander-Grout, 41, as well as games, scooters and Paw Patrol presents for her two children, Ben, seven, and Harriet, three. Maddy has also sold her unused Christmas presents from last year on Facebook Marketplace and is using Nectar points and vouchers to buy her Christmas dinner. She is not only taking actions to save some cash, but also to help the environment, using recyclable and reusable wrapping paper and ribbons, and buying second-hand gifts without plastic packaging. Maddy is a savvy shopper day to day, using coupons and buying yellow-sticker items, but the cost-of-living crisis has encouraged her to save that little bit more this Christmas. She said: 'I think the cost-of-living crisis is probably impacting me less than other people just because I've been a money-saving person for a very long time. 'Having said that, there are still things which are massively impacting me. I'm not immune to energy bills, and they have gone up, as well as my childcare. It was about £620 a month, and now it's £700'. Maddy has been on the lookout for second-hand Christmas presents since September, going to charity shops twice a week and a car-boot sale twice a month, and so far she has spent just £30. She has found FatFace clothes on Facebook Marketplace, scooters for her two children at a car boot sale, for just £7 each){kind=link}
LOOKING to cut back on your Christmas present spending this year?
Maddy Alexander-Grout, a 39-year-old chief marketing officer for a voucher company, from Southampton, Hampshire, typically spends £250 on Christmas presents, but so far this year has spent just £30 at charity shops, car boot sales and online.
She has bought books for her husband, James Alexander-Grout, 41, as well as games, scooters and Paw Patrol presents for her two children, Ben, seven, and Harriet, three.
Maddy has also sold her unused Christmas presents from last year on Facebook Marketplace and is using Nectar points and vouchers to buy her Christmas dinner.
She is not only taking actions to save some cash, but also to help the environment, using recyclable and reusable wrapping paper and ribbons, and buying second-hand gifts without plastic packaging.