Daisy Phillipson
A mum has shared a clever trick to make kids think they have more presents under the Christmas tree.
This year's festive season looks set to be one of the most difficult in recent memory as the cost of living crisis has us all counting our pennies.
For parents, there's the added stress of how to ensure their little ones have a magical holiday without breaking the bank.
Thankfully, thrifty mum Vicky Smith - who runs the blog More Than A Mummy — has shared a few tricks and tips on how to stretch those pounds.
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Elaborating on why she started the blog, the 38-year-old mum-of-two told The Sun: "I became more conscious of my budget after having kids.
"I was made redundant from my job shortly after returning from my second maternity leave.
"While I grew my own freelance business I felt I needed to be more careful with my spending — as you never know when your income can take a hit.
"I also wanted to ensure I was saving money for the children regularly, so I put more effort into making things go further and making sensible purchases..
"There’s so much peace of mind to be gained by saving money and growing your savings pot, whether for a rainy day or to save for big purchases."
It's safe to say one of the best ways to save cash on pressies is by being organised and getting it done early
This way you can make use of sales and get the best deals.
But for those who were too busy this year, don't fret, as Vicky's got some other ideas, including what she calls the 'three gift rule'.
"My best thrifty tip for getting lots of gifts for the kids without blowing the budget is to rely on the three gifts rule," she explained.
"They may want a new doll, need a new coat and then I may get them the latest book in a series they have been reading.
"I also find much of the excitement regarding Christmas is in the presentation — say for example you’ve kitted your child out with everything they need to fill their pencil case for school next term.
"I don’t put everything in the pencil case and then wrap the pencil case. I take everything out and wrap it individually.
"That way they have loads of things to open rather than one big thing.
"You can also make the act of opening the gift more exciting by wrapping up a few mini chocolate bars or bags of sweets to go in their stockings.
"These are cheap, but the kids will love to open them and count up how many they have."
The mum went on to suggest looking for cheaper versions of your children's favourite toys, or turning to Facebook Marketplace or eBay to scout for bargains.
She continued: "You can get your child’s most wished for gift at a fraction of the price."
So there you have it - if you're looking to make this Christmas memorable but you don't want to break the bank, be sure to use the 'three gift rule' and wrap those presents up no matter how small they are.