Be card sharp and use our four creative hacks to save on celebrations
WE buy more greeting cards than people of any other nation, sending an average of 33 each year.
With birthday cards often costing £3 a pop, that kindness soon adds up.
It only takes a little organisation, though, to show you care for a whole lot less.
Here are some ideas for thoughtful greetings without the cost.
BULK BUY: Stashing away a supply of cards will stand you in good stead for the year ahead.
The Works has a pack of ten Happy Birthday notecards for £3 and you can currently buy one pack and get another free.
That makes the cost of a single card just 15p. You can go even bigger by buying online.
Amazon sells 48 “luxury” Watercolour birthday cards for £14.95, making them 31p each.
MAKE YOUR OWN: Keep a pack of blank white cards to hand and then you can decorate them as you like.
Hobbycraft has 50 for £4, which works out as 8p each.
You can decorate using photos — I love close-ups of flowers — which cost from just 11p to print out at Snapfish.com.
With a dash of glue, you can give an individual greeting for just 19p.
GREETINGS, SHOPPERS: Your local supermarket can be a good choice for one-off cards that don’t cost a fortune.
Asda is currently offering three £1.50 cards for £3, saving £1.50 and making each card just £1 each.
MAKE IT PERSONAL: If you like to personalise your cards with the recipients name or photo, it is likely you will have to spend a bit more.
You can save money by signing up to the Moonpig and Funky Pigeon apps, where they have regular money-saving offers.
You can currently save 30 per cent when you buy two cards at Moonpig, with prices starting from £3.89.
Head to Cardfactory.co.uk to save 40 per cent on four personalised cards.
That makes a total of £4.30 — or just £1.07 per card.
Opt for click and collect to save on delivery costs.
- All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
Deal of the day
TIME for a towel refresh?
The blue and white coastal stripe four-piece towel bale from Habitat, down from £32 to £24, is just the ticket.
SAVE: £8
Cheap treat
GIVE your feathered friends a treat with the B&M floral tea cup bird feeder, down from £4 to £2.50.
SAVE: £1.50
What's new?
IF you are searching for something to spruce up your home, get a £5 Amazon voucher when spending more than £50 at Dunelm until Thursday.
Get the code at vouchercodes.co.uk.
Top swap
THE star outline and gem pendant necklace for £29.50 at Oliver Bonas makes for a twinkling gift.
But the open-star necklace costing £11 from Estella Bartlett, comes at a glittering price.
SAVE: £18.50
Leah's Little helper
AIM to make a difference this year by taking part in a Cancer Research UK Race For Life event.
Enter for half price until January 31, using the code RFL23NY.
Go to raceforlife.org for more details.
Shop and save
FOR a guilt-free tipple, Kylie zero-alcohol sparkling rosé has launched at Morrisons – and it is down from £7 to £4.99 until February 14.
SAVE: 2.01
Hot right now
TESCO’S baby sale gives Clubcard holders discounts including the Tommee Tippee Super-Steam steriliser, down from £73.50 to £35.
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