5 money hacks to get more bang for your buck this Christmas
From credit cards that reward your spending to top tricks to find discount codes, here are the life hacks to save you some money this festive season.
Start unpacking the baubles and queue up Home Alone -- it's almost Christmas time! While it's the most wonderful time of year for some, it can also be the most expensive. So, like the Christmas angels we are, we've done you a solid and rounded up 5 super easy ways to help you save money this Christmas.
1. Use a credit card with shopping perks
Not all credit cards are created equally and some come packed with perks that are perf for busy spending periods like Christmas. Let's use the humm90 Platinum Mastercard as an example, shall we? This card offers up to 110 days interest-free^ on everyday purchases.
For a $99 annual fee, this is one of the longest interest-free periods for standard purchases on the market and can give you some breathing room to pay off your Christmas spending. But make sure you use it wisely and pay purchases off in full -- after the interest-free period, the interest rate goes up to 25.8% p.a.
Plus, you can get back on your account when you apply by 31 May 2024 and spend on eligible purchases within the first days from card approval*. We love a hack to treat ourselves for ticking off the Christmas gift list.
If you're shopping online and with international retailers, you could also save with a card like the humm90 Platinum Mastercard that charges 0% foreign transaction fees. Check out our full review of the humm90 Platinum Mastercard for a rundown of the fees, rates, perks and eligibility requirements to apply.
2. Shop on Tuesdays to Thursdays
If you've got your holiday wishlist prepped and you're ready to shop, avoid doing so on weekends and at the start or end of the week. That's because most brands and retailers drop sales on a weekly cycle between Tuesday and Thursday. So if you've got your eye on something and you can stand to wait a few days, it could pay off to see if a sale will drop mid-week.
Also, mark your calendars and don't forget to take advantage of upcoming sale events like Black Friday (25 November) and Cyber Monday (28 November) because these are the final big kahuna sale events before the holiday season.
3. Check the returns policies
There's nothing quite as soul crushing as buying a gift, missing the mark and then realising you can't return it. Before you hit "add to cart" on those jingle bell socks for Dad, check if the brand accepts returns, exchanges or store credit and if there's a time period to do so (for example, within 30 days of purchase).
This is especially important to note if you're an organised shopper buying the Chrissy presents in advance or if you're bagging a bargain during sale season.
4. Get free and express shipping
We have a moral objection to paying for postage, so we always opt for brands that offer free shipping. Whether you're worried about the increased traffic at the post office or you've left your shopping to the last minute, you can also save time and money with brands that offer free express shipping. To narrow down your search for speedy and cost-effective shipping, take a look at our round-up of Australian sites that offer free shipping.
5. Never pay full price
It's 2022 and the retail reality is, there's no need to ever pay full price. As well as the sale events and cycles we mentioned above, there are heaps of ways to save on your Christmas shopping.
First, see if your card offers discounts with partnered retailers. For example, if you have the humm90 Platinum Mastercard, you can score exclusive deals with some of your favourite major brands through Brand Crush. Brand Crush offers you a 10% cashback on a new brand every week.
Second, sign up to retailer newsletters to stay on top of any sales and lurk their tagged photos on Instagram for any influencer discount codes.
Third (and speaking of Instagram), we have a sneaky hack to help you see if your fave retailer is promoting any sales:
- Head to its Instagram page and select the 3 dots in the right-hand corner.
- Click "About this account".
- Select "Active ads" and it will show you a list of active ads it's running on Instagram and Facebook (that may include a cheeky discount code or sale).
Fourth and finally, use coupon code sites like Finder (shameless plug) to browse shopping deals across a bunch of brands in one place.
Get a 110 day interest-free period when you sign up for a credit card with humm90.*
Compare other credit cards here