'I'm a finance expert - here's the easy way to save £3k by Christmas'

We're now officially in autumn which means that Christmas is not too far away. Families up and down the UK will be looking ahead to the festive season, with one eye firmly on their bank balance.

It can be an expensive time of year due to increased spending on presents, food and travel. The average household will spend far more in December than other months, meaning it's important to be prepared financially. Fortunately, a finance guru has issued a number of tips which could save you £500 by November and £3,000 by December.

Carlton Crabbe, a financial adviser at Capital for Life, said: "If you start now, you could comfortably save close to £3,000 before Christmas. It's about small, consistent changes. No one likes to feel deprived, so these are practical tweaks that really add up."

He has issued 10 tips which can help save people money in the build-up to Christmas. One in particular could reportedly see you save £500 by the start of November.

Carlton is advising people to re-consider their weekly shopping habits. He explained how value ranges are often just as good as the bigger brands.

Carlton said: "Supermarkets are clever. They put the expensive stuff right at eye level. If you simply lower your gaze, you'll see the cheaper versions hiding further down."

He added: "For example, swap Heinz beans at £1.40 for Tesco's Stockwell beans at 29p. Kellogg's cornflakes are £3.20 but the value box is just 79p. Do that across a weekly shop and you're saving about £25 a week, which comes to £300 by Christmas."

According to Carlton, the average family could save at least £200 before December by using cash instead of cards. Contactless payments have made it effortless to spend money.

Carlton said: "When you pay with cash, you feel the money leaving your hands. It makes you think twice.

"I recommend taking out a set budget in cash at the start of the month. Whatever's left at the end goes straight into a Christmas pot."

Carlton recommends checking cupboards in your home for unwanted gifts or items. If you manage to sell ten items at £10 each, then that equates to £100 for the Christmas fund.

He said: "On average, households are sitting on about £1,500 worth of unused items. I'm talking unopened perfume, toys still in packaging, and clothes with the tags on. With second-hand shopping booming, there's a real market."

While it may seem a small thing, those daily coffees add up. With frequent £4 or £5 payments, the coffee habit can become costly.

Carlton said: "Bring a flask or use the office machine. If you're saving £25 a week, that's £225 in your pocket by December."

Like getting a takeaway coffee, buying meal deals or similar lunches every day can be a sneaky drain on our finances. According to Carlton, it can cost around £100 a month.

Carlton said: "If you're spending £4-£5 a day on a meal deal, that's £100 a month. Cook extra dinner portions and bring leftovers. You'll save around £300 before Christmas."

Carlton has slammed takeaways as "financial black holes". While they may seem tempting at the weekend, they are costly, especially for larger families.

He said: "A family of four can easily spend £50 on one meal. If you make your own pizza or curry at home instead, you'll save £500 by early December, and you might even enjoy cooking it together."

There are plenty of free activities available at the weekends. Carlton has urged parents to look beyond the usual cinema tickets or theme parks which can be expensive.

He said: "Cinema tickets and theme parks can burn through £50 a week. Instead, look at free activities like local library clubs, woodland walks or art projects at home. Over three months, that's another £600 saved."

Although it's a popular tradition, sending physical Christmas cards can be very expensive. A first class stamp now costs £1.35.

Carlton said: "If you're sending 30 cards, that's £40 gone. Why not send an e-card or festive WhatsApp message? People will still feel thought of."

Most supermarkets offer saving clubs which can be valuable ahead of the festive period. The additional money saved can be put towards the Christmas food shop.

Carlton said: "You put money in each week and they reward you with vouchers. By December, that could mean an extra £25 towards the big shop - and you won't notice the money going out."

Cancelling streaming services could save you £168 over the next three months.

Carlton said: "In the run-up to Christmas there's plenty on Freeview. If you cancel Netflix, Disney+ and the rest for three months, that's around £168 back in your account. You can always resubscribe in January."