HAVE you got a Santa-style sack of parcels to deliver . . . but no magic sleigh?
To ensure Christmas packages arrive on time, and without costing a bomb, you need to send them early.
Follow these tips on how to keep your mail prices down.
SNAIL MAIL: Got time on your side? If there is no rush, Royal Mail charges £3 online for a small parcel delivered second class.
This normally arrives in two to three business days. Next-day special delivery for the same parcel costs £11.05.
SAVE: £8.05
LIGHTER LOAD: The lighter the parcel, the cheaper it is to send. Shop with this in mind and keep packaging light too.
Sending a 3kg parcel with Royal Mail starts at £8.79 online. For a 2kg parcel, it costs from £3.
Size matters, too. So check if a small parcel can fit into a large letter size, for example.
SAVE: £5.79
PRICE DROP: Leave your parcels at participating shops to save money. Couriers collect them in-store rather than from your doorstep.
At the time of checking, a two-day delivery of a small parcel costs £2.94 via website parcel2go.com.
The cheapest home collection with the same delivery time was £8.46.
SAVE: £5.52
GO COMPARE: Don’t choose the first delivery company you think of. Compare prices first on websites such as Parcel2Go and Parcel Monkey.
Next-day delivery for a parcel up to 2kg was £5.82 with the cheapest provider on Parcel2Go.
The more expensive option was £7.19. Both were for a drop-off service.
SAVE: £1.37
RECYCLE: Save any boxes you get from online shopping to reuse as packaging when sending your own parcels this festive season.
SAVE: £10.92 on a ten-pack of boxes from Royal Mail shop.
Prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals & offers subject to availability.
DEAL OF THE DAY
DESENIO has cut the cost of art prints by 55 per cent.
This autumn floral poster was £8.95, now £4.02. But hurry – the deal ends today.
SAVE: £4.93
CHEAP TREAT
MUNCH on a bag of salted caramel fudge flavour Munchies, now 69p at B&M, down from £1.
SAVE: 31p
What’s new
WANT to give the gift of food and drink this Christmas?
Buy a Chef & Brewer gift e-card worth £40 and enjoy a £10 bonus FREE.
Get in quick, though, because the offer ends today. The card is valid for 12 months.
Grab yours now at chefandbrewer.com/black-friday.
TOP SWAP
EVEN in the sales, a shearling gilet from Whistles could set you back £397.50.
Cheat your way to soft and snug fashion with this £15 version from Pep&Co.
SAVE: £382.50
Savers little helper
GET paid to check your credit score.
New customers signing up for a free Experian account via the TopCashback website can get £10 in their pocket.
It is always worth doing a free financial health check before Christmas spending – and this is what banks look at before deciding to lend.
Visit topcashback.co.uk/experian-account.
SHOP & SAVE
SNACK on these tasty Pizza Express dough balls, now half-price from Sainsbury’s at just £1.50. There are 16 in a pack with garlic dip.
SAVE: £1.50
Hot right now
BOOK an all-inclusive trip with Jet2Holidays by midnight tomorrow and save £50pp, plus an extra £10pp for booking via the travel firm’s app.
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