All the key shopping days before Christmas that could save you £260 and the cheapest times to buy gifts

SAVVY shoppers can bag huge savings on their Christmas gift-buying with a few key dates in the run up to December 25.

The festive season is just around the corner and can leave a big dent in budgets.

The cost of extra food, decorations, and of course, presents, can quickly rack up.

At the same time, retailers are competing for customers and special promotions can help you save cash.

A little careful planning and knowing the best times to shop can help ease the financial pain of Christmas.

Here are the dates for your diary to mark out

BLACK FRIDAY AND CYBER MONDAY

This is traditionally an American shopping event which has now been adopted by many retailers in the UK.

Black Friday is the day after the American bank holiday Thanksgiving which is always on the fourth Thursday of November.

This year it will be November 28 so mark it down.

You can bag savings across a range of categories including technology, appliances, fashion, beauty and food.

Some retailers offer a blanket percentage off all items while others mark out special savings on selected items.

You don’t always have to wait until November 28, some stores have deals in the lead up.

And many promotions will last the weekend following Black Friday until Monday. This is known as Cyber Monday as it’s thought to be when a lot of people start their online Christmas shopping.

In the past, big stores including Argos, Boots and John Lewis have dropped prices for the event.

High street and online fashion brands such as New Look, H&M and more slash prices too.

Beauty retailers and brands including Charlotte Tilbury, Sephora UK and Boots, will likely deals on skincare, makeup and fragrances products on offer.

Even holiday firms offer special deals during this time if you are thinking about booking a trip away.

To get savings during the event, it’s a good idea to make a list of the items you want to buy and prices ahead of Black Friday.

The on the day, you can check if they have been reduced.

Websites like PriceRunner and CamelCamelCamel can help you check the price history too and if you can get a deal cheaper elsewhere.

SUPERMARKET TOY SALES

If you need to buy gifts for children, most supermarkets hold major promotions on toys in the run-up to Christmas which can be a great time to tick off your shopping list.

Some of these sales have already started.

Morrisons is currently offering up to 50% off toys in-store with savings of up to £33 until October 27.

You’ll need to be a member of the supermarket’s loyalty scheme to get the deals, which include the Barbie Dollhouse Playset down from £50 to £25, or a Barbie Best Friend Fairy Doll which is £15 down from £30.

There are half price offers for More Card holders on a selection of must-have Hot Wheels toys including the Hot Wheels Power Shift Raceway, £28 down from £56, which pairs perfectly with the Hot Wheels City Stunt Garage, £20 down from £40.

Tesco’s toy sale is also in full swing, running until November 3 in 270 stores.

Again, you may need a Clubcard to get some of the better deals.  

Brands that feature in the sale include Barbie, Peppa Pig, Early Learning Centre, Paw Patrol, Hot Wheels, and Fugglers. 

Sainsbury’s is also expected to shortly launch a sale on toys that will also feature great saving for parents.

EARLY BOXING DAY SALES

Post-Christmas and January sales usually feature a ton of bargains. But some brands actually start the discounts BEFORE Christmas meaning you can get great deals on gifts and other items for the big day.

Retailers will typically reduce items early if they haven’t shifted stock as well as they thought they might have.

The exact dates vary from shop to shop and year to year.

If there’s something in particular you want, you might be left disappointed if you try to wait for early Boxing Day sales.

However, if you’re not too particular it can a good time to pick up bargains.

Several major retailers including Ikea, The Range and Amazon shave dropped prices ahead before Christmas in previous years.

Amazon’s Last Minute Deals have previously gone live in early December, and included offers on fragrances, tech, beauty and clothing.

TIMING SINGLE PURCHASES

Shopping events are not the best time to buy all items, however.

If you have a wishlist of items, knowing the cheapest time to buy individual products is another way to save a stack of cash.

Costs typically fluctuate throughout the year often based on demand.

Knowing what you need to buy and acting when prices are low means you can save simply keep the item stashed away when you are ready to use or gift it.

Price comparison site Idealo has looked at the best – and worst – time of year to buy popular items for Christmas.

Shoppers can typically pay £604.73 for a tablet on October 20, whereas buying the gadget just a month earlier means an average price of £643.95.

This is a saving of almost £40 simply by tweaking your shopping dates.

On the other hand, Capsule coffee machines are cheapest on November 17 at a typical £135.92 buying them at the earlier date of October 24 would mean paying around £30 more at £165.67.

The best price on kids bikes can be found on November 30 at an average £271.71. Waiting until just before Christmas on December 20 will see you stung with a cost of £301.52.

However, waiting until close to Christmas can pay off laptops when they work out as an average £1,267.05 on December 19 compared to £1,357.91 a month earlier on November 19.

Trainers are also best bought last-minute with prices £69.73 on December 24 compared to £74.62 on November 30.

If you bought everything on the list at the right time, you’d end up with more than £260 in savings.

Katy Philips, senior brand, and communications manager at price comparison site Idealo, said: “For those looking to get a bargain throughout the year, we would recommend using our price comparison app, which allows you to search for the best prices across a range of products and set price alerts to get the best deal.

“At a time where saving money is paramount for some, being able to check multiple retailer costings at once can prove a hugely helpful resource.”