Barbara Tasch
Some of the big pocket burners around Christmas time, beside gifts, are dinners and nights out. On nights out there is not much you can do, if you want to have alcoholic drinks there isn’t much you can do about saving money. One tip is to order a glass of water between every other alcoholic beverage. It’s free, it will slow your consumption and the hangover the day after won’t be as bad. If you’re the designated driver for the night, you can indulge in alcohol-free cocktails. Most bars have a cocktail menu and many of them taste just as good as the alcoholic versions.
Also, only take out an amount of money that you can afford to spend. Using credit cards can lead to excessive spending and a lot of regret in the morning.
Yes, you were the person that invited all of your friends to your flat last month for a big Christmas dinner, when your bank account was a lot healthier than it is now. As fabulous as those dinners are, they can be really expensive. But if you don’t feel the need to serve caviar and Dom Perignon, The River has put together a Christmas dinner shopping list for students on a budget.
Dinner for six for under £35
Here’s a shopping list for a three course menu consisting of fishcakes, roast chicken with roast potatoes, carrots and peas, followed by spiced glazed pineapple and mince pies for dessert.
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Tesco Everyday Value Sunflower Oil (1L) £1.39 |
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Tesco Tarragon Freeze Dried (4g) £0.75 |
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Millstone Ground Cinnamon (40g) £0.69 |
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Knorr Stock Cubes Fish (8x10g) £1.38 |
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Tesco Pure Clear Honey (454g) £1.68 |
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Tesco Value Mixed Eggs (6) £0.99 |
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Tesco Everyday Value Salted Butter (250g) £0.98 |
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Tesco Everyday Value Low Fat Natural Yogurt (500g) £0.55 |
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Halal Whole Chicken (1.2Kg) £2.00 |
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Tesco Fresh Frozen Petits Pois (1Kg) £1.65 |
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Coca Cola (2L) £1.98 |
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Tesco White Wine Chilean (750ml) £3.79 |
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Tesco Everyday Value Plain Flour (1.5Kg) £0.60 |
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Silver Spoon Icing Sugar (500g) £1.00 |
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Prymat Breadcrumbs (400g) £0.49 |
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Tesco Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley (31g) £0.80 |
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Tesco Pineapple £1.00 |
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Tesco Brown Onions Loose (Approx 210g) £0.19 |
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Tesco Limes Loose £0.30 |
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Tesco Carrots Loose Class 1 (Approx 100g) £0.80 |
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Tesco White Potatoes (2.5Kg) £1.65 |
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Tesco Bake a Home Petit Pain Rolls (6) £1.00 |
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Tesco Mini Mince Pies (12) £1.75 |
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Tesco Everyday Value Red Christmas Crackers (10) £0.97 |
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Tesco Fish Counter Haddock Fillet (Approx 140g) 4x £5.04 |
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TOTAL £33.42 |
Hopefully these tips will help you get through to December 31 more smoothly and enable you to enjoy Christmas as much as you can.