Jasmine Birtles
Your money-making expert. Financial journalist, TV and radio personality.
How to Save Money Sending Christmas Gifts
Annie
18th Nov 2024
Sponsored article
Sending Christmas gifts can quickly add up in price, but there are ways to save money on your parcel delivery options. Check out these tips to make sure you’re not spending as much on sending gifts as buying them!
Use Interparcel’s Shipping Services
Last Shipping Dates with Interparcel for Christmas 2024
Choose the Right Parcel Size
It’s tempting to use any old box you’ve got lying around the house for sending Christmas gifts. However, choosing the right box can make a big difference to your postage costs. A too-large box needs more packaging and will be heavier than it needs to be.
Some items might ship well in a postal bag, like clothes or accessories for example – which won’t be damaged if squashed in transit. Other items need to be boxed up, and some fragile ones could benefit from extra packaging.
So, think about the item you’re sending and how it will travel. Choose the smallest size box it can safely travel in – this can save in shipping costs – but make sure it will arrive in one piece by adding protective packaging if you need to.
Be Savvy with Packaging
You can choose all sorts of stuffing to protect your items when sending Christmas gifts. Bubble wrap is cheap and easy to get hold of, and can add protection for fragile items – but it’s not so environmentally friendly.
Cardboard void filler – like shredded cardboard – is light and environmentally friendly. It can be ideal for some fragile items, but for things like glass you’ll need extra padding.
But you can also use old newspaper, or be fancy with tissue paper. For fragile items, you could also use packing peanuts, which are light and bulky, but remember that your item might move around if it is too loosely packed, which could lead to potential damage. Proper packing is not only important for protecting your items but is also crucial for ensuring that any potential claim remains valid if issues arise.
For special gifts, why not make the packaging part of the parcel? Make a joke of it – we all get socks at Christmas, so why not use (new!) ones to package your fragile items? There are lots of ways to get creative, so have fun thinking of what you can use.
Remember, if you are sending posters or rolled items that you can use a triangular tube for added strength, and if you are reusing an old box, to remove all previous labels. It’s also important that you don’t use excessive tape when securing the package!
Use Interparcel’s Shipping Services
When you’ve packaged everything up for sending Christmas gifts into the world, don’t just march down to your local Post Office! This could be one of the most expensive mistakes you make.
Interparcel partners with leading couriers and eCommerce services, offering parcel delivery options within the UK, across Europe, and internationally. With quick price comparisons available in seconds, you can easily find the best rate for your shipments. Thanks to their strong, long-standing courier relationships, Interparcel provides exclusive, discounted rates – often cheaper than booking directly with couriers! This makes it an ideal choice for saving money when sending Christmas gifts or any parcels any time of the year.
If the holiday season catches you off guard (as December often does!), there’s no need to worry – Interparcel offers flexible options, including collection couriers and next-day or even same-day delivery within the UK. Plus, their award-nominated customer service is available if you need extra support.
It’s not just about Christmas gifts – this season is also perfect for clearing out your home of unwanted items and earning a bit of extra festive cash. Before you sell items online, use Interparcel to compare couriers and secure the best shipping deal, so you keep more of your earnings instead of spending them on postage!
Run a Small Business Too?
Another side of sending Christmas gifts is for the makers and small business owners out there! If you run a side hustle like an Etsy, eBay, or Shopify business, your orders will be ramping up in the coming weeks as people buy gifts for their loved ones. Interparcel offers quick and efficient eCommerce integrations along with business tools to save you time and money on your shopping, meaning you can spend more time on what matters most – growing your business.
Interparcel services also typically come with a level of free transit cover for added peace of mind, in the unlikely event of your item becoming damaged during transit.
Final Tip: Send Sooner Rather Than Later
While Interparcel offers fast and expedited shipping (including next-day and same-day), it’s always best to get organised now, and send ahead of time – selecting economy delivery option will save you a significant chunk of change AND ensure gifts arrive before December 25th!
Exclusive Promotions
To help save you even more money this Christmas, Interparcel are offering some exclusive discounts to MoneyMagpie readers:
- 50p off Evri ParcelShop Next Day Services – Use code MGP50 at checkout to redeem
- £1.50 off Parcelforce Liquid 48 Service – Use code MGP150
- £1 off FedEx Express International Services – Use code MGP1
Final Posting Dates 2024
And that seems like a good time to remind you of final postal dates for Christmas delivery via Interparcel.
For the UK:
Economy services: 20th December (send from £1.25 ex VAT)
Next-day services: 23rd December (send from £3.65 ex VAT)
Same-day services: 24th December (send from £17.24 ex VAT)
Liquid services: 20th December (send from £11.70 ex VAT)
International Posting: 18th December
Europe: Send from £8.05
USA: Send from £9.95
Canada: Send from £14.20
Australia: Send from £13.25
China: Send from £9.45
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