I'm dreaming of a 'tight' Christmas

Millions of households will be celebrating Christmas this year, but many families will be wondering how on earth they can begin to pay for even half of what they enjoyed last year.

Confused.com offers some helpful tips on how to enjoy the credit crunch Christmas:

Light up your Christmas without lightening your wallet

Gareth Kloet, energy expert at Confused.com, says: "Christmas lights and decorations are always great fun to put up with the family. While we don't want to spoil this fun, the electricity bill which drops through the letterbox in the New Year might. This year, why not consider reducing that bill by investing in twinkly Christmas lights, and consider using a timer to switch off lights when you and others are not around to enjoy them; twinkly lights that go on and off can use up to half the energy of ordinary fairy lights, if they are off as much as they are on!

"In addition, it is important to remember that it is never too late to switch. Customers who switched suppliers for gas and electricity through Confused.com, since the start of the year, saved on average £284.60 which shows that Christmas shopping doesn't have to always drain your pockets of money."

Protect your pricey presents

Darren Black, home insurance expert at Confused.com, says: "If expensive presents are bought for Christmas, households must make sure that these items are adequately covered by home insurance. Many insurers will automatically increase their premiums at Christmas to cover newly bought presents, but this cover won't last for ever. High-value items, such as laptops or iPods, will need to be added to contents policies to ensure that they are adequately covered in the long-term. As with energy bills, home insurance costs can easily be reduced just by shopping around for a better deal."

Head off for a winter break

Steve Williams, travel expert at Confused.com, says: "When travelling over the Christmas period, it is important to ensure that customers have the right travel insurance before they fly, or they might find themselves in financial difficulty should anything go wrong. Paying for trips with credit cards is advisable as these cards provide consumers with financial protection. Some Visa debit cards offer protection if consumers spend more than £100, but it is important to check this with the card provider. Despite this, there is still a chance that the customer may have problems when it comes to claiming their money back, which is why it is advisable to hedge their bets by taking out the appropriate insurance.

"Confused.com would certainly suggest shopping around to find the most suitable policy on the market, while also bearing in mind added-extras, such as scheduled airline failure cover. While finding a cheap price is important, choosing a policy with suitable cover and benefits is advised."