They say nothing in life is free, but actually it is.

Did you know there are websites out there where you can claim completely free products from beauty items to food to toys?

With the arrival of baby number three on Valentine’s Day and having been on maternity leave for almost five months of the year money in our house is tighter than it might otherwise have been this Christmas, so any way we can save a few pennies is good news.

I asked some fellow bloggers for their advice on how to save money on Christmas gifts and here’s what they said.

10 clever ways to save money on Christmas gifts

1. Shop all year round. “I know it sounds crazy but spreading the cost and buying things in the sale makes Christmas shopping a lot easier! Remember not to buy for the sake of it though. A sale is only good if you actually want the products,” says Lyndsey at Me Him The Dog And A Baby

2. Set a budget and stick to it. “If you are unable to find something that is perfect within that budget, buy them a gift card. It might sound like a cop out but it’s much better than receiving a gift that they a) don’t like b) will never use. Plus they can treat themselves to something fab in the sales,” says Sarah at A Few Favourite Things

3. Search for cashback sites and discount codes online. “It’s amazing what you can find and save with a few minutes on google!” says Jennifer at My Mummy’s Pennies. Search Free Samples UK for completely free product samples you can give away as gifts.

4. Price check. “My sister saved over £100 on a play house by looking for it in different shops,” says Samantha at Stressy Mama

5. Buy gift sets and split them up into individual presents. “This is great for last minute presents,” says Victoria at The Growing Mum

6. Don’t be tempted by multibuys. “Three for two offers are only a saving if you would have bought all three anyway,” says Jen at Just Average Jen

7. Follow the four present rule. “Something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read,” says Natasha at Mummy and Moose

8. Get creative. “Handmade cards using bits of old gift wrapping, bits off other cards and present decorations need not be expensive at all. I also make mini-hampers full of home-baked goods and sweets every year and they are well received,” says Kati at How To Rock At Parenting

9. Visit second-hand and charity shops. “I once got my sister a set of vintage postcards from Rome for about £6 and she was so overwhelmed as that was where she had her honeymoon,” says Emma at Ready, Freddie, Go!

10. Buy everything with a cashback credit card. “It may only be around 1% back, but it all adds up. But remember to clear the balance each month,” says Pete at Household Money Saving

Do you have any money saving tips when it comes to Christmas shopping? I’d love to know what they are!

This is a collaborative post.

Linking up with these fabulous blogs!