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Christmas Bargains: Last Second Gifts
Christmas Bargains 2011
This is a full list of vouchers, days out, mag subscriptions and other gifts that aren't subject to snow delays. As many stores' last delivery dates have passed deals here are generally what you can find in stores or order online for in-store collection.
Last of the last delivery dates:
There are a couple of retailers that'll let you order right up til the 23rd, but there are no cast iron guarantees you'll get the goods in time for the big day.
First of the sales:
Many stores have already started their sales. Check the High Street Sales note for an up-to-the-minute rundown.
More Christmas Bargains
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Gifts to collect in-store
If you're in two minds about wrapping up and braving the high st, here are some things that could make it worth your while:
Wii console + Mario & Sonic game, £95At Game
Get a Wii console with Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games for £94.99 from Friday 23 December (annoyingly the online price is £5 cheaper than in-store) at Game*.
This particular console is a limited edition blue colour.
Mio F360 GPS sat-nav System, £50At Currys
If your budget doesn't quite stretch to TomTom prices, the Mio F360 GPS is a cheap equivalent at £49.97 if you collect in-store from Currys*.
Its 3.5" colour LCD screen shows detailed maps of your route, and for tricky junctions, there's a 3D view. The lane assistance feature combined with spoken street names means you can listen for when you have to turn, without taking your eyes off the road.
Read the full Sat Navs guide
Terry's Chocolate Orange £1At Sainsbury's
Good for a cheap stocking filler, these little beauties are usually £2.75 and come in milk chocolate, orange popping candy and honeycomb crunch flavours.
You can dash off to Sainsbury's* to fill your trolley, or go online and fill a virtual trolley by Thurs 22 Dec for Xmas delivery (if you can find an available slot).
Important!
Ensure you know how to shop safely
before trying these deals
Tips for shopping safely
Whether it's a retailer or restauranteur, airline or air-conditioner seller, computer shop or car rental company, there are always two main risks: either it's a dodgy company, or it's a legit company that has financial problems and goes bust.
The aim of these tips is to help you minimise the risks.
What happens if a company goes bust?
Quite simply, its customers are immediately transformed into creditors.
This hits hardest if you've ordered goods or tickets from them, and not had delivery, as then you are simply one of a line of people trying to get your money back out of the company's assets, and you usually get back much less than you paid in.
Even if you've had delivery, if the company you bought from goes under and there's a problem with the goods, it can mean you've no comeback.
While MoneySavingExpert.com endeavors to check deals are valid, we don't check companies ' finances – even huge names like MFI and Woolies have folded - so it's very important you use the right strategies to stay protected where possible...
DO: Pay by credit card for goods over £100
Pay by credit card for something over £100, eg, flights, kitchens, sofas, and Section 75 laws super-charge your consumer rights.
Unlike debit cards, cheques & cash, pay in full or part (even just £1) on a credit card and by law the lender's jointly liable with the retailer. This means you have exactly the same rights with the card company as you do with the retailer, so if it goes bust, you can simply take your complaints there instead and get money back if no delivery.
Yet it's important you ALWAYS REPAY IN FULL each month, so there's no interest cost. See the Section 75 guide for a full guide and Cashback Credit Cards for how to earn cash on top too.
DO: Protect purchases under £100
Section 75 doesn't apply to purchases under £100, but there's still an option which can help. It's not a legal protection, just Visa rules, but it's a good secondary back up.
Spend on a Visa credit or debit card and, if the goods don't appear within 120 days, you can ask your bank to reclaim the cash from the seller's bank. See the Visa Chargeback part of the Section 75 guide for full details.
DON'T: Use unfamiliar sites without checking
Bogus websites are often set up to cash in on popular products like Ugg boots and Tiffany necklaces, so be wary if it's an unfamiliar site. And don't think that because it appears on a reputable search engine, that makes it a reputable site - always check.
DO: Check the site's legit
Most folks know to look for a security padlock on a website's bottom right, but that doesn't mean the site's legit, just that payment's secure.
To find out who registered the site and when, search the Whois database. Reputable firms should also appear on the Companies House site, the UK Govt's official companies register. Be very wary of businesses with just a PO BOX or email address.
Study the site's worldwide web ranking on Alexa. Anything in the top 100,000 means it's reasonably big – a good, though not foolproof, indication of legitimacy. Do a quick Google search for other shoppers' experiences.
DON'T: Let your anti-virus run out
Crucially, ensure your security's up-to-date – free software can be downloaded to your computer in five mins. Full details in the Free Anti-Virus Software guide.
DO: Know your distance selling rights
Many people are surprised to learn you've MORE rights buying online (or telephone/catalogue) due to the Distance Selling Regulations.
This gives a legal right to send most goods back within a week for a full refund (including outward delivery costs), even if there's no fault. You'll usually need to pay for the return delivery. Read Consumer Rights for a full guide.
However, of course this is balanced by the fact that, order online, and that automatically means a time gap between ordering and delivering - when the company has your money. So if it goes bust in that time, the distance selling rights don't help.
DO: Understand sometimes there's no protection.
Ultimately, there is always a risk that a company can go bust. If the above routes don't apply, then you have to make a decision about whether you're willing to take the risk of parting with your cash.
Don't be overly scared of this: every day we all make transactions based on trust, and this is part of that, but do balance up the amount you're spending against the risk. Don't give large amounts of money to a company you're not sure of.
New Kindle Wi-Fi, £89 At Tesco, Currys, Argos
Like previous versions of the e-reader, the new Amazon Kindle uses e-ink technology and has the same 6" screen, but the new "slimmed down" Kindle has a smaller body and is 30% lighter. You can get this in time for Christmas from:
- £89 at Tesco* (Order online & collect in-store).
- £89 at Currys*. (Order online & collect in-store, plus get a £10 voucher if you buy before 24 Dec to spend in-store between 2 and 15 February 2012.
- £89 at Argos*. (Order online & collect in-store).
Read the full Kindles guide
Kodak ZM1 Mini Pocket Camcorder, £30At PC World
If you're looking for something cheap friends can take on holiday, the Kodak ZM1 from PC World* for £30 is a good option. It's only available online but opt to collect in-store to get it in time for Christmas.
While videos aren't high-definition, reviews are positive, saying the camcorder is small and light enough to carry around, meaning you're more likely to have it with you ready to capture the action as it happens. The ZM1 is also waterproof to 3m.
Don't forget to budget for a memory card though, as the internal memory is only enough for a few minutes of video. Buying a 4GB SD card (for around £4), for example, will store approximately one hour of video at VGA quality.
Christmas gift chequesFree print-out
Presents don't have to equate to spending big bucks. Whether it's a promise to give your special someone a backrub, let kids have a sleepover or babysit for parents with little'uns, your time could be the best present you ever give.
Our free Christmas Gift Cheques are specially designed for you to write in your own 'gift' and present them to family or friends.
Boots up to 50% off fragrancesIncl Paul Smith, Versace
Get into Boots before Christmas and bag some bargain fragrances, including Paul Smith Extreme Woman* 100ml £30 (was £44) and Versace Blue Jeans* £11.25 (was £22.50).
Last order date for standard delivery has gone, but you can still nip in-store to get them.
E-Gift Vouchers
Here's a list of retailers that offer near-instant email gift vouchers; the links should jump directly to the voucher offers.
You can either send a voucher directly to your recipient's email address, or for extra brownie points, send it to yourself, print it out, and stick it in a card. Vouchers generally start at £5, and can go up to over £200.
Amazon
Books, CDs, DVDs, Games and nigh on everything else.
Link: Amazon*
ASOS
Fashion for men and women. Standard delivery's free.
Link: ASOS
Boomkat
Alternative music & culture for the proper musos out there. Delivery costs vary, though it sells MP3s too.
Link: Boomkat
Boots
High street giant selling anything from fragrances, electricals, health, beauty and more.
Link: Boots*
Games Workshop
Warhammer 40,000 & similar paint 'n' play strategy board games. For confirmed fans only.
Link: Games Workshop
Groupon
Daily deals site with offers for businesses large and small in towns and cities across the country.
Link: Groupon*
HMV
The high street staple also offers e-vouchers, but they can only be redeemed online.
Link: HMV* (you'll need to set up an account to get 'em)
iTunes
Music & films for iPeople - you can only buy these gift certificates via iTunes, though you can pick up the cards in town.
Link: iTunes
Lastminute.com
From holidays to theatre tickets via spa days, at a discount. Check restrictions first though.
Link: Lastminute.com*
Lovefilm.com
Online DVD/Blu-Ray and game rental site. 3, 6 and 12 month e-gift subscriptions available.
Link: Lovefilm.com
NakedWines.com
Wine by the crate, sourced from independent winemakers at up to 65% discount.
Link: NakedWines.com*
Play.com
Books, CDs, DVDs, Games & pretty much anything electronic or gadgety. Free delivery.
Link: Play.com*
Ryanair
Cheap flights (though watch out for multiple add-ons) across 27 countries.
Link: Ryanair
Sendit
Cheap CDs, DVDs, games, electronics. Delivery's £1.99.
Link: Sendit*
Tesco Entertainment
Music, DVDs, Blu-Rays, MP3s and rentals online, with free delivery.
Link: Tesco Entertainment*
Ticketmaster
Concert, theatre, comedy tickets and more all over the country.
Link: Ticketmaster
Gift Vouchers Warning
If you buy gift vouchers it's worth being aware that, should the company go bust, they could effectively be worthless, so aren't as safe as cash. Yet with most big retailers (eg, Amazon) it's less of a worry. Read the Beware shopping gift vouchers during economic turmoil news story.
Charity Gifts
If you're buying a gift for someone who already has it all, or just want to do something different, virtual charity gifts are great.
How do they work? All the organisations listed below offer a customisable e-card which'll tell the recipient what you've bought on their behalf, or you can just make a regular donation.
Must Have gifts (Worldvision)
Last order date for Christmas: Tues 20 Dec 2011
Types of gifts: Feed 45 children school dinners for £20, TB screenings for £5 and mosquito nets for £6. Everything you buy will go directly to the communities that have asked for it.
What does the charity get? Out of every £1 donated, on average 80p goes directly to the community involved. The remaining 20p goes towards the cost of the gift catalogues and cards, staff and admin costs as well as overheads.
Link: Must Have Gifts
Oxfam Unwrapped
Last order date for Christmas: Thurs 22 Dec 2011
Types of gifts: Health check for £6, safe water for 10 people £9, feed a family for £7 or a goat for £25.
What does the charity get? Your donation will be spent on the project described. For every £1 donated, 83p is spent directly on emergency, development and campaigning work, 10p is spent on support and governance and
7p
is invested to generate future income.
Anything else? All gifts are dispatched within 3 working days by 1st class post or Airmail. There is an optional delivery contribution of £1.50 per order for UK deliveries.
Link: Oxfam Unwrapped
Cows 'n' Things (Age UK)
Last order date for Christmas: Thurs 15 Dec 2011
Types of gifts: 2 Mosquito nets for £7, a chicken for £5 or 20 chicks for £7, community health kit £41 and an irrigation system for up to 600 families for £140.
What does the charity get? For every £1 donated, 90p is spent on work overseas where the need is greatest - helping the most disadvantaged older people. 10p is spent on running the programme.
Link: Cows 'n' things
Presentaid (Christian Aid)
Last order date for Christmas: Thurs 15 Dec 2011
Types of gifts: A can of worms (!) for £7 (a wormery will help fertilize wasteland), a goat for £15, feed a family for a month for £25, business training for three women £13.50.
What does the charity get? For every £1 donated, 80p is spent on Christian Aid’s stated objectives. Of the remaining 19p, 18p goes on fundraising and 1p is spent on running the charity.
Link: Presentaid
Goodgifts
Last order date for Christmas: Sat 17 Dec 2011
Types of gifts: Includes Xmas hamper for an elderly person £25, 50 bowls of rice for £5 and three chickens to give to an African war widow for £6. Plus you'll pay a £4.95 handling fee per transaction - so buy more than one gift and you'll still just pay £4.95.
What does the charity get? The only site that guarantees all your cash goes to exactly what you've bought (the charity takes the £4.95 handling fee).
Link: Goodgifts
Gift of Sight (Sightsavers)
Last order date for Christmas: Mon 19 Dec 2011
Types of gifts: Adult cataract operation £17, Trichiasis operation for £5, eye screening for a school of 150 children £68.
What does the charity get? 73% of your donation goes on charitable activities, 25% goes on fundraising and 2% goes on governance, management and admin.
Link: Gift of sight
CentrePoint
Last order date for Christmas: Mon 19 Dec 2011
Types of gifts: The homeless charity has gifts ranging from a Christmas meal for a young homeless person for £5 to £1600 of rent for somebody moving out of a hostel.
What does the charity get? For every £1 donated, 86p goes directly to Centrepoint and is spent on supporting homeless young people and 14p is spent on administration.
Link: Centerpoint Gifts
WWF Adopt An Animal
Last order date for Christmas: Tues 20 Dec 2011
Types of gifts: Adopt one of a range of animals from £3/month and receive three annual updates on the chosen species, plus a soft panda toy.
What does the charity get? For every £1 donated 71p is used directly for conservation programmes and field projects, campaigns, education and raising awareness of environmental threats. 28p for fundraising and 1p is spent on 'governance and monitoring systems' (legal and accounting costs).
Link: WWF adopt an animal
See the full Charity Gifts Rundown
Magazine Subscriptions
You can buy subscriptions for most magazines online, and any others over the phone.
What's more, you can take advantage of any number of magazine offers, which'll either reduce the overall cost or get you a free gift in the process.
To find top special offers inc. free gifts, first take a look through forum user saintscouple's excellent and long-running Magazine Offers thread. Of course, free gifts won't arrive in time for Christmas, but write a nice card and you'll give 'em something to look forward to!
FHM, 12 issues for £12
Take lads mag FHM with no freebie offers, and you can get it for a super-cheap £1 per issue, saving £34 over a year! There's a catch though, you have to sign up by direct debit, but cancel after the £12 payment and you're quids in!
Link: Great Magazines
Cover Price: £4
Glamour, 12 issues £14 And you get a gift too!
Girly favourite Glamour costs either £7 for 6 issues, or (unsurprisingly) £14 for 12. It's cheapest at Uniquemagazines.
Link: Unique
Cover Price: £2.20
Empire, 12 issues £25
Film mag Empire is usually £3.99 per issue, but you can grab 12 for £25 from Great Magazines, saving you around £22. You have to sign up via Direct Debit, but can cancel after the £25 payment.
Link: Great Magazines
Cover Price: £3.99
Grazia magazine, 51 issues £52
Popular fashion weekly Grazia can be had for £1 per issue instead of £1.95 if you subscribe by an annual direct debit for £52, which over the year means a £47 saving.
Link: Great Magazines
Cover Price: £1.95
Gift Experiences
Days out vouchers can be purchased on the spot for the promise of a trip at a later date. Select the gift and get an e-voucher, but take care to read the T&Cs and ensure suitability before buying.
All kinds of gifts are available from chocolate tasting to Go-Karting and theatre tickets or a meal out.
Get into London Theatre
£10, £15, £25 and £35 tickets to 53 London musicals, including Wicked, Billy Elliot, Les Miserables and more for shows between 1 Jan - 10 Feb 2012. Get in quick before they sell out though.
Link: Get into London Theatre
Lastminute.com
Loads of experience gifts for the adventurous including scuba diving, ghost hunting and tank driving amongst others.
Link: Lastminute.com*
RedLetterDays
Ideas include a London helicopter tour £119, orbing from £24 and a £99 flight simulator experience.
Link: RedLetterDays*
Other sites
There are several other experience sites if you’re looking for further ideas and possibly don’t mind giving a card (or making your own voucher) now until the official voucher arrives. These sites include: Buyagift, Intotheblue, Virgin Experiences, Firebox
Gig Tickets
If you know of something they'd like to see, you could grab them some event tickets from sites such as Ticketweb, Seetickets and Ticketmaster*.
Got more suggestions?
Post in the Last-ditch gift list discussion
Thanks, and Merry Christmas everybody!
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