A SAVVY mum has revealed how she has managed to save a whopping £1,000 by doing her Christmas completely second-hand.
The big day is just weeks away and with prices rising across the board,some households have saved a small fortune by shopping mainly in charity shops and pre-loved marketplaces.
That's what mum-of-two Jess Potter has done for the past two years and this Christmas is no different.
Jess and her fiance David Brown, both aged 37, live in Cardiff with their two children aged four and five.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Jess said: "It's the kind of thing that once you've done it, you really can't see why you'd ever stop.
"It's like a bug, you just can't imagine not doing it."
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The couple runs their own pre-loved marketplace platform called Used and Loved.
They're passionate about the environment which is why they first decided to challenge themselves to a fully second-hand Christmas in 2021 and again in the years since.
But Jess says the second biggest driver is to save money.
She estimates that before, a usual Christmas would cost around £300, with most of the cash spent on presents and decorative bits.
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This year the pair have tried to "challenge" themselves further and bag even better gifts and bits for their home.
These include a gold chain necklace which originally cost around £400, found for just £50 on eBay.
She said: "We're pretty good now at identifying the things that are going to still be good, even if they're second-hand.
"We're focusing this year on finding 'good quality' gifts but for far less than their original cost.
"So far we're on track to save at least £1,000 all in all."
Plus the fancier the gift the more the recipient is unlikely to care if its second-hand.
Other bargain gifts she's managed to pick up for a fraction of the price include kids' toys.
For example, she bagged several boxes of Magna Tiles for her children which had cost the seller a whopping £300 to collate.
Jess picked them up for just £70 – a huge £230 saving.
Other bargains she's found include a set of two frying pans which cost £140 new, but just £60 second-hand.
She also picked up a children's frog bike which was originally £450 new, and only £250 second-hand.
Jess said: "We really find it's so much more fun, and you really get to think about what to get that person.
"You can't just fall back on a gift card or a bottle of wine, it means you can get something they'll really want and what suits them."
It's not just toys and gifts either, Jess is fully committed to second-hand festivities.
Back in the summer, she stumbled across a giant bin liner full of Christmas tinsel for a quid at a car boot sale.
A singular tinsel garland costs around £13 on Amazon, depending on the length, so several garlands for £1 is a huge saving.
After browsing on Facebook Marketplace, Jess found a seller listing three stockings for just £2 and snapped them up.
Other items she's found second-hand include Christmas jumpers in charity shops for a fraction of their original price.
Jess doesn't stop there either, all of the gifts she will be giving this year will be packaged in pretty boxes, bows and assortments, all purchased on Facebook Marketplace and eBay.
Jess's top tips for a second-hand Christmas
Jess has shared her best tips for those of you thinking about doing a second-hand Christmas this year or next.
Although if you're looking to get started this year, you may need to be quick.
Jess said: "The first thing is to plan ahead, you'll need to get going a bit earlier.
"This allows time to find the right gifts and work out what you really want, and what they want too."
Another top tip from Jess is to have a browse on sites like John Lewis for inspiration on what you'd ordinarily want to buy.
Then when you're armed with ideas, head to a charity shop or look on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or Etsy for what you're after.
Sometimes you might even be able to find it unused too.
Another key marketplace for finding second-hand bits and bobs for the festive season is Vinted, which Jess recommends for clothing and shoes in particular.
She added: "It's also pretty important to try to get sorted as early as possible so that you can double-check the quality of the item.
"That's another thing, make sure you read the description in full so you know of any damages or issues before you make a purchase."
Finding pre-loved embellishments and trinket boxes is a good way of making your gift look a bit fancier too, Jess explained.
She also said: "Get it quick! When you see something right – buy it, as it will likely be the only one, someone else could buy it first."
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Meanwhile, a second-hand shopping expert has revealed the three things to buy pre-loved online.
Plus, a woman has shared how she made £4,000 selling on second-hand clothes.
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