From banning presents to making big savings, follow these tips on festive finance

NO, we do not want Christmas songs, goods or fairy lights in September, or October, or even November. Christmas is on December 25 and that’s where it should stay. Yet, while it is far too early for celebration, it’s never too early for preparation. Many of the key Christmas must-dos to save money only work if you do them early enough. So now there's fewer than 100 days to go, here’s my Christmas (or Chanucah or Eid) savers' checklist.

Earn five per cent cashback on your Christmas shopping

If you’re going to be spending for Christmas, you might as well do it on a card that pays you every time you spend on it. The no annual fee AmericanExpress.com Amex Everyday credit card pays five per cent cashback on your first three months' spending (maximum £100) followed by up to 1.25 per cent after. Get it now and this falls during the high spend Christmas period. The cashback won’t be paid until a year later, but, then again, that’s a bonus for next Christmas. Set up a direct debit to repay IN FULL each month to avoid the 22.9 per cent rep APR. There’s a full list of options at mse.me/cashback, plus an eligibility checker that tells you your odds of getting each card.

Agree to not give unnecessary presents

Far too many people do tit-for-tat giving, and using the end result is tat. So now’s the moment to agree with friends, family and colleagues to cut back on giving this year. Why not save it for just the immediate family? Too many people end up with goods they’ll never use, so why waste our cash out of some peer-pressure filled obligation. And even those who want to be generous to those with less than them, remember by giving to someone that person often feel obligated to buy back which can do more harm than help. For my full ‘ban Christmas presents’ philosophy, go to mse.me/banchristmas.

Book your train tickets 12 weeks in advance

Wherever you’re planning on spending the festive season, if you need to travel by train, book your tickets 12 weeks in advance. That's when most cheap advance tickets launch, giving maximum availability. As we’re closing in on the perfect moment – Christmas and New Year tickets are likely to start selling from the first week in October – keep a look out now.

Not saved for it? Start now – then you can split the cost by four

A typical family Christmas costs around £820 – a huge amount from one month's salary alone. But if you haven’t started saving yet, there is still time. For example, put £200 aside from your September, October and November’s income, and it’ll spread the cost. Save what you can, but if you really can’t afford to, I’m afraid you’ll need to cut your cloth accordingly.

Not used it since last Christmas? Flog it

Walk around the house and examine everything – it’s time for your annual personal stock clearance. Many old items can be worth serious cash and if you’ve not used things for a year, whether kids’ toys, prams, coffee makers, mobile phones, gadgets, or even clothes, why not sell them? Have a look on eBay to see if any of your bits are suitable for sale. There are also lots of recycling sites that will pay you for old mobiles and gadgets – just make sure you do your research first to find the one that’ll give you the most.

Set up a Christmas cupboard, then POUNCE on the biggest discounts

Become a tactical shopper. Work out now what you want to buy and then you can pounce on it when there’s a code, voucher or discount that’s cheaper (my weekly email includes the hot ones mse.me/tips). Even better, as is part of many MoneySavers' Christmas arsenal, once you by a present, bag it, wrap it, and pop it in a Christmas cupboard.

Don't borrow for Christmas - but if you'll do it anyway, ensure it's at zero per cent.

Christmas borrowing's a bad idea. Far better to go, er, cold turkey, and have a more austere time (Christmas is just one day, after all). That said, if you'll borrow anyway, at least do it right. The longest zero per cent spending credit card is Cbonline.co.uk at 26 months or PostOffice.co.uk at 25 months. Although these cards are over two years interest free, before they jump to 18.9 per cent rep APR, aim to clear the card before next Christmas or you just perpetuate the misery.

Small cutbacks now can mean big savings

Small cutbacks now can save large when there are 11 weeks and six days left until Christmas. So, if you give up a £2 coffee every day, or cut back on an £8 pack of cigarettes every week and just think how much you'll save. I’m not saying you must give up everything completely, but make an active choice: would you prefer the cash at Christmas or the daily treat?

Don't use Tesco vouchers for festive food

A £10 Tesco voucher is worth just £10 in-store. Yet you can double or triple its value on items in its tesco.com/clubcard/deals/ brochure (£10 becomes £30) on gift items such as Goldsmiths jewellery or Merlin annual theme park passes. Plus every few months its 'double-up' scheme gives 2x value year-round on selected items in-store and on Tesco Direct, including fragrance, toys and electricals. Tesco won't confirm for sure when it'll next be on, but it's likely to be around the beginning of November.