MoneySavingExpert’s Christmas ‘loophole’ boosts savings for 2026
Although Christmas is done and dusted for another year, the financial strain of the festive period can linger in people’s minds, leading many to explore practical money-saving methods for the next one. When financial concerns arise, numerous people turn to consumer finance platform MoneySavingExpert.
Established by Martin Lewis, the website provides extensive guidance and recommendations, with frequent updates reflecting current news and forthcoming changes. For those already contemplating ways to reduce the pressure and expense of next Christmas, the experts at MSE have identified an additional “loophole” to enhance your savings potential.
The strategy centres on maximising supermarkets’ internal savings stamp programmes, which typically operate year-round to help customers accumulate funds ahead of the holiday season. These programmes generally include a bonus incentive.
The MSE website declares: “Boost funds by up to 6% with supermarket stamps.”
It elaborates: “Supermarket saving stamp schemes encourage year-long saving for Christmas, yet a loophole allows you to get a year’s bonus in one day.
“Most shops pay a bonus based on how much you’ve saved by a specific date. So dunk the cash in the day before, and the store will add up to 6% on top – but the cash must be spent at its shops.
“For example, with Tesco’s Christmas Saver account, if you’d topped it up with £200 by 16 October 2025, you’d have got a £12 bonus added on top.”
Similar strategies are expected to remain applicable in 2026 to help stretch your budget further. In the lead up to December 25, MSE shared a savvy tip on X.
They posted: “How you can get an instant £25 BOOST to your Christmas food budget at Sainsbury’s (or £20 at Iceland, £15 at Asda + more).
“They’re designed to reward those who save all year, but our loophole lets you grab a year’s bonus in just a day.”
Many people turn to social media for advice on how to alleviate the financial strain of Christmas. On Reddit, one user queried: “How do you lovely folks budget for Christmas?”
They elaborated: “It’s that time of year again where me and the Mrs but heads over the Christmas presents. She is keen, and starts buying stuff as early as January so we don’t have to spend a massive amount in a short space of time at the end of the year.
“I’m not that convinced because we don’t ever really know exactly what’s been spent as it just comes out of the spending money we set each month and I think (guessing) that it’s a little excessive.”
They expressed interest in hearing others’ strategies for budgeting for Christmas.
Fellow Reddit users were eager to share their methods. One person explained: “I use Monzo’s pots. I have a general gifts pot, which I contribute a set amount to each month.
“I then use those funds for birthday and Christmas gifts. Seems to work well and stops me from over spending. I don’t buy gifts for 28 people though!”
Another concurred: “Exactly this. We have a pot for Christmas gifts and then another we call ‘Christmas hosting’ which is basically for the tree, decorations and food etc.
“It’s our first year doing this but it’s so nice not feeling like we’re going to have to raid our savings. Technically we are because it would just be in our savings account if we didn’t have the pots but mentally it’s just different.”
