Enjoy a Stress-Free Festive Season With Our Christmas Club Accounts!

4th October 2024 3:55 pm Comments Off

Enjoy a Stress-Free Festive Season With Our Christmas Club Accounts!

As the holidays approach, many of us may start to feel the pressure of managing the associated expenses, like buying gifts, arranging celebrations and planning journeys to visit family and friends.

Luckily, our Christmas Club savings accounts are here to help you enjoy a stress-free holiday by enabling you to start saving early!

Why Choose the Christmas Club?

Dedicated Savings for the Festive Season.

The Christmas Club is a special savings account that encourages you to save for the holiday period well in advance. You can contribute throughout the year, with the funds only accessible in November, just in time for the Christmas rush. This system keeps your savings secure and prevents the temptation of dipping into them early, ensuring you have enough money set aside for when the festive expenses begin.

Avoid Credit Card Debt and High-Interest Loans.

Christmas Club accounts also stop you from relying on credit cards or high-interest loans to cover your Christmas costs. By saving regularly, you’ll have a dedicated pot of money for gifts, food and any other holiday expenses, helping you avoid the debt trap many fall into around the holidays.

Manageable, Consistent Savings.

Instead of facing large, last-minute holiday costs, the Christmas Club allows you to spread your savings across the year. Whether it’s weekly or monthly, contributing smaller amounts over time makes it easier to manage your budget and reduces the strain on your finances in the lead-up to Christmas.

Security and Peace of Mind.

We ensure that your money is safe and protected. Unlike informal savings methods, such as putting money aside at home, your Christmas savings with LCU are secured in a proper account with full access to your balance once November arrives. You can trust that your holiday funds will be there when you need them.

Simple, Hassle-Free Setup.

Opening a Christmas Club account is easy and hassle-free!

We offer flexible deposit options, allowing you to save at your own pace. The account is specifically designed for members to build savings without the complexity of a typical high-street bank account.

Start Early, Enjoy More.

Saving early with the Christmas Club not only helps you manage your finances better, it also brings peace of mind knowing you are prepared for the festive season. Imagine enjoying your holidays without the stress of bills looming over you in January! By planning now, you can focus on the important things: time with loved ones, celebrations and creating joyful memories.

If you’re looking for a smart, reliable way to handle your winter expenses, join Leeds Credit Union’s Christmas Club today and make this Christmas one to remember!

For more information or to apply for a Christmas Club account, click here.

Get Ahead Of The Holidays With A Christmas Club Account.

13th September 2024 12:35 pm Comments Off

Get Ahead Of The Holidays With A Christmas Club Account.

UK Savings Week may be coming to an end but that doesn’t mean it’s time to stop saving, especially with the festive season closer than some of us would care to admit!

Christmas has a way of sneaking up on us, often in an enjoyable, magical way. However, the excitement of holiday lights, festive meals and gift-giving can also bring financial stress.

Whether you’re buying presents, stocking up on food or planning holiday trips, December expenses can quickly add up, which is why it pays to start saving early.

Thankfully, with one of our Christmas Club Accounts, spreading the cost and enjoying a stress-free holiday season has never been easier!

What is the Christmas Club Account?

Our Christmas Club Account is a special savings account designed to help you prepare for the festive season by putting away a little money each month throughout the year. It allows you to build up a Christmas fund gradually, ensuring you have the money you need when the holidays arrive, without relying on last-minute loans or credit cards.

The best part? You can’t access your Christmas savings until November, helping you resist the temptation to dip into your funds early. By the time the holidays roll around, you’ll have a nice cushion to cover all your holiday expenses.

How Does the Christmas Club Account Work?

Opening a Christmas Club Account is simple:

Set Up Regular Deposits: Whether you want to save a little each week or make monthly contributions, you can set up a standing order or deposit when it suits you. The flexibility means you can save at your own pace.
Lock Your Savings: Funds in your Christmas Club Account are kept safe until November 1st, ensuring they are available when you need them most. This feature helps you stay on track with your savings goal without the temptation to withdraw early.
Enjoy a Stress-Free Christmas: When the holiday season approaches, you can withdraw your savings and start spending on gifts, decorations, food and all the festive trimmings without worrying about overspending or going into debt.

Why Start Saving for Christmas Now?

While it’s easy to think, “I’ll start saving later,” the earlier you begin, the easier it will be to meet your holiday goals. Here are a few reasons why starting now makes a big difference:

Avoid the Last-Minute Scramble: The run-up to Christmas is a busy time for everyone and finding extra cash in December can be tough. By spreading your savings out, you’ll be ready when the festive season hits, avoiding the last-minute rush to cover costs.
Budget Better: With regular, small deposits into your Christmas Club Account, you’ll spread the cost of Christmas over several months, making it easier to manage your household budget throughout the year.
No January Debt Hangover: Many people rely on credit cards to cover holiday expenses, leading to a financial hangover in January. With a Christmas Club Account, you can pay for your holiday needs upfront, avoiding the stress of post-holiday debt.

Make Your Christmas More Enjoyable

The festive season is meant to be a time of joy and celebration with family and friends, not stress over how to pay for everything. By using the Christmas Club Account, you can focus on what truly matters: spending quality time with loved ones, making memories and enjoying the magic of the season.

Maximise Your Savings: Tips for Getting the Most from Your Christmas Club Account

Set a Goal: Estimate your holiday expenses – presents, food, travel etc – and set a realistic savings goal. Knowing how much you need will help you stay motivated in the run-up to Christmas.
Automate Your Savings: Set up a standing order to automatically transfer money into your Christmas Club Account each payday. This way, you’ll consistently save without thinking about it and your balance will grow effortlessly.
Review Your Savings Regularly: While you can’t withdraw your funds until November, it’s a good idea to check in on your progress periodically. Adjust your contributions if necessary to ensure you meet your savings target in time for the festive season.
Top It Up: If you come across extra cash – whether from birthday money, a tax refund or selling unwanted items – consider putting it into your Christmas Club Account for a holiday boost.

Why Save With Leeds Credit Union?

At Leeds Credit Union, we’re here to help you prepare for Christmas the smart way. Our Christmas Club Account is designed with your needs in mind, offering flexibility and peace of mind. By saving a little at a time, you’ll avoid holiday debt and reduce your financial stress.

Ready to Get Started?

There’s no better time than now to start saving for the festive season. Open your Christmas Club Account today and get ahead of the holiday rush! Visit our Christmas Club page or stop by your nearest branch to learn more.

How To Do Christmas 2022 For Less

18th December 2022 1:03 pm Comments Off

Christmas 2022 for less

How To Do Christmas 2022 For Less

Every year at Leeds Credit Union, we conduct a survey of our members to get a better idea of their financial circumstances and spending plans for the coming months. Regrettably, this year’s survey revealed that more than one-in-two Leeds residents have seen their financial situation worsen in 2022, with 48% predicting it to get much worse in 2023.

With the cost of living crisis showing no sign of stopping, it’s highly likely that a significant number of people outside of Yorkshire are in the same boat too, so we’ve compiled our top tips for making Christmas more affordable this year. Read on to find out more.

Gifts

Own brand perfume

Most perfumes are purchased in November and December so it’s no surprise that they’re among the most popular Christmas gifts.

With many big name brands selling their scents for more than £100 per bottle, finding cheaper alternatives can save you a packet.

The good news is that fragrances are technically recipes and so cannot be trademarked, meaning other perfumes can be made to smell like the more illustrious ones for a fraction of the price. Channel’s famous Coco Mademoiselle, for example, typically retails for around £120; Next’s Eau Nude, which smells almost identical, is just £14.99.

Vouchers

You can reduce your expenditure on presents this year by giving your nearest and dearest the greatest gift of all – you!

Homemade, practical IOU vouchers can be personalised for anyone on your ‘to buy for’ list, and could include offering to babysit, doing the school run, walking someone’s dog or doing some DIY. Best of all, they’re unlikely to cost you anything but your time.

Food

Turkey

Although all sorts of meat are popular at dinner time on Christmas day, turkey is still the bird of choice for most Brits. Most of us usually clamour to pick up a fresh turkey in the days immediately before Christmas but there is a more cost-effective option: frozen turkeys.

At £2.85 per kilo, frozen turkeys are almost exactly half the price of fresh ones and they’re likely to be tastier too, as the quality of fresh turkeys diminishes the longer they sit on supermarket shelves.

Salmon

In the UK, December is unofficially smoked salmon month, with shoppers spending twice as much on the fishy favourite in the run up to Christmas as we do in any other month.

However, rather than splashing out for a side of salmon or expensive fillets, keep an eye out for salmon trimmings. Taken from the edges of a main prime cut or an incomplete piece, trimmings are every bit as tasty but can be as much as 40% cheaper.

Entertainment

Free tickets

For many of us, a festive trip to the local pantomime is as essential to Christmas time as mistletoe and mince pies. But with ticket prices on the rise, why not apply for free tickets to one of the BBC’s numerous TV and radio shows this year instead?

A comprehensive list of available tickets can be found here – just remember to visit the website regularly as they tend to get snapped up quickly.

Staying in is the new going out

There are plenty of fun things for families to do at home that don’t cost the earth, such as:

watching Christmas films. There are always plenty to choose from on TV throughout December so take it in turns to pick one, settle in on the sofa with a few treats and get cosy.
having a scavenger hunt. Simply hide an inexpensive prize – such as some chocolate – then place some clues that will lead your family to it around the house. Perfect if it’s cold and wet outside…
…but if you get lucky and it’s snowy outside, there’s no better time to get in the garden and build a snowman or instigate a snowball fight!
playing games. Dust off your old Monopoly set if you want to get competitive; stick to charades if you’d rather keep it lighthearted.

Christmas Loan Payments

14th December 2022 10:13 am Comments Off

Christmas and New Year can bring a lot of unexpected costs and outgoings

If you have loan payments due, please ensure you leave sufficient funds to meet these. Missed or delayed payments can have a long-term impact on your ability to obtain credit in the future

If you have concerns about missing upcoming loan payments with Leeds Credit Union, please contact our Credit Control Team on 0113 203 1612

If you are struggling with your overall finances, we would recommend seeking some advice from a trusted organisation

If you live in the Leeds, Bradford or Wakefield areas we would recommend seeking advice from Better Leeds Communities. Please contact them on 0113 275 4142 or send an email to advice@betterleeds.org.uk

If you live outside of these areas, we would recommend contacting your local Citizen’s Advice, or alternatively contact StepChange Debt Charity on 0800 138 1111 for further advice.

Tag Archive: Christmas