We don’t mean to scare you but Christmas is only 103 days away and while it might seem as though this is a veritable age away, it will definitely creep up on you… something that 8.6 million of us already know it, would seem, since this is how many Brits have already started doing their festive shopping.

So that you’re not left behind, make sure you get all your comedy UK Christmas cards sorted out before it’s too late! The American Express study found that the main reasons some of us have started so early are so that they can pick up pressies in the sales, so they don’t have to carry everything in one trip, so they can spread the cost of the festive season, so they can get deals in the January sales and so they can avoid busy shops during the Christmas period.

Women appear to be more organised than men this year, with 21 per cent saying they’ve already bought some of the items on their shopping lists, compared to just 11 per cent of men. This is perhaps unsurprising, since 21 per cent of men say they’ll start their shopping come December time!

Commenting on the findings, director at American Express Stephen Steinhardt said: “With so many people starting their shopping early the Christmas countdown is now well and truly underway. If you’re not an early bird shopper, it’s a good idea to get started before it’s time to dig out the tinsel and decorate your Christmas tree. This will avoid last minute panic buying and help you spread the costs.”

Top tips for Christmas shopping

If cutting the costs at Christmas is a top priority for you, then you’ve come to the right place as we’ve got all sorts of ways you can save yourself a bit of cash and still really spoil friends and family this year. Have a read to see if you like any of these ideas.

Make your presents

If you’re a bit crafty, there’s nothing like giving someone a handmade present. You don’t have to make it complicated – batch cook some biscuits that’ll last, make some jam (a great way to recycle old jars) or put together some photo albums of pictures you know they’ll love.

Shop locally

Buying online from overseas can prove pricey because of shipping fees, but shopping locally will keep costs down and help you to support independent retailers at the same time.

Set a budget

This is an obvious one but a helpful one nonetheless. Set a budget and stick to it, working out how much you’re willing to spend on each person.

Take care with gift cards

Some of these have expiry dates, there may be hidden admin fees and occasionally retailers do go bust so you could be frittering your money away, even if it does seem easier and more convenient to just buy a gift card.