Consumer Council Launches Christmas Budget Planner
Tuesday 8 December 2009
Help is at hand for consumers wishing to cut down on waste and manage their Christmas finances better, with the launch this week of the Consumer Council’s festive food and present budget planner.
The Consumer Council has produced the free resource following research which found that making a budget and sticking to it could save the average consumer around £174 at Christmas[1], while four out of five people said they get presents they do not need or like[2].
Carol Edwards, Head of Education at the Consumer Council said, “For many consumers the impact of recession has meant that they must account for every single penny and ensure their money goes as far as possible. That’s why the Consumer Council has produced a food and present budget planner which is designed to help people work out what they can afford to spend on gifts and food this Christmas and then stick to that. Using the planner is simple; all you need is a pencil, a calculator and determination not to spend more than your budget.”
To launch its Christmas planner the Consumer Council enlisted the support of Community Dieticians from the Belfast Trust [3] and their Cook it! tutors at their annual update![4] Cook it! is a practical nutrition education programme aimed at those cooking on a limited budget.
“We would like to thank Cook it! for helping us to launch our Christmas budget planner,” added Carol. “Engaging with organisations like this is an important part of the work we do and we hope that the tutors will encourage the consumers they work with to plan carefully their spending and enjoy a debt free Christmas.”
L-R: Rebekah Robinson, family support worker for East Belfast Sure Start, Maureen Stanfield, Drumlough Community Association and Nora Quigley from the Consumer Council.
Consumers and organisations can request free copies of the Christmas food and present budget planner from the Consumer Council on 0800 121 6022 or visit www.consumercouncil.org.uk. The Consumer Council’s website also has festive money saving tips as part of its ‘Protect your pound – think before you pay’ Christmas campaign.
- Consumer Council media contact Paula Gunn, telephone, 028 9067 4816 or e-mail, pgunn@consumercouncil.org.uk
- The Consumer Council is an independent consumer organisation, working to bring about change to benefit Northern Ireland’s consumers. The Council campaigns for high standards of service and protection and a fair deal for all. It also carries out research, gives advice and publishes reports and other publications. It deals with individual complaints about buses, trains, planes, ferries, natural gas, electricity, coal and water.
- For more information, visit our website at www.consumercouncil.org.uk
[1] A survey by Lloyds TSB found that the average person is expected to spend £174 more than they planned at Christmas.
[2]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/2821635/What-to-do-with-unwanted-Christmas-gifts.html
[3]The Community Nutrition and Dietetic Service is part of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and provides Community Dietetic Services throughout the Eastern Area of N. Ireland.
[4]Cook it! is delivered locally by trained tutors who work with a wide range of people who wish to develop their cooking skills, try healthy meals and new recipes and learn more about healthy eating.
Related Documents
- Christmas Budget Planner - 3.2MB PDF Document
- Consumer Council Christmas Card 2009 - 1.3MB PDF Document
