DECK the halls with loads of goodies, because NOW is the time to claim free cash to fund your festive celebrations – and items you can give away as presents.
We’ve compiled an interactive graphic that reveals the Christmas freebies you can claim this week, worth a combined £1,000 – including free cash, Santa visits and Lego.
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Christmas is around the corner but it’s not a cause for celebration for everyone, with many families worrying about how to afford the festive season as the cost of living crisis continues to bite.
Disposable income fell by 33% in the four months to July 2025 according to figures from MoneySupermarket, which means less cash for treats.
With households spending an average of £434 on food and prezzies for the big day, according to Go Compare, it pays to find ways to save costs.
But there are plenty of ways to get goodies without splashing your cash.
Here are the things you can bag now…
Free Santa experiences – £120
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Taking kids to see Father Christmas in a grotto is a magical Christmas experience, but it doesn’t come cheap.
Attractions typically charge £30 a person for visits with the big man himself, working out at £120 for a family of four.
However, there are plenty of free ways to experience Santa instead.
Create a free personalised video through portablenorthpole.com and click on the free trial option.
You’ll need to give a picture of your child, their age and some interests or achievements that Santa will talk about in the video. Watch as they marvel at how Father Christmas knows all this inside info on them.
Meanwhile, Rotary clubs usually organise for Father Christmas and his sleigh to do a tour of local streets in their respective towns.
They will advertise routes in advance, so check in with your local organisation and mark the date in your calendar.
Every year, Royal Mail offers a free letter from Father Christmas to children who have written to him, containing a greeting from Santa, plus some festive activities such as colouring.
The deadline to receive letters this year is December 10.
Head to royal mail.com/christmas from November for the mailing details.
Supermarket savings – £25
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Supermarkets offer savings schemes which give shoppers a free cash bonus ahead of Christmas.
Sainsbury’s is one of the most generous and will give you a £25 bonus if you save £500.
The money must remain on your card until 1 November. The balance can then be spent at Sainsbury’s or Argos.
Get in the festive spirit with a free movie – £13.99
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Octopus Energy customers who sign up for its Octoplus rewards programme can get a number of perks including discounts at restaurants such as Harvester, and a free weekly coffee at Greggs.
Users can also get a code to watch a free movie every month through subscription site Rakuten.
The value depends on which film you decide to watch – but it can be up to £15.99.
For example, the site is currently charging £3.99 for Love Actually, £3.49 for Elf, or – if you’re not a Chrimbo movie fan – £13.99 for Megan 2.0.
Free beauty hamper – £50
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A beauty hamper is the perfect present for friends or family who love a good pampering.
And it’s easy to create one for free, according to Lauren Nash, deals and discounts expert at Save the Student.
She collects free beauty samples throughout the year and then bundles them up to give as Christmas gifts.
She said: “Other than the wrapping, it costs literally nothing – but it would usually be £50 or more if you were to get an equivalent beauty advent calendar or hamper set.”
Free Disney subscription – £90
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You can get a free Disney+ subscription through an Uber One membership.
The Uber One annual membership is £49.99, so if you pay for Disney+, it makes more sense to cancel and sign up for Uber One instead.
Uber One membership gives you cheaper takeaways (through free delivery and reduced service fees) and vouchers.
Plus, Disney+ has lots of Christmas films to get you in the festive spirit.
Free cash to switch bank – £235
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NatWest has launched a £175 current account switching offer, and customers can get the cash within 30 days.
To be eligible, you need to move to NatWest using the Current Account Switch Service, deposit £1,250 and log into the mobile app within 60 days.
A further £60 reward is available for customers who sign up to the NatWest Reward account.
Every month, customers with two direct debits of more than £2 will get £4 in rewards. Logging into the mobile app will get you an additional £1.
Customers can also get money off at a range of retailers – but the account does have a £2 monthly fee, so weigh it all up.
I got a beauty haul worth £1.4k for FREE
Kasia Dul has managed to bag £1,400 worth of freebies in just one year – including free £250 Amazon vouchers.
Kasia, 35, from West Yorkshire, has built up an impressive collection of products mostly made up of beauty products worth around £1,000.
She said: “On top of this, I also earned £250 of Amazon vouchers for sharing links for free products.
“Plus, I won £50 in a live draw competition and £100 of PayPal Credit by taking part in a Facebook draw.”
Kasia keeps an eye on LatestFreeStuff.co.uk, signing up for the newsletter to get a heads-up on freebies when they become available.
She has also bagged beauty goodies by signing up to tester panels, such as Home Tester Club, The Insiders, TryIt Sampling Community, First Beauty, Personal Perks and Vogue Insiders.
She added: “You can also ask the salespeople at beauty counters at Boots, Debenhams, House of Fraser and The Perfume Shop if they have any free samples they can give away.”
The Co-op Bank is also giving new customers £100 to switch their account, plus £25 a month for three months.
You also get access to its 7% linked regular saver, which allows you to save up to £250 a month.
To be eligible, you can’t have received a switch bonus from the Co-op Bank since November 1, 2022.
Meanwhile, if you switch your bank account to First Direct, you get a £175 welcome bonus.
The account also gives you access to a top 7% regular saver, fee-free overseas spending and a £250 overdraft.
To get the deal, you need to swap your account using the Current Account Switch Service.
Every bank has different terms and conditions you need to meet to qualify for the perks, including having a certain number of direct debits or making a minimum monthly deposit.
Read the terms and conditions and make sure the account is right for you before you switch.
Swap broadband provider – £245
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Millions of households are missing out on saving up to £60 a year on their broadband bill by not switching regularly, according to Go.Compare.
In total, 21 million households across the UK don’t change providers as often as they should.
But you could save even more money by switching providers through a cashback website and comparison site.
For example, you could get up to £185 in cashback if you use TopCashback and Uswitch to compare providers and take out a new deal.
To get the bonus, you need to create a TopCashback account and search for Uswitch.
Then click through to the Uswitch website and sign up for a deal.
The cashback will appear in your account the next day. However, always compare prices using a comparison site before you switch, and don’t just move for cashback!
You will need to be out of your current contract term before you can move.
Refer a friend – £150
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Another way to make easy money is through a refer a friend bonus.
Companies give out these bonuses to people who sign up for a new deal using a link from their friend, who is already a customer.
You and your friend will be given the bonus when they are registered or approved.
Several providers offer these bonuses, including credit card provider American Express, which will give you up to £150.
Meanwhile, energy supplier Octopus will reward you with £50 every time someone signs up using your link.
Best websites for freebie hunting
THERE are several websites that can help you find the best freebies, deals and discounts.
Among them are LatestDeals.co.uk, which rounds up the best deals, vouchers, freebies and competitions currently on offer.
Latest Free Stuff can also help you to find free samples of top products.
Among the deals it has rounded up are free samples of Herbal Essences Shampoo & Conditioner.
TopCashback can help you find the best cashback deals and rewards.
For example, shoppers can currently get 10% off hotel bookings from November onwards if they book through TopCashback.
You don’t need to actively recruit friends to do this.
Just post your referral links on on your social media, then pocket the cash and use it for buying prezzies for the big day.
Cashback – £45
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Want money back on your day-to-day spending?
If you open a Chase current account, then you’ll get a debit card which gives you 1% back when you spend in certain stores.
For example, you could get up to £15 cashback a month on your supermarket shop, which adds up to £45 by Christmas.
I’ve got thousands of pounds of food and electronics for FREE
Freebie hunter Deepak Tailor manages to bag £500 worth of freebies every year – including free crates of beer and gadgets.
Deepak, 37, from London, has built up an impressive collection of electronics, food and drink worth hundreds of pounds.
He finds freebies by signing up to mailing lists and checking brands’ websites.
He now shares his passion for freebies with others through his website Latest Free Stuff.
Deepak said: “I’ve been freebie hunting for over 15 years. Among the best items I’ve got is a brand new Colgate Electric Toothbrush worth £150 and HP Printer worth £150.”
The bargain hunter also bags hundreds of pounds a year in cashback.
He explained: “Every time I buy something or change my utility supplier I always do it through a cashback website, such as TopCashback.
“I have also changed my current account a few times over the years to get switching bonuses of up to £200.”
Pub meal – £18.99
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Pub chain Greene King has launched a new pub rewards loyalty programme.
New Greene King app users who sign up to the loyalty programme will receive a spin on the app’s new ‘Spin to Win’ game.
There are several free prizes up for grabs, including drinks and a main meal worth up to £18.99.
Download the app and sign up for an account to see what you get.
Ideal Home Show Christmas ticket – £14
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Nab free tickets to The Ideal Home Show Christmas – in Kensington Olympia, London, from 16-30 November – to sample festive treats and get your hands on free gifts.
To get the deal, simply go to the Ideal Home Show website and enter the code IHSXMSEFREE at the checkout.
Free Lego – £9
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Children can build a Lego gaming controller at Lego stores across the country next weekend.
You can then take the toy home once you have finished.
It’s worth turning up early to the sessions as there is only a limited number of controllers available each day, and it’s first come first serve.
The timings are 10am- 12pm on Saturday September 20, and 12-2pm on September 21.
The build can’t be purchased but small Lego sets typically cost around £9.
To find your nearest store visit lego.com/en-gb.
Lego fans can also sign up for a free quarterly edition of the magazine on the website.
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