Hello lovely Magpies, How are you doing? Honestly — are you feeling festive yet, or is Christmas still sitting somewhere on your to-do list, quietly judging you? If you’re in the mood for something a little different this week, I’d love you to pop over to YouTube and watch my alternative Christmas message. It’s not shiny, it’s not salesy — just a moment to pause, reflect and remember what really matters at this time of year (and why money should work for us, not the other way round). Speaking of festive cheer, Vlogmas is in full swing, including our rather special gold giveaway. Yes, actual gold. It’s our way of adding a little sparkle while reminding you that smart money choices can be exciting and empowering. On the site this week, we’ve been busy making Christmas cheaper, easier and a lot less stressful. If you’re feeding a family over the holidays, our guide to where kids can eat free (or very cheaply) is one you’ll want to bookmark immediately. We’re also breaking down all the big money changes coming in
2026 — what’s changing, who it affects, and crucially, what you can do now to stay ahead. There’s also a rather lovely giveaway from One Stop, my very honest (and occasionally brutal) reviews of the best and worst Christmas ready meals, and a surprisingly fun piece on what Christmas films
can teach us about money. I genuinely learned about commodities from one of them — proof that financial education can come from the most unexpected places. Finally, with winter weather doing its thing, we’ve looked at how your home insurance can actually help you save money, not just
protect you when things go wrong. If you’ve got some time off planned, I hope you have the most fabulous, restorative break — feet up, worries down. And if you’re working right through Christmas, please know how appreciated you are. You have all my love (and admiration). As always, thank you for being here. Warmest wishes,
Vicky 💜
Editor, MoneyMagpie |
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Message from our sponsors |
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Your Christmas wish could come true!
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One Stop are giving you the chance to have your Christmas Wish come true until Tuesday 23rd December. Pop into your local One Stop and scan the QR code to submit your wish! Once the QR code is scanned, fill in the online form, and tell One Stop of your Christmas wish! You have free rein to let them know what you’d like – it could be a brand-new bike, a dream weekend
away or a simple voucher. The heartwarming wish campaign will see each wish have a value of up to £1,000. Customers must be over 18, to enter the Christmas Wish competition. *Competition T&Cs apply. Please see One Stop website for more information. Only applicable to prizes up to the
value of £1,000.
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Six Surprising Ways Home Insurance Saves You Money
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Whether you’re a rental tenant or homeowner, home insurance should be on your annual budget. But we’re going to show you why it doesn’t have to be expensive AND how it can actually save you money on more things than you might expect.
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Investing Lessons from Christmas Films: From Frozen OJ to Hula Hoops
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The festive season often invites the usual cinematic comfort: snow-dusted streets, singing angels, and family drama resolved in a single, tearful climax. But for those of us with a taste for finance, the Christmas movie canon is hiding a surprising trove of investment wisdom. From commodities to corporate
strategy, the lessons are there if you know where to look. And, yes, it turns out Eddie Murphy and Tim Robbins have more to teach about the stock market than your average Wall Street seminar.
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UK 2026: Every Confirmed Money Change – and When It Hits
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No guesses. No rumours. No ‘expected’ changes. Every year, headlines scream about financial shake-ups that may or may not ever happen. For 2026, we’ve cut through the noise.This guide lists only confirmed UK-wide policy changes that are already written into law or formally
published by the government. If it’s included here, it’s happening. If it’s not, it’s either unconfirmed or political speculation.We also explain who each change affects, when it starts, and what you should do now to protect your money.
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The Best & Worst Christmas Ready Meals – Rated by Real Tasters
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With food prices rising again in 2025, more Brits are turning to ready-made Christmas dinners, supermarket bundles, and frozen feasts to keep costs low without losing the magic of the big day. Whether you’re feeding eight people or enjoying a quiet
Christmas at home alone, supermarkets have massively stepped up their festive offerings. So we put them to the test.
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Thursday 11th December BBC Radio Sussex - Christmas Friday 12th December BBC Hereford and Worcester - Christmas BBC Radio Kent - Saving Money Sunday 14th December LBC - Vodafone Franchises Newsquest - Print Regional Titles - Secret Santa and Stocking
Fillers |
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Love, Jasmine |
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