THEGAYUK

Author: Jake Hook

  • INTERVIEW | Alexis Houston

    INTERVIEW | Alexis Houston

    Say what you will about Alexis Houston, Whitney’s half-sister, you can’t deny her persistence, her undeniable talent or ability to divide opinion. In 2010 Alexis rocked the tabloids and gossip websites, when rumours about her real identity were thrown into dispute. It wasn’t long before she was branded a liar and a 60-something-year-old man born in the Bahamas. We speak to Alexis to clear up those rumours and get to the bottom on who the real Alexis is. Will the real Houston please stand up.

    (This interview was taken from Issue 4 of THEGAYUK – 2014)

    JH: So where are you today?
    AH: Today I am in New Jersey, This is home base… This where I’m from…

    JH: So you weren’t born in Barbados or the Bahamas or anywhere else in the world?
    AH: No, no no! My mother is of American Bahamian ancestry. Yeah, there’s this thing going on that I was born in the Bahamas or Barbados… But I was born in New Jersey.

    JH: So do you go back to the Bahamas much?
    AH: I haven’t been for a lot of years, but my husband’s been trying to convince me we need to go on a nice vacation (laughs). It’s just trying to find time to take a vacation.

    JH: How long have you been married for?
    AH: We have been married for… gosh.. around two years now – yeah two going on three, but we’ve been friends for about seven.

    JH: You’re a very controversial person… Let’s not beat about the bush…
    AH: Yeah… Well the story around me is controversial!

    JH: So there’s no way we can have an interview with you without going into that controversy…
    AH: You have to… You have to…

    JH: But we’re not even sure where to begin?
    AH: Well, you just go you know… Rumour has it I’m a 60-year-old man!

    Embed from Getty Images

    JH: Where did that even come from?
    AH: I don’t know, it’s just this insidious nonsense that just goes on and on. I don’t know whether it’s because they thought I was a lesbian because I wouldn’t date guys in the office – I just don’t know where it comes from…

    I remember the first time it came out was May 2010. Almost four years ago. I get a call from my manager. At the time it was just one gossip website, by the end of the afternoon, there were at least 50 of them. So they were all quoting each other.

    JH: RadarOnline?
    AH: Yeah that’s where it started – and firstly there was this rumour that I was dating a television host here in the states, he hosts the big morning show, someone I had met casually and on the job and didn’t even think about… At the least, they could have said, Obama or something or Denzel or LL Cool J, somebody… you know! And from that it spinned of to. ‘you know, well, he’s probably some old man…’

    At that time I had been communicating with Donna Summers, because she was dealing with some stuff at home and she called me up and said, ‘Hey I know you’re going through a challenging time, but don’t worry, they said the same thing about me, when I was carrying my children’. So I felt kinda comforted – and then I got the same sort of support from Lady Gaga who says, ‘Just have fun with it…’

    I don’t know, it kinda works with Gaga the whole controversial thing, but for me, I’m just home writing songs, Just want to be a writer-producer and now I’m thrown into this public foray whether I’m a transgender person or not. It was scary initially. It gets a bit intense because now everything that I do is preceded by this. Every interview. You have people who are worried about you and it kind of stymies a lot of my hard work.

    JH: So the focus is always whether who you say you are rather than the music – but isn’t it just rude to question your gender and background?
    AH: It is, but this is after four years of dealing with this. It is rude, it’s insulting. The reason why I’m so willing to speak about it now, didn’t want to initially, but I want to talk about it now specifically because, what has happened and what I’ve experienced over the years is that there are people who have refused to do interviews with me because I’m maybe transgender or the Whitney story or whatever. I’ve come to place in my life where I’m kind of infuriated – and people should be, especially people from the LGBT community should be furious because it almost sends the message that, ‘if Whitney’s sister is transgender she is less valid, her work is less valid, her art is less valid’ and how dare people make that judgement of others. That’s what has gotten me, can I say pissed off? And that’s the reason I’m addressing it.

    If I’m transgender or I’m gay or whatever, then so be it – yeah, but my work is still valid.

    If I’m transgender or I’m gay or whatever, then so be it – yeah, but my work is still valid.

    JH: So for someone who’s not transgender, you’ve actually experienced transphobia, how does that feel?
    AH: It’s truly insane. It’s truly insane. And it’s taken so much attention away from the music.

    Embed from Getty Images

    JH: And why Wellington, the 60-year-man people are saying you are… Do you even know who he is?
    AH: Oh yeah, he’s 50-something years old, and I’ve worked with him and he’s family. We’re related by marriage and it’s crazy that they chose him. But when I started out in this business, I had just graduated from university. I was young, and a lot of time I would have people make phone calls on my behalf, at one time it was Wade Perry out of Whitney’s office and one time I had Wellington help me.

    I couldn’t afford to have expensive people working with me so I asked my family or my friends and I said this is what you need to say on my behalf… and that was his involvement in my life.

    JH: So a new album and new you… A lot has happened since your 2010 release!
    AH: Yes and this time I’ve gotten married to my best friend and we’ve got babies and I lost my sister and I’ve dealt with the difficulties being in this business and running businesses. I run my own management firm. The past few years have been bittersweet.

    My husband’s name actually means My Light and I thought, great I’m going to use that as a focus for this project.

    It’s not all happy happy Kum-Ba-Yah type of songs, but it’s an uplifting project, but in order for us to appreciate the positive things and the happiness and the maturity you also have to frame that with the hardships from which it all has come from. So you can compare and contrast. So the song ‘Light’ is about self-empowerment not living your life to please somebody else, not living half a life because you’re afraid of being yourself and stepping out there and perhaps afraid of being criticised like I was. Then you have songs like ‘Morning, Noon and Night’, which is a song about love and romantic love from a grown-up perspective. My mother will probably skip that track on the album, but I’m a grown-up, I’m a woman and I have a husband and we communicate. We are sexual beings and lovemaking is a big part of our communication and it’s the same for everybody else out there.

    My mother will probably skip that track on the album, but I’m a grown-up, I’m a woman and I have a husband and we communicate. We are sexual beings and lovemaking is a big part of our communication and it’s the same for everybody else out there.

    I hope that with this new project that I get to bring people into my life, my world and get to know the real Alexis a little bit more than they did before.

    NEXT PAGE 2/2

    Pages: 1 2

  • Sam Smith’s topless picture has got people falling in love

    Sam Smith’s topless picture has got people falling in love

    The Non-Binary Sam Smith star took posted a topless picture saying that the sun was healing… and people are loving the positivity.

    So 2020 hasn’t gotten off to a great start – with the threat of WWIII and the Australian Bush fires raging but some are finding comfort in Sam Smith’s timeline.

    In a recent post, the star admitted that despite hiding their* body away from the sun, that it felt good to “have my top off on holiday

    * Sam Smith uses they, them and their pronouns.

    Holding what looked to be a cheeky cocktail in a bright pink glass the “How Do You Sleep” hitmaker posted a topless picture and captioned it, “Feels so good to have my top off on holiday. Spent all my life hiding my body from the sun. The last year my skin has been soaking in that LIGHT. Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from feeling that kiss from above you beautiful humans”

    Fans instantly took to Twitter to gush over the “self love and confidence” the star had shown in sharing the picture.

    One fan did warn Sam though “But remember to wear sunblock Sam. At least SPF15 but probably 20 or even 30 in hot climates”

  • MP Layla Moran comes out as pansexual

    MP Layla Moran comes out as pansexual

    Liberal Democrat MP becomes the first MP to identify as pansexual.

    “Last year I fell in love with a wonderful woman” is how Lib Dem MP Layla Moran chose to describe her decision to come out as pansexual on Twitter.

    The MP for Oxford West and Abingdon wrote on Twitter that she was “happy” and that the beginning of a new decade was the perfect time to start on a new path.

    She published a picture of her and her partner. The post was met with a mainly positive reaction, receiving over 16,000 likes and nearly 900 retweets over a few hours.

    Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton and Hove congratulated Layla, saying, “Great photo! Really happy for you, congratulations x”

    What does pansexuality mean?

    Pansexuality, might not be on your radar as much as homosexuality or bisexuality, but its all-inclusive nature has got people falling in love with the sexual and romantic orientation that is pansexuality – which is, essentially hearts, not parts – you fall in love and lust with the heart of someone, not just their biological sex or gender expression.

  • Are you about to fail Dry January? Here’s 11 things you won’t miss if you stay sober – and keep on track!

    Are you about to fail Dry January? Here’s 11 things you won’t miss if you stay sober – and keep on track!

    When I gave up drinking 5 and half years ago, I thought that life as I knew it would end, the parties, the laughter, the falling over in the ditch… but it hasn’t and in fact, I can still outstay my welcome, be the last to leave a party and fall over at any time as required. It wasn’t the booze after all. Here are the 11 things you won’t miss if you go sober.

    1) White wine guilt.

    You know the feeling when you wake up after a heavy night and you think back to the conversations you had the night before and then it hits you, you started calling everyone a c**t for no particular reason, except for, at the time, you were passionate about particular cause and it seemed like the only word that fully explained the cause – and then you realise that “everybody” included your boss, mother, local vicar and the street cleaner.

    2) Lengthy debates about shit that doesn’t matter

    I like to debate and I’ll happily argue a point, even if I don’t agree with the point that I’m debating. If the person opposite is a good sparring partner I’ll even argue that Trump is the planet’s saviour. Being sober, of course, I’ve realised that I don’t need to take the debate to its natural conclusion of a 5AM-we’ve-drunk-everything-let’s-start-on-the-Archers-cause-there’s-nothing-left, drunken dribbling train wreck. I can just leave it now.

    3) Saying too much.

    I was a bit of an over-sharer – I still am to a certain extent. And it surprises me how much people, especially in business will give away when they’re drinking. Secrets and inside info are traded away for another glass of Blossom Hill. Next time you’re out on a do with a client, just ask a few probing questions, they’ll open up about all sorts of stuff that ultimately, sober, they’d never tell and you know what, it all leads to point 1.

    4) Having spent the best part of a week’s wages on one tragic Saturday night.

    Dear god when I look back at how much money I spent buying rounds over the years, I could have bought a house, a yacht and a reasonably sized pony. Now a Diet Coke (£2) and I’m anyone’s (not really). What did spending all that money get me? Nowhere. And in the morning when I wake and I look into my wallet, I don’t feel point 1. Actually I wrote about how much money I saved here.

    5) Grey saggy skin.

    Honestly, I’ve not really aged. People always assume I’m still 10 years younger than I am… I’m happy about that. I don’t get Champagne face anymore. That look as though you’ve sat with your face against the side of a patio door all night.

    6) Repeating myself, repeating myself.

    Have you ever notice how dumb people who drink sound. First off we’d get irate about something and then we’d bulldoze our beef into any conversation and repeat, repeat and repeat until we pass out. We never listen to advice and we just keep on repeating…

    7) Night buses

    I take my smug (it’s a hybrid, so I feel less guilty about pollution) car everywhere – I never have to endure a chip stinky N91 night bus ever again. Sure I’m missing all the dramz, the light petting, the fights and alcohol breath from other passengers who are just far too close.

    8) Spending a fortune on cabs

    I no longer have to spend a mortgage on a cab to get back home. Are you hating me a little now, I would, I’m sounding really self-righteous.

    9) Piling on the pounds

    Before, when I was drinking, I just couldn’t seem to lose weight. Pounds just seem to be constantly piling on, no matter how much I ran, went to the gym or ate less cheese. I’ve lost over a stone and excitingly the weight hasn’t crept on again. When you consider a bottle of wine has 600+calories in it and you drink maybe 3-4 in a week – you’re looking at 1800-2400 extra calories a week – a full day’s worth of calories extra. Over a year that’s 93600 -124,800 extra calories that you’re probably not burning off.

    10) Apathy

    Come wine o’clock – which could be from 5:30 PM in our office, I just wouldn’t get anything else done. My mind would literally shut off after the first sip and then after a glass, I’d become something of a less evil Jabba the Hut crossed with an average British voter (completely apathetic). When you give up alcohol, you can say goodbye to no energy and goodbye to the excuse monster.

    11) Depression

    For me, the greatest thing about not drinking anymore is less anxiety and general depression. I couldn’t work it out. Every few days, I would get an uncontrollable bout of depression. Really deep and out of nowhere. It wasn’t until I released that it was always two days after a bender of a night that I realised my anxiety and depression was being brought on and exacerbated by alcohol. In the year that I’ve stopped, I have two, manageable down days – as opposed to two a week.

  • What you post online could be wrecking your relationship

    What you post online could be wrecking your relationship

    CREDIT: Wavebreak Media Ltd bigstock

    Is your relationship on the rocks? Was 2019 a tough year, research has shown that people are rowing about what their other after is posting online!

    Just under half of all Brits admit they have secretly checked their partner’s Facebook account and one in five went on to row about what they discovered, new research has revealed.

    One in seven said they had contemplated divorce because of their other halves activities on Facebook, Skype, Snapchat, Twitter or WhatsApp.

    People are angry at the amount of posting their partners do

    CREDIT: monkeybusinessimages-bigstock

    Nearly a quarter or the 2,000 married Brits asked, said they had at least one argument a week with their partner because of social media use and 17 per cent said they rowed every day because of it.

    The most common reasons for checking their partner’s social media accounts was to find out who their partner was talking to, to keep tabs on them, to check who they were out with and find out if they were telling the truth about their social life.

    While 14 per cent said they looked specifically to identify evidence of infidelity.

    Social media is a rising reason for divorce!

    CREDIT: ©-zimmytws-Depositphotos

    The research was commissioned by family law specialists Slater and Gordon who have seen an increase in the number of people citing social media use as a cause of divorce year on year.

    Andrew Newbury, head of family law at Slater and Gordon said:

    “Social media can be a wonderful way of keeping in touch with family and friends, but it can also put added strain on a relationship.

    “Five years ago Facebook was rarely mentioned in the context of a marriage ending, but now it has become common place for clients to cite social media use, or something they discovered on social media, as a reason for divorce.

    “With more than 556 million people using Facebook each day, the way we live our lives, and our marriages, has drastically changed. We are finding that social media is the new marriage minefield.

    “Social media, specifically pictures and posts on Facebook, are now being routinely raised in the course of divorce proceedings.”

    It wasn’t just what their partner was doing on social media but also how long they spent on it that was likely to cause marital problems with Facebook usage topping the list of reasons couples argued over social media.

    Arguments were also caused because of contact with an ex-partner, sending secret messages and posting inappropriate photos.

    One in twenty even complained that their partner didn’t post any pictures of them together which made them upset.

    Fifteen per cent of Brits considered social media to be dangerous to their marriage, with Facebook considered the most dangerous, followed by WhatsApp, Twitter and Instagram.

    But one in ten admitted they hid images and posts from their partner, while eight per cent admitted to having secret social media accounts.

    A fifth of respondents said they felt uneasy about their relationship after discovering something on their partner’s Facebook. 43 per cent said they confronted their spouse immediately about this, but 40 per cent said it took them some time before they felt comfortable to raise it with their partner.

    While a third said they kept their social media log-in details a secret from their partners, 58 per cent said they knew their partner’s log-in details, even if their spouse wasn’t aware they knew them.

    Andrew Newbury, head of family law at Slater and Gordon said:

    “Social media can also make a divorce more difficult. Divorce is already a stressful time for everyone involved and what is being posted on Facebook can antagonise families and make a speedy resolution more difficult to achieve.

    “We are now actively advising our clients to be cautious when it comes to using Facebook and all forms of social media because of its potential to damage relationships.”

    Five social media tips that could save your relationship.

    1. Don’t post in anger.

    Your post will be seen by all your friends, family and potentially millions of others. Even if you later delete your post, the damage will have been done.

    2. Be respectful.

    Don’t complain about your partner or other family members online.

    3. Be transparent.

    Check with your partner before you post images or information.

    4. Check your privacy settings.

    You might think someone can’t see a post when they actually can.

    5. Take a break and enjoy the moment.

    You don’t need to post everything on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

    This article was first published in 2015.

  • These were the biggest stories in 2019

    These were the biggest stories in 2019

    As another year draws to a close we look back at the biggest stories on THEGAYUK in 2019.

    Madeinitaly / Pixabay

    This article about what gay men notice about each other first piqued a bit of interest… turns out it isn’t what you think it is!

    This app, which apparently helps you find a sugar daddy caused quite the stir.

    Austin Armacost’s jockstrap, of course, made it into the top 10!

    (ITV)

    Piers Morgan called upon gays to have gay sex in the Sultan of Brunei’s hotels.

    NEXT PAGE

    Pages: 1 2

  • A reminder to straight people going to a LGBT+ club this party season

    A reminder to straight people going to a LGBT+ club this party season

    Free-Photos / Pixabay

    “be an ally and respectful”

    Gaydio presenter Matt Crabb has an important message to anyone who doesn’t identify as LGBT+ but who is partying at a gay club/bar this Christmas / New Year after he was homophobically abused while working as a DJ at a venue in Manchester.

    The message is simple, “you’re a guest” and to be an ally and respect the place and its staff.

    The presenter was working as a DJ at an LGBT venue when he had his earphones ripped off and was homophobically abused and called a “f*ggot” by a customer, who also demanded that he stop playing “gay sh*t”.

    Luckily the club’s management and security was on hand and acted swiftly, removing the bigot from the club.

    Matt wrote,

    “Just a reminder to some straight people this Christmas. You are guests in our #LGBT venues. We are not an attraction, we are not here for you to be rude too or disrespectful. Don’t climb on the stage when you’ve been told not to…

    Don’t pull the headphones off the DJ when they are trying to work, don’t tell them to stop playing ‘gay shit’ and call them a faggot when they won’t play your request.

    “I’ve had to deal with all the above in the last 48 hours, it’s not fun. Do… come and party with us

    Be an ally and respectful, tip bar staff and compliment entertainers on doing a good job

    “This is a common occurrence”

    rihaij / Pixabay

    Speaking to THEGAYUK Matt Crabb said that after the incident “security were called and they removed instantly”

    He went on to reveal that abuse like this is a common occurrence in gay bars across the country.

    Matt told us “It happens a lot in venues at this time of year, I’ve spoken to over friends who DJ on the scene in London/Cardiff who have similar stories”.

  • Jane McDonald praised for changing homophobic lyric in Fairytale Of New York

    Jane McDonald praised for changing homophobic lyric in Fairytale Of New York

    Bravo that woman.

    Entertainer Jane McDonald has been praised by fans who went to watch her Christmas show for changing the problematic lyric of ‘Fairytale of New York’.

    Calls for the lyric “You scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy f*ggot”, to be removed or edited out have run for years.

    Many find the line to be anti-LGBT and some have used the lyric to be brazenly homophobic in public.

    However, gay icon, Jane McDonald found a genius way to sing the song and not alienate her fan base by simply swapping the word “f*ggot” with “wazzuk”.

    Gaydio presenter, Matt Crab took to Twitter to thank the chart-topper for swapping the word, calling her a true ally to the LGBT community.

    Number 1 Christmas Song

    The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” has been crowned the best Christmas song of all time.

    However, the song crowned number one contains a homophobic slur. Every year a debate rages about whether the song should have the word “f*ggot” bleeped or silenced when it is broadcast publicly.

    The song beat out Mariah’s ‘All I Want For Christmas’ and WHAM!’s ‘Last Christmas’, it also managed to top Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas“, which took the fourth spot.

    In 2007, BBC’s Radio 1 in the UK, censored the offending word, but soon reinstated it after a public backlash.

  • Admiting that you have dark feelings is difficult at Christmas

    gracinistudios / Pixabay

    But it’s absolutely okay to do.

    Gerard Barnes, CEO of mental health treatment specialists Smart TMS gives THEGAYUK five tips on how to “safeguard” your mental wellbeing this holiday season.

    Talk about your feelings

    MabelAmber / Pixabay

    Many people will expect you to be in great spirits at Christmas, but don’t necessarily take into account why you may appear to be down. For those of us who experience negative thoughts or feelings at Christmas, it can be hard to admit that at such a festive time of the year that you don’t share in the delight of the holidays. However, more people are struggling than you think. Making the decision to talk about your feelings and share them with those around you can improve your mood and make it easier to deal with the tough times – especially when you discover that many of the people around you may find themselves in the same position!

    Be picky with social engagements – they are not obligations!

    kliempictures / Pixabay

    It’s extremely easy to get burnt out over Christmas and New Year. Between work parties, spending time with friends, the intensity of family gatherings and then the pressure of New Year, many people are sucked into giving away too much of their free time and ending up extremely tired, lethargic and blue. Make time for the people you care most about, but ensure that you take enough time for yourself to recover and relax.

    Give SAD the sack

    Embed from Getty Images

    The weather influences the way in which we behave every day – it dictates the food we eat, the clothes we decide to wear, and to some extent where we decide to go. However, for millions of people in the UK, the short, dark days around Christmas and New Year can have a disastrous impact on health and wellbeing, triggering the onset of a depression known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD.

    There are, however, plenty of ways to alleviate the symptoms of SAD. Getting regular exercise, eating a balanced diet and exposing yourself to as much sunlight as possible are of course extremely important, but you could also consider other options such as light boxes and dawn simulators to help regulate your circadian rhythms.

    SAD is also closely linked with a lack of vitamin D which your body naturally produces when exposed to sunlight – given that sunlight is in fairly short supply in the UK at Christmas, it may be worth getting your vitamin levels checked – using vitamin D supplements could certainly help to resolve any deficit you may have. 

    Reduce alcohol consumption

    http://gty.im/159602791

    For the heavier drinkers, those trying to cut back, and people who perhaps have a poor relationship with alcohol, my suggestions for remaining sober and in control at Christmas are as follows:

    • Take your favourite non-alcoholic drinks to any parties or gatherings, for example soda water, ginger beers or lemonade. This will help you to blend in with a glass in your hand, you’ll feel less conspicuous, and will likely avoid being asked for a drink every few minutes
    • Plan activities that will get you out of a setting in which you would typically find a drink in your hand – for example, winter walks, going to the cinema, family activities at home, etc.
    • Be assertive: a lot of people will likely question you on your decision not to drink. Some will be genuinely interested; others may just enjoy poking fun. However, if you ensure you come prepared with a short but effective summary or spiel as to why you’re deciding not to drink, this will really help you to avoid peer pressure and take ownership of your decision.

    Stay Active

    Embed from Getty Images

    It’s very easy to become inactive and sedentary at Christmas. The food, the presents and the time spent with close ones can compound with the often poor weather to make the prospect of exercise daunting. However, regular exercise can boost your self-esteem (especially for those who enjoy the chocolate at Christmas), and will also help you to sleep better and get the rest that so many of us look forward to in the run up to Christmas.

    If you’re having difficulty during the fesitve season and have no one to talk to, you can reach out to Samaritans or the LGBT+ helpline, Switchboard

  • I nearly tapped out of the latest season of 13 Reasons Why, but I’m glad I didn’t

    I nearly tapped out of the latest season of 13 Reasons Why, but I’m glad I didn’t

    13 REASONS WHY

    If you watch 13 Reasons Why you’ll know it’s a tough watch. I don’t know any other drama, let alone a supposed teen drama, that manages to squeeze in so many hard-hitting subjects but which rarely get so little air-time.

    It’s hard to forget that in a world with “big news” like Donald Trump, Brexit and now, Conservative-majority rule for the UK for the foreseeable future, that’s it’s the smaller stories, the personal stories that really rule our lives and these are the stories that make 13 Reasons Why a hard, gruelling but necessary watch.

    I nearly tapped out of season 3. I just couldn’t follow jumps between timelines (i think there are three maybe four… I’m a little foggy on that) and the introduction of a new character, Ani, was a little jarring. In fact, I watched the first two episodes and switched it off and left it for a few weeks.

    But it lingered there. In the recesses of my mind. I wanted to know.

    The season focuses on rebuilding lives after so much is destroyed in the previous 2 series and it packs a punch, it also contains some of the most emotional, heart-breaking acting I’ve ever seen on screen. Not from the main characters Clay (Dylan Minette) and Ani (Grace Saif), although they both pull in a solid performance, the real powerhouse deliveries come from rape survivors, Jessica (Alisha Boe) and Tyler (Devin Druid). Devin is good, actually beyond good. I think we’re looking at one of his generation’s finest actors.

    13 Reasons Why season three is a slow cook drama, it takes around 4 or 5 episodes to really get going, but when it does, oh man does it hurt.

    Stick with it. Don’t close it down because it’s too difficult to watch or too harrowing to hear. Let’s, as Jessica says, hear these stories.

  • 10 money-saving hacks for Christmas 2019

    10 money-saving hacks for Christmas 2019

    Christmas is pricey… but it doesn’t need to be.

    With all those socials, parties and a tree that needs lots of gifts beneath it, it can be quite hard to keep to budget, so here’s 10 hacks to keep your money sack (sorry, not sorry) full this winter.

    Make a list

    JillWellington / Pixabay

    First of all, you should make a list of all the people in your life that you’re likely to meet between now and Christmas. Once that list is made check it twice. How many of those people do you need to buy for and what level of present do they need and remember not everyone will expect a present from you. I’ve bought people presents when they weren’t expecting it and it got a little awkward. So don’t feel the need to splash out. Perhaps a bottle of plonk and a poinsettia is all you need!

    Agree on a budget with your partner

    (C) BIGSTOCK

    Our very own Daniel Browne suggests on agreeing on a budget with your partner, “I really panicked about buying him presents. His income was much higher than mine at the time and I worried that my presents for him would be paltry compared to what he bought me. To alleviate those worries, agree on a budget. It’s good to be upfront about what’s affordable. For example, if your budget is only £10, explain that and agree to only spend £10 on each other.”

    Vouchers

    KRiemer / Pixabay

    There are some incredible deals to be had on one of the many many voucher sites where you can pick up deals on spa days, theatre tickets and even home learning courses. That’s a gift that keeps on giving. But also be on the lookout for smaller retailers and their offers.

    Make It Yourself

    stevepb / Pixabay

    For those of you who have a little extra spare time perhaps you can give a DIY gift. For instance, this book, suggests what you can make with wooden pallets – of which thousands and thousands are thrown away every year! You can usually pick them up for free from a local business.

    Secret Santa

    geralt / Pixabay

    If you’ve got a huge family why not suggest doing Secret Santa. This will save you lots of cash, but also so much time trawling the high street looking for that must-have washing up brush for long-lost Aunt Petunia.

    The year-long saving challenge

    jarmoluk / Pixabay

    I heard an ingenious saving tip. A pound for the week number. So on the first week you save £1 the second week you save £2 and the third £3 and so on. By the end of the year, you’ll have saved up £1,378!

    Spend time, not money

    StockSnap / Pixabay

    Daniel Brown suggests that spending time with someone is worth more than gold. He says,
    “More important than the presents is the time you’re spending with each other. If you’ve found yourself a good ‘n’ he will be fine with that.”

    How to save money on your night out

    Office parties, social gatherings they’re all pretty pricey. So try these simple things: Have pre-drinks (have a few before you leave). Get to the club early so you don’t have to pay entry and prepare your post-boozing carb fest before you leave the house. That way you won’t be tempted to get that pricey dirty kebab on the way home.

    Use your bonus / loyalty card.

    Engin_Akyurt / Pixabay

    Have you been shopping at Tesco or maybe Sainsbury’s all year? Well, if you’ve been collecting loyalty point you might have tonnes of money to spend. It’s not uncommon to find at the end of the year that you’ll have saved up to buy a nice gift from all those nectar points – or even the entire Christmas dinner on your loyalty card!

    Buy frozen food

    PDPics / Pixabay

    It’s such a simple hack, buy frozen rather than fresh. You’ll be able to use exactly the right amount and put the rest away for another meal, it’ll have a long use by date and it’s usually cheaper in the supermarket. Plus nobody will know the difference.