How far does £50 go at TK Maxx when you’ve still got three Christmas presents to buy?
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.
A skincare set, a coffee maker and a planetarium projector came to £49.96 delivered. One toy swap cuts £7 off the bill.
Three Christmas presents, £50 to spend and just 4p left after delivery. That’s how tight the sums got when we picked out a skincare set, a coffee maker and a toy that can turn a child’s bedroom into a planetarium from TK Maxx’s online listings.
The obvious move is to split the money three ways. But take off £4.99 for standard delivery first and you’re really working with about £15 a head. The trick was finding something for less than that in the TK Maxx Christmas gift range so there was room to spend a little more where it mattered.
For the beauty fan, a £14.99 Erborian skincare duo
It’s easy to lose half the budget in the beauty aisle. The five-piece Liz Earle Daily Skincare Essentials set was listed at £24.99, which would leave £20.02 for the other two presents once standard delivery was set aside.
The Erborian With Confidence Skincare Duo was £14.99 in TK Maxx’s gifts for her range. Two products from a brand they already like can make a better gift than a bigger box chosen for the number of things inside. Check what’s in the set before ordering, especially for someone who’s particular about what goes on their skin.
For the coffee drinker, a £12.99 coffee maker
The cheapest present in the basket was the Raven Cafe Italian Roast Coffee Maker. TK Maxx listed the white version at £12.99, a price that makes sense for the person who already buys ground coffee and likes making a pot at home.
There’s a practical question to ask before buying it. How do they make their coffee now? Someone who swears by their pod machine may have little use for another way to brew. For the person who enjoys making coffee from scratch, this is the pick that frees up enough money to spend a bit more on the toy.
For the child who’s mad about space, a £16.99 planetarium projector
The Discovery Planetarium Projector was the priciest of the three. It was listed at £16.99 in TK Maxx’s kids’ gifts range, and it gives a child who’s forever asking about the planets something to try as soon as it gets dark.
Check the age guidance and whether batteries are included before you wrap it. There’s a cheaper option for a child who’d rather build something. The same range listed a Picasso Tiles marble run at £9.99, which would knock £7 off the basket and bring the delivered total down to £42.96.
The £4.99 charge that nearly tipped it over
The three original picks add up to £44.97. Standard delivery takes that to £49.96, while £1.99 click and collect brings it to £46.96 if there’s a convenient store. Check prices and stock before ordering, especially if you’re counting on all three gifts being available together.
The £50 stretches to all three presents even with standard delivery, but there’s no room for a roll of wrapping paper in that order. If collection is easy, that’s the simplest way to claw back £3 and keep all three picks.