How to raise money for good causes at no cost to you - just by doing your festive shopping!

Charities and good causes have been hit hard by the cost-of-living crisis, but you can help by giving for free through a canny way of festive shopping.

Experts at easyfundraising are urging festive shoppers in the lead-up to Christmas to buy using their platform and to #MakeItCount as they can generate free cash for charities and good causes across the UK if they do.

Pretty much anything you may need for Christmas you can buy through the easyfundrasing website or app and benefit your favourite good cause – including grassroots and local causes such as PTA groups and kids’ football.

· Your Christmas food shop

Including turkey and all the trimmings from supermarkets including Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.

· Kids’ presents

Such as a roadway rug from Toy Street and a Peppa Pig Peppa’s Cruise Ship Playset from the Entertainer.

· Presents for grown-ups

Such as a Yankee Candle from Fragrance Direct or a Calvin Klein perfume from PerfumeUK.

· Presents for teenagers

Including Hot Wheels Unleashed for your Nintendo Switch and for the teenagers aged 16 and up, the Arcade1Up Infinity Game Table, both from GAME.

· Presents for sports fans

Such as football kits and boxing gloves from the JD Sports store.

· Presents for fashionistas

Including on the clothing website ASOS and fashion retail chain H&M.

· Even travel and hotel bookings for those planning a getaway such as Booking.com and Expedia.

There are more than 8,000 brands on the website with everything you need to have a happy Christmas covered – from the grocery shop in the run-up to the big day to gifts including clothes, perfumes, concert tickets and more.

If concert tickets are what you want to give someone to make their day special, former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher is on tour at venues across the UK in 2024. Bryan Adams, Paloma Faith, and Becky Hill are some of the other stars performing for fans across the country in the coming months.

And if you buy your tickets to their gigs using Ticketmaster through the easyfundraising website you could generate a donation of up to 5.5 percent for your favourite good cause or charity – for free.

If concerts aren’t your thing or that of the person you’re buying for, there are other gifts available. If you buy perfume from the Perfume Shop, you could raise a two percent donation. Lancôme’s La Vie Est Belle is being sold at £65, while Armani’s Stronger With You perfume is available at £36.99.

Fragrance Direct are another perfume and aftershave retailer. You can get their Calvin Klein Obsession perfume for £15.99 or their Aramis Men’s Aftershave Spray for £28.99. With a purchase on their website through the easyfundraising platform, you could generate up to 2.5 percent in a free donation to a good cause or charity of your choosing.

There are also free donations to be had if you need to buy clothes; either for winter so you can wrap up warm, or if you want to give them as a Christmas gift or stocking filler.

Urban Outfitters will give up to four percent of what you buy to your favourite good cause or charity for free. That means you can stock up on jumpers, sweatshirts, and other items in time for a cold snap.

Fashion giant River Island is also offering a 1.25 percent donation to your favourite good cause or charity if you purchase items on their website through the easyfundraising platform.

James Moir, the CEO of easyfundraising, says: “Christmas is now around the corner and many of us will be thinking ahead to the big day as it comes ever closer.

“You may be thinking about the gifts you’re going to buy for loved ones and friends or even what grocery shop you need to do, if you’re really wanting to prepare in advance.

“Whatever you want to buy, it’s worth checking out the easyfundraising platform before buying as you could generate much needed cash for charities and good causes across the UK.

“And it’s free. You can do your shop, pay your bill, and then generate a donation to your favourite good cause or charity without it adding a single penny extra to your final cost.”

To find out more about easyfundraising and how you can get involved, visit: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/makeitcount/.