Save Xmas toolkit

Background

Following the collapse of the Farepak hamper company last year, the OFT was asked by HM Treasury to carry out an awareness programme to help consumers understand their options when saving for Christmas.
 
How to use the toolkit

The Save Xmas toolkit - everything you need to lead groups or individuals through the issues involved in choosing how to save for Christmas. The skills the toolkit develops are transferable and can be applied to saving for other expensive events.

You can either download all elements of the toolkit from this page, or you can contact our mailing house and we will send a toolkit in the post. Phone 0800 389 3158 or email oft@ecgroup.co.uk.

A welsh language version of the toolkit is available on request from Dilys.Alam@oft.gsi.gov.uk.

Download the whole toolkit as a zip file (20 mb)

Download the individual elements of the toolkit:

• contents (word file 314 kb)
  
  
• notes to help facilitators make best use of the toolkit materials (pdf 58 kb)
  
  
• suggested session format for facilitators to follow (word file 326 kb)
  
  
• questions and answers to help facilitators answer common questions from participants
  (pdf 48 kb)
  
  
• more detailed background information on each of the different savings options (pdf 68 kb)
  
  
• A flow chart to help attendees decide which is the best saving option for them (pdf 76 kb)
  
  
• a five-minute film, which explores the options when saving for Christmas - right click and 'Save target as'
  
  download in PC Windows media file format (20 mb)
  download in Mac MPEG file format (20 mb)
  
  
• a leaflet which sets out the features of the different savings options (pdf 163 kb)
  
  
• a PowerPoint presentation highlighting the issues involved (ppt 429 kb)
  
  
• a summary of the OFT's research into the psychology of consumer behaviour (pdf 80 kb)
  
  
• a review of Christmas savings schemes by Brian Pomeroy, undertaken for the Government (pdf 480 kb)

Evaluation forms

Please help us evaluate the Save Xmas programme 

It is really important for us to find out whether the Save Xmas programme has met participants’ needs and how it can be improved.

We need your help to do this and have developed two short forms. 

End user feedback form

Please give out the 'How do you save for Christmas?' form to participants at the start of the session.  This form is split into two parts:

Part A should be completed by participants at the start of the education session

Part B should then be completed by participants at the end of the education session.

Facilitator feedback form  

The 'Facilitator feedback' form should be completed by the person leading the session. We are keen to hear facilitators' views on how the materials can be improved. 

Please return all completed questionnaires after the end of each session in a prepaid envelope. To order the Save Xmas prepaid envelopes contact our mailing house on 0800 389 3158 or email oft@ecgroup.co.uk. These are free of charge.

All responses will be treated in strict confidence.

If you have any questions about the evaluation please contact Andrew Lincoln on 020 7211 8475.

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