It’s that dreaded time of year again, when many feel the need to trudge around the shops in the freezing cold, with heavy bags pulling shoulders out of their sockets.

With a little hidden Christmas shopping magic (and internet access), a raft of techniques can slash both costs and time.

Before I start my ten top techniques, a quick warning. Christmas is one day, don’t ruin the whole of the new year for it.

1. Hidden bargains on eBay.

The giant website is full of new or used goodies that make perfect lower-cost Christmas presents. But eBay’s so big now, a mass of bidders drive prices up. Yet there’s a way to grab things below the standard value by finding items which are in less demand.

Myown eBay Local DealsMapper at www.moneysavingexpert.com/ebaylocal searches ‘pick up only’ deals near you. As this often means fewer bids, there are bargains to be had.

A different approach is taken by www.fatfingers.co.uk and www.goofbid.com, which trawl eBay for all possible spelling mistake combinations.

Wrongly spelled products attract fewer bids because people miss them.

2. Use a shopbot

A shopbot – or shopping robot – is a site that does a price comparison for you, from games to gadgets, books to perfume. So instead of just using Amazon, you search a range of e-tailers to find the cheaper price in the same time. Top shopbots include www.bookbrain.co.uk (for books), www.twenga.co.uk and www.foundem.co.uk

3. Bag 5% off all Christmas and January sales shopping

Cashback credit cards PAY YOU every time you spend on them. So provided you set up a direct debit to ALWAYS repay the card in full, and thus avoid the usual 20% APR interest, you’re quids in.

Right now, both Capital One and Amex’s Everyday pay a huge 5% back on the first £2,000 of spending in the first three months. So grab one and you’ll have this high cashback for the crucial Christmas and January sales periods.

4. Take a peek at web outlets

You’ll likely have heard of outlet stores, usually in big retail parks, selling last year’s lines at up to 90% - off discounts. Over the last year, this trend has moved to the web. A host of online outlets now give the same discounts, but without the trek. Some have their own websites, others do it via eBay.

Examples include M&S (www.marksandspencer.com/outlet), House of Fraser (http://stores-ebay.co.uk/House-of-Fraser) and NetAPorter (www.theoutnet.com).

A full list of online outlets is at www.moneysavingexpert.com/outlets

5. Amazon’s 70% off hidden bargain basements

Amazon has become almost the ubiquitous place to do your online shopping. Its range and selection is mammoth. Yet there’s a trick you can use by manipulating its URLs (web addresses), which enables you to build section pages organised purely by the biggest discounts, such as TVs discounted by more than 50% or toys by more than 90%.

I’ve a tool which builds pages for you at www.moneysavingexpert.com/amazontool. Put in what you’re looking for and how big a discount you want, and it builds the page instantly.

6. Uncover hidden BIG brand flash sales

Many branded and designer goods e-tailers run membership clubs. You register free, they send alerts for two- to five-day online flash sales, usually starting at the crack of dawn.

Provided you price-compare there can be bargains – sites include Brandalley.co.uk, Cocosa.com and Venteprivee.com

7. Give a chick or a can of worms... for charity

Feel the need to give, but don’t want to waste cash on tat?

There are some wonderful and weird charity gifts allowing you to contribute to good causes. How about a can of worms (a wormery can help fertilise wasteland) for £7 from Christian Aid (Presentaid.org), a health check for £6 from Oxfamunwrapped.com or blankets for five babies for £15 from Unicef (shop.unicef.org.uk/inspired-gifts/intro).

8. Tesco’s Christmas DOUBLE exchange

Until December 5, Tesco’s running its Christmas exchange, letting you double the value of Clubcard vouchers in-store and online on selected department.

9. More money back using cashback websites

Once you’ve found the cheapest store, see if you can get paid cashback on top.

A number of sites get paid by online shops for sending traffic, then give you a cut. The top cashback sites are Quidco.com and Topcashback.co.uk

10. Plan to pounce on the BIGGEST discounts

Make your Christmas list now and then look out for codes, vouchers and sales (I put all the best in my free weekly email at www.mse.me/tips).

Track a real bargain

● New supermarket ‘is it really a bargain?’ tracker There’s a new way to chart supermarkets’ price changes over the last year, to see if a special offer’s really a bargain. Sign up to Mysupermarket.com and search for a product, then scroll down for a chart of the big supermarkets’ average price for that item.

● Tesco Wine code Tesco Wine’s giving 500 bonus Clubcard points on ANY spend until December 31. The points are worth up to £20 when spent on items in the Clubcard Reward Brochure.

See www.moneysavingexpert.com/wine