On a major budget this xmas...

[Elli21]

We've decided that this year we are having a major budget...We've still got a little bit of the debt to pay off and we gathered that we should focus on that as we cant do both.

I have about 20 pounds to spend on each of my children. And about 20 quid to spend on the rest of the kids in the family. Then we are giving the adults pictures of our kids..like our parents and grandparents etc. And we will not be buying for eachother this year.

Sometimes i feel kinda bummed about it, but others i try and focus on what good getting rid of our debt will do to our finances...and then hopefully 2009 will be less stress and thats a brilliant xmas pressie for me.

I feel kind of bad, but id rather do it now than next year when both the kids will be in to it and excited...

Anyone in the same boat? Maybe we could exchange bargains together?
So far, im thinking poundland...and tesco and asda for the cheap little things.

 

[Uvlollypop]

we are in the same boat, we have taken a massive loan to clear debt and have to properly budget from there.
we are aiming to teach amy that xmas isnt about pressents its about family. ill let you know how it goes as she has a mummy that can throw money at her!!

meh!

 

[Vickie]

Same here really. We are one card away from being out of debt We aren't buying anything for any one except the kids in both families, and Hannah won't get much, she's young and won't remember anyways!

 

[luvbunsazzle]

Spending £25 on my brother, his brother and my sister, then my mum & dad we brought a bbq when they had the big summer sale, his mum and dad we have no idea, they wanted summer house furniture, thinking we are made of money, so we reufsed, they will have upto £100. I got Mark some golf shoes also in the sale, at only £60, i haven't asked for anything, and then with Grape we are spending £25 each, the other family will have a family photo or something.

We have 2 loans, so trying to clear those off, it's not easy.

 

[danni2609]

Well im buying my daughter a few bits. No adults though this year

 

[louisaL]

i completely hear you. I never spend as much as i would like to and feel guilty as my parents spent almost £50 on us each (me and my sister) and my sister spends around £25 each on DH and me.

All we tend to spend is £5-£10 but what can you do if you havent got it you havent got it.

I've found a 6 CD set from a book club with all the songs from broadway musicals which i know my dad would love and appreciate for £5 and thats all i am getting him i know its not much but he understand our circumstances

i'm hoping for a bfp and i know that would be priceless to everyone so will work on that instead lol

 

[Ames]

its not about the prezzies anyways its about spending time with everyone that you love (and the MIL) and not breaking the bank.

tis the season to be jolly!!!!

 

[polo_princess]

How about the boots 3 for 2 offers ... you could pick up some nice stuff and land a bargain there hun? Or Matalans quite cheap too!!

 

[loubieloulou]

its so much better 2 have a money plan for xmas rather than b on here in jan and so over debt your all doing the right thing. we just buy parents and 2 brothers, gran n grandad get a photo of the girls. we have saved up money this yr for xtra pressies as we dont buy them toys in the yr but when was a kid the best things at xmas was making xmas biscuits, decorations 4 the tree, paper chains 4 the house and going to xmas carol concerts etc. BnM have great pressies i got my youngest a few bits for £2.99 and she will lov them i think the quality is v good. boots is good with 342 but normally each gift is a few extra quid from there anyway so you have 2 look 2 see if u r actually saving. the pound shops are FAB for colours, pads making stuff and you should get some good things of ebay and carboot sales, so many pl sell brand new stuff that wasnt wanted. my friend has bin the charity shops and picked up clothes for 70p, 70 bloody p how fab is that!!!!

its really true about family at xmas my parents were very skint when we were kids but our xmas's were the best ever!! xx

 

[Elli21]

Yeah i always remember the skint xmas's from my childhood too coz we got things like paper n pens and crayons and arts stuff...it was so much fun, coz ud get int o a right old mess and make things.
We're going to be going without a tree this year too, but we're making paper chairs and decoartions to hang up..so it shud still look lovely
I brought my first xmas pressie a day or 2 ago, its a mini set, its got a clip board, mini highlighters and mini pencils and a colourful pad..all for £1 at tesco..Leigha will love that for in the car!!

LouiseL - fingers crossed for your bfp xx

 

[csmummu]

Weve been looking in the yellow paper bargains in there! maybe not new but not full of holes either. We bought a BIN full of mega blocks for caitlin i mean theres about 30-40£ woth of stuff and we got it for a tenner! there was also a play kitchen in the paper for £4 the stickers were a bit tatty but shes 3 she would make them tatty in 3 days anyway - but that was taken so im still on the look out !!

as for buying for other kids cut their money £10 is way enough even £5 they only need stocking fillers! their parents can but them the stuff that they want or need?

My mum has 10 grand children and normally spends £20 on stuff they dont even like so this year shes bargain shopping! way over due if you ask me!

 

[Mamafy]

There are loads of bargains out there hun, asda, tesco, woolies and ebay at age 1 & 3 they'll be happy with whatever they get I know because I have a 1 year old and a nearly 3 year old

tesco do little barbie type dolls for just over £1 and lots of colour stuff is great playdoh and blocks are great

I think ebay will be fab as you'll definitely get some bargains if you're prepared to wait on auctions

you'll have a brill xmas anyway

 

[Purple_Kitty]

I get a lot of Jonah's bits and pieces for Christmas on ebay and Amazon, and I don't end up breaking the bank. I buy Kevin a couple things, and one thing each for my mom, two sisters, my niece and step-dad. I don't buy gifts for anybody else, because I'm always broke! I get things where they are the cheapest.

 

[Pyrrhic]

We're in the same boat. I'm planning on spending a max of £20 per present for people as we've got LO due a couple of weeks before.

I've already started looking online, as a lot of places have sales on just now to get rid of the last of their summer stock. I have a 19 year old sister, and I've seen a great pair of shoes for £5 on www.asos.co.uk!

 

[brownhairedmom]

I'm buying a wholesale makeup stock for my sister from ebay for like 15 dollars :rolf: she'll be happy for years. And we had 10,000 Villages come through last weekend, so I bought her some hand carved jewerely from like Africa or something.

I'm just getting whatever discounts I can get, I'm seriously strapped for cash because I had to go buy everything I didn't get for my shower that I needed (i.e. everything that was actually essential). Christmas will suffer this year.

 

[Wobbles]

Woolies always has a clearance section!

Home bargains? Poundland for a couple of small surprises ...

SWAPS - swapping unwanted things for wanted
SELLING - exchange unwanted items for Amazon or Boots vouchers online? £15 spend for free postage with Amazon Boots £40 free postage ...both have bargain sections!

£10 max each on any of my family! I will be heading for 3 for 2s I also go to the checkout in trips so I get the best deals of them! I'm leaving most of my side of family out this year ...mainy the ones I always buy for and they couldn't even be assed seeing Caitlin when they had the chance so thats gone out the window & saves me money. Other peopls kids ...you know a little selection box or christmas sweets santa shape chocolate chrimbo tub is nice imo. Parents, grand parents and Aunts/Uncles are the main buyers of kiddies (parents the main main one of course) ...a little thing like that is sweet & thoughtful imo

Caitlins got a fair few prezzies but shes 1 3 weeks before and is in need of activity which is what shes got - toys are few atm but building so this was a great time.

 

[Wobbles]

How old is Leigha?

 

[Pyrrhic]

Something which my Mum used to do every year was make baked stuff for people.

She'd spend ages doing it, but it would cost her very little. Her favorite thing was making truffles for people and she'd make about 5 different types and then either wrap them in tissue or put them in a nice box. If she wanted to add something extra, she's buy them an xmas decoration for their tree. Everyone loved them. Might be an idea for some people on maternity leave?

 

[Wobbles]

I think things like that ^ are sweet regardless of poor or minted. Personal touches go a long way with people only turned noses from ungreatful people!

 

[Amanda]

its not about the prezzies anyways its about spending time with everyone that you love (and the MIL) and not breaking the bank.

tis the season to be jolly!!!!

That did make me chuckle Ames!!!

Normally we'd spend £200 on the kids, and about £20 each on family kids, and £30 each on the adults. Really strapped this year because I only work part-time now, so have limited the kids to £100 each. Tbh, Kayleigh wants one of the new iPod Nano's, and they are £109, so that's what we'll get her and then nothing else. Charlie will probably only get about £50 spent on him because he's too young and will get plenty from everyone else.

We've told all the adults in the family that we're not buying for them this year, and are limiting ourselves to £10 per child. Only parents will get something, and that will be £10 each as well. But that's still £130 as there's 13 kids and our parents. Stu and I aren't buying for each other either.

Charlie's got one of those Victorian photo shoots at nursery this week, so if the pics turn out well, it'll be pics in nice photo frames for the grandparents.

Bloody horrible doing it this way isn't it? Still I'm happier that we won't be starting the year even further in debt than we already are.