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[MSE Martin]

THE WINNERS

Thank you so much for all your festive fiver ideas. There have been some wonderfully , innovative, unique ideas to give lots of people food for thought. While the competition is closed please feel free to keep adding your ideas.

The winners are listed below. Please PM MSE Archna (click on on her name and click 'send message') if you're a lucky winner. (If an idea was posted twice, the first one to post was deemed the winner).

The £200 winner!!

Bake At Home Kit - Lovely Lainie

Runners Up

Adults

The perfect man - vikki_louise
In an emergency - ih8stress
Name a star - silkkat50
Unique artwork - mintedby30?
Sand art brownies - Mrs_P
Top tips book - Joools28
Personal squash book - charmion32
Exploding photobox - jamtart6
Personalised diary - monkmorency
Vinyl record bowls - pig_let_cool

Kids

Kiddies journal jar - irchy_mum
England team football shirt - alicatsa
Children's crafty box - Lilyann
Personalised book - Foxy666
Edible art set - thevicster
Monster killy spray - anansi69
Candy cane reindeers - Spend Less Lisa

Back to the original post

_________________________________________


It's time for Festive Fivers 2008. The annual MoneySavingExpert.com contest to find the best, clever, weird, practical, thoughtful, romantic present ideas you can buy or make providing it costs less than a fiver (before delivery).

All the best suggestions will be published on the site, to help everyone have a less expensive or consumeristic Christmas, Chanucah, Eid and more. So even if you're idea isn't a winner, please report it anyway.


What's the prize?

For the best overall suggestion we will give £200 plus there will a signed copy of either The Money Diet or Thrifty Ways for the runners up.

Check out (but don't copy) past winners.

It's worth having a look at the previous Festive Fivers winners to see what's there, it may also give you some inspiration. Obviously any of those ideas will be excluded from this year's contest.

Deadline: Thursday 13 November

Get your entries in before Thursday 13 November. The winners will be announced on the site and in the email within a week or two from then.

You will then be contacted via this Chat Forums public message (PM) system, so please make sure you check to see if you've won.

How to enter?

Simply click reply below and enter the details on this thread (please DO NOT email your idea, it won't get counted). You can enter as many times as you like, both in just one post or in many (and of course it is free).

Please put your answer in the following format

• Name of present?
• Do you make it or buy it?
• Total Cost?
• Details (the more the better)
• Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer

For example

• Name of present? Personal gift vouchers
• Make it or buy it? Make it
• Total Cost? under £1
• Details (the more the better)? Simply draw or print up - on nice paper, some personal gift vouchers such as 'I'll do the ironing', 'I'll babysit', 'I'll make you dinner', 'I'll give you a massage', or perhaps some more creative and naughtier suggestions of your own! Then give your partner/brother/sister/friend the vouchers instead of a present. Giving vouchers is often more personal, rewarding and lasts longer than presents. You can give books of 5, 10, 100 or just a single one. You choose.

Good Luck!

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[Lizbeth]

Thought I'd start this off with this...

Name of present: Poo in a box
Do you make it or buy it? Buy it from Natural History Museum website
Total Cost: £5
Details: Odourless poo in a box with seed to grow xmas tree (raindeer poo), banana plant (rhino poo) or rose (elephant poo)
http://www.nhmshop.co.uk/gifts-for-h...x/product.html

[brookeslay]

Name of present: Whos Who ( cheap version of Guess Who)

Do you make it or buy it? buy it

Total Cost: £2.25

Details: Tesco own brand of games they also do twister, 4 in a row ( connect ) operation,megasketch, hungry hippos all the well known games under £5.00


Tesco Direct has additional 25% off until the 9/11/08 if anyone has other thing to buy. If not pop a game in with your shopping !

[tifnstav]

Name of present: Home made guess who

Do you make it or buy it: Make it from an old guess who from a jumble or car boot (costs pence)

Total cost: Pence plus some pics of your family and friends/old magazine clippings, depending on whether its family or celebrity Guess Who!

Details: My sister and I often used to make Guess Who funnier when we were younger by trying to think of someone real that the characters looked like (Sue Pollard and Rusty Lee were particular favourites, plus our old English teacher). This year I'm going to try to make her a personalised guess who game! Emphasis on the "try" part!

[Fag_ash_lil]

This is my favourite .... very moneysaving !!


Name of present .... A jar of nothing

Do you make it or buy it ... You make it

Total cost .... Maybe 30p at the most if you are adding a ribbon ...

Details .... A used ( but washed ) empty jar with with a label attached saying ..

Did you say nothing?
When you were asked what you wanted for
Christmas.
Don't you remember saying NOTHING ?
Well this time someone heard you, searched
high and low and found this perfect gift for you ...

As taken from the Craftbits website .....
http://www.craftbits.com/viewProject.do?projectID=1087

( If i am not allowed to add this on here because it's taken from another website, please tell me and i'll delete it .... )

terri x

[jackomdj]

• Name of present? Photo Collage Jigsaw, 10" x 8", 120 pieces
• Make it or buy it? Make it & buy it!
• Total Cost? £4.49
• Details (the more the better)? I am currently making this for my Dad (doing the bigger one for him though!) I have made a collage of photo's using Picasa 3's free software. I am going to upload it to snapfish & get it made into a jigsaw.

The cost for a 10" x 8" (120 pieces)photo jigsaw is £9.99
Snapfish 20% off using code £2.00
Quidco money back £3.50
Delivery to a local store FREE
Making it cost just £4.49

I am doing a 16" x 12" (204 pieces) one which works out at £8.49 so a bit over the £5 limit on here.

Nicky

[irchy_mum]

Name of present? Child's Journal Jar
Do you make it or buy it? Make it
Total Cost? Approx £2.50 (I'm allowing for paper & colour ink,£1 for an A5 notebook & jar as a 'freebie')
Details (the more the better) This idea is from the Organized Christmas website. You take one clean jar i.e.- coffee jar and print off lots of quotes/prompts which you then cut up,fold and place in the jar.
Buy an A4/A5 book from somewhere like Wilkinsons , place folded quotes in the jar and give to a child with the book. The child then takes one quote/prompt a day glues/sticks it into notebook and then writes an answer to the question. This creates a keepsake book that's all about the child.
This can be repeated every year
Must add extremely simple to do

http://organizedchristmas.com/childs-journal-jar

[vikki_louise]

Name of present? Magazine cover card
Do you make it or buy it? But it by design your own
Total Cost? £2.99
Details (the more the better) Select the magazine style cards, they allow you to change all text, add your own photographs and captions while still looking like the front page of the magazine. Do them to celebrate 2008, from school photos to birthdays, add the highlights of the year. Anyone would like to receive one but very good for grandparents (who will be amazed that a card can be made with their grandkids pictures on
Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer www.moonpig.com

[vikki_louise]

I heard about this and decided to use it for gifts but it wasn't my inital idea

Name of present? Perfect Man
Do you make it or buy it? Buy but add a label
Total Cost? under £1
Details (the more the better) Take a gingerbread man and repackage him so it looks posher, print out and attach the following poem

THE PERFECT MAN
They say good men are hard to find
I know this to be true
But I hunted far and wide
And found one just for you!

He is no good at DIY
He cannot fix the car
But his socks are never smelly
And he doesn't stray too far

He always listens patiently
And won't pester you in bed
If you get fed up with him
You just bite of his head!

I think this gift is fantastic and I know so many women who would love it, and it would make them laugh on christmas day!

Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer

[vikki_louise]

Name of present? Fresh drop smell stop
Do you make it or buy it? buy
Total Cost? £4.99
Details (the more the better) A little bottle of smell stopper, just place a drop down the toilet before you "go" and it will instantly stop any embarrassing smells, great for use in the home (your family will thank you!!) or for when out in public as a lot of people worry about leaving behind a smell, this would take the worry out of that
Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer http://www.presentsformen.co.uk/prod...ell-Stop-6842/

[Badger_Lady]

• Name of present? Christmas Pudding Vodka with Cocktail Shaker
  
• Make it or buy it? Both
• Total Cost? About £5
  
• Details (the more the better)? Make the vodka using the below recipe (you choose what vodka to use), and decant into pretty 30cl or 50cl bottles. Buy a stainliness steel cocktail shaker from Poundland (for £1!) and wrap them up together.

INGREDIENTS:
1-litre bottle vodka
1 tbsp dark muscovado sugar
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 cinnamon sticks
1 star anise
50g dried cranberries
50g almonds, roughly chopped
peel from one large orange,
peel from one large lemon,
8 cloves

PREPARATION:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a suitably large bottle or containers. Ensure all containers are sterilised by running through a dishwasher cycle or washing thoroughly then warming in a low oven.

2. Shake or turn the containers once a week for about two months.

3. About two weeks before drinking, strain through a fine sieve and/or coffee filter paper.

[vikki_louise]

Name of present? Reading box
Do you make it or buy it? buy
Total Cost? under £5
Details (the more the better) Take a box and cut off the flats (at the top), next cover it in festive or metalic wrapping paper. Next go around charity shops and pick up lots of 10 and 20p books in good condition, with the aim of introducing new books to the bookworm your sending it too (I find as a book worm when someone gives me books sometimes i read and enjoy a book i would never of brought myself). Buy some cheep gummyworks (33p a pack in many places) and place in a small jar, add lable saying "Book Worms". Add a cheep bookmark, and a mug with hot chocolate saches. Place all in the box and if you have any lying around wrap in cellephane with some ribbon. Im doing this for my nan this year, which she will love.
Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer

[vikki_louise]

Name of present? A treat a day keeps the Dr's away
Do you make it or buy it? Buy
Total Cost? £4
Details (the more the better) Half cost are selling 21 day pill box for 50p. Take a 21 (or 28) pill box and fill each day with some sweets, be it fried eggs on a friday and gummy bears on a tuesday, put a different treat in each days "hole" (or course the lid is down so you can't see whats in tomorrows etc. Jan is meant to be one of the most depressing months of the year so this will be a little smile each day during jan for 21 (or 28) a day

Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer Half cost http://www.halfcost.co.uk/webapp/wcs...cache_entry=-1 although there are lots of places to get the holders offline

Woolies are doing large bags of Harbio for 99p and on buy 1 get 1 free at the moment

[vikki_louise]

Name of present? 5 minute chocolate mug cake
Do you make it or buy it? both
Total Cost? £2 although you might be able to do it for less!
Details (the more the better) I was given a recipes by a friend a while back for a microwavable cake and it turns out it can be made in a mug. So for the present give the person a nice (largest possible) mug. You could put things like a bag of chocolate chips, mixed nuts, raisins etc in the mug. Wrap nicely and attached the receipy and instructions

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1 000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

You could also layer up the ingredients in a jar (minus the liquid ones) but that will put time and cost up a bit




Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer

[vikki_louise]

Name of present? Suprise
Do you make it or buy it? make
Total Cost? £2 at the most
Details Not sure where I first heard about this. but after the kids are in bed on xmas eve, get a roll of wrapping paper and attach it to the door frame so the children are "wrapped into their room", they then have to do a big paper burst through to get to their presents!
Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer

[vikki_louise]

last one i promise!

Name of present? Warm fuzzy feeling
Do you make it or buy it? Buy
Total Cost? £5
Details (the more the better) take a tiny box (i used ones that used to hold a small square chocolate) or you could make them. Make a donation to a charity that you think the receipient would like. Then write on a little piece of paper that a donation has been made in their honour to X charity this christmas and that it is going to help *insert detail*, Tie with contrasting ribbon. I do this at christmas and display then in a little sleigh as the center piece for christmas lunch
Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer

[vikki_louise]

This wasn't my idea, I've just seen lots of people on this site doing it, and think its great!
Name of present? Put of gold
Do you make it or buy it? Make and buy
Total Cost? £5
Details (the more the better) Take a bowl or small basket, scrunch tissue paper up and place in it (to give it a more full look), add chocolate coins and a lottery ticket for the christmas draw, also add a scratch card if you wish. Do up in celephane with ribbon and add the poem

Heres a little pot of gold,
A festive nibble too,
I hope it makes all your dreams come true,
Merry Christmas from me to you.




A festive nibble too,
I hope it makes all your dreams come true,
Merry Christmas from me to you.

[grahaml221]

Phone your family or a old friend cost about 30p

[vebeus]

In this time of making/ customising your own items my suggestion for a gift is a book called "Make!" by Cath Kidston. It has 40 projects that are quite easy to achieve and looks a good quality book. The best thing though is that it includes a canvas tote bag for you to customise. It was originally £14.99 but can be picked up for £4.99 on The Book People website or in the current "School Link" brochure (which if you have delivered to school is free P&P). This is an affordable gift for Cath Kidston fans and would be also suitable for teenage girls as the projects are fairly straightforward.

[smellymel74]

I have several ideas. Not sure if any of them have been posted before so apologies if i'm repeating someone else's good idea
Here goes:

IDEA 1
Name of present: Framed photo

Make it or buy it?: Make it (can buy it too if you don't have access to a printer)

Total Cost: Around £3 to make it yourself (slightly more if you get it blown up in a shop)

Details: Pick a favourite photo of a loved one and blow it up then stick it in a cheap frame from The Range/Wilkos etc. - a perfect personalised gift for anyone. To make it extra special, use old photos.

I used an old black & white photo of my mum when she was a baby craddled in her mum's arms. It was only small and the negative was long gone but I scanned it with a digital scanner from university, then it's easy to print out as a 10"x12" on my home PC. (If you don't have access to a scanner, you could try snapping it with your digital camera then blowing it up at home, or take it to asda/tesco or the likes - they'll do it for you for a couple of quid). The frame cost £3 from the range and the paper was ordinary good-quality printer paper from university and it looked great.

IDEA 2
Name of present: Traditional cross stitch sampler

Make it or buy it?: Make it

Total Cost: Around £3 for material and thread

Details: Get some sampler material and coloured cotton thread from hobbycraft or the like (ebay also has loads of this stuff). Decide on a design - see below for links to some ideas - and get sewing!

I did this as a housewarming gift for my brother and his fiancee when they bought their first home together. What's great about it is you can personalise it in any way you want and make it as simple or complex as you feel confident enough to achieve - have a look on the internet for some ideas of designs if you're stuck. And it gives you a new hobby to while away the winter evenings!

Of course, it's cheaper - and more rewarding to make it yourself from scratch - but if you're new and don't feel you can do it without a pattern, you can buy patterns for around £5 in hobbycraft and the likes, which can be used again and again for different gifts for different people. Alternatively, i've included some links below that offer some free patterns to download.

Link: You can download free alphabet cross stitch charts here if you feel you need some help getting lettering right.


http://crossstitch.about.com/od/free...Block-Sampler/

There are also various free patterns you can print out and follow. Here's a few:

http://www.cross-stitch-centre.co.uk/acatalog/free.html

http://crossstitch.about.com/gi/dyna...es%2FSweet.htm

http://www.aion-needlecrafts.co.uk/d...plimentary.htm

IDEA 3

Name of present: Home made soap

Make it or buy it?: Make it

Total Cost: Around £5 for material

Details: Get some glycerine-based melt-and-pour soap compound (it's easier, quicker and safer than using lye). You can buy it from boyycraft or the internet. £5 should get you a decent sized chunk that'll be enough for several soaps.

Follow the instructions - basically melt it on the hob and add whatever you like: essential oils; food colourant; dried fruit/herbs/flowers. Stick in a mold (you don't have to buy expensive molds from the shops - a washed and dried yoghurt pot will do) and wait for it to harden.

Wrap in some tissue paper for a really professional finished look.

Link:
You can get some ideas for recipes here:

https://www.soapkitchenonline.co.uk/...g_recipes.html

This link gives you the basic instructions for a melt-and-pour soap:

http://www.soap-making.net/steps-to-make-soap.html


IDEA 4
Name of present: House plant

Make it or buy it?: Make it

Total Cost: Around £5 total for material (

Details: Get some spring bulbs - B&Q and other places have 50 daffs £5 so you could make a stack of presents for very little from this or a few weeks back Morrisons had 3 packs of 15 or so bulbs for £3.

Plant bulbs in clay pots (£1 for a decent-sized small pot in B&Q) in double their depth of compost (home made ideally to keep costs down).

To force plants on (ie: to ensure they're coming into flower at christmas when you want to give them), stick the pots in a freezer or other cold, dark place (shed?) for a month or so, until tips start to show through top of compost. Then bring them inside and they shoulod come into flower in another few weeks - perfect for brightening up someone's home.

Hope that's of some use!