Im stressed about the cost of xmas

lilly81

Hi Guys,
I have been reading the site for 2 weeks now and this is my first post.
I am not working at the moment due to personnel circumstances and I am getting really stressed about the cost of christmas. I know its not for a few months but I have debts so am on a tight budget.
I have a 6 year old son to buy for as well as my dad, 4 sisters and 3 nieces and 3 nephews!
I have been applying for freebies online for stocking fillers.
Any tips would be great!

PasturesNew

How much do you expect to spend then?

Pink.

Hi Lilly,

Welcome to MSE :hello:

Christmas is a costly time especially at the moment when prices just seem to be going up and up. The best place for you to get help with this is the Special Occasions and Celebrations where there are a number of threads with tips on preparing for Christmas so I'll move your thread across for you shortly.

Pink

Rikki

I don't buy for my brothers. We stopped when we move into our own homes and had different lifestyles. (when we did it was just a bottle of wine, maybe fancy chocolates or biscuits)

My nieces and nephews I only spend between £5 and £10 up to £10 max each.

That leaves my OH and two sons. I spend money I have saved on them over the year. Their presents depend on how well I've saved.

I don't believe in going over the top and getting into debt.

Too often we feel we have to buy loads and thats just not true.

lainz

Hi Lilly81

Don't stress - there's still a few months to go. Do you have to buy for everyone? You could for example give to the kids and not the parents. It would be worth speaking to your sisters and see if they are ok with this? If they are aware you're on a budget and you tell them in advance, there shouldn't be a problem.

If you have time and a little bit of creativity there's a special occasions board where they have lot of crafting tips, making hampers etc, which could do as presents for your dad / sisters. Also if you want to buy for everyone, decide how much per person, perhaps if things have been ott, suggest that everyone sticks to a £15 - £20 pp.

Check out the comping boards as well, if you have the time spend an hour a day entering comps - you never know you may win something (I should do it more - I have phases - still yet to win anything:rolleyes: )

Hope this has given you some ideas - my strongest suggestion is to speak to your family to agree a strategy and look around some of the other boards for cheap present ideas..... must do that myself!

ravylesley

How about setting up a quidco account?

I did this earlier in the year with the intention of using the money for Xmas and I have nearly £200 in there now.Its been gained by taking advantage of their special offers like signing up for betfair and coral etc but for say a £10 outlay I get £30 return and I've set the payout level so high that it wont pay out before xmas so I wont be tempted to spend it on something else

Lesleyxx

PennyPinchingPrincess

I gave my friend a really quite bargainous present for her birthday, she loved it! Maybe you could do something similar for your sisters?

I bought a mug from Wilkinsons for £1.99, it had "I used to have a handle on life, but it broke" written on it - it had me stood in the store giggling to myself! They had a few different ones. Then I filled it with little things I already had, mostly things I'd been given as freebies. There was a little bar of chocolate, a sample of body lotion, bubble bath, perfume, and a scented candle. I put it in a reused gift bag and it all looked pretty good :T

My friend knows that I've not got lots to spend, she wouldn't want me to spend more than I can afford any more that I would expect her to. Do your family know your situation?

McKneff

often over the summer you can scour car boot sales for new and unused items.

MrsTinks

Definitely come and visit us on the Special Occasions board
There is loads you can do to reduce the cost of christmas and why not get started on things like www.pigsback.co.uk and get hubby involved too (make sure you refer him to get the referral bonus!) and you can get Boots vouchers and loads of other vouchers - you should be able to get some in time for christmas
For friends and family why not try to make things? This can work out quite cheap too especially if you have skills like knitting etc

lilly81

Thank you everyone for your replies.
Last year i spent between £5-£10 a present but there was a toy shop that closed down in sept '07 and everything was at least half price!
I will make a no present for or from my sisters rule but the only problem is our birthdays are all in november and december (bad planning from my parents)
I will definately use the mug idea, and the special occassions board lots great, I cant believe I hadnt noticed it before!

Scarlett.1974

My first suggestion would be to knock the presents to your sisters on the head and only buy for the children (and tell them to do the same for you)..... I'm sure they wouldn't mind and would totally understand (my brother & I started this when we both had children, it just gets too expensive otherwise)