Christas DFW Style

sazzledazzle

I use my tesco vouchers to buy some of my pressies as if you use them in the clubcard deals you get 4 times as many points. For example a magazine subscription for a year is only £7 clubcard vouchers, if you brought that it would be £28. My family love the magazine subscriptions i get them as its something different. so making sure I fill up on petrol at Tesco at the mo to get the clubcard vouchers in Nov, plus their petrol is the cheapest our way. I also save my boots advantage points all year, and if you go the their special evenings over the next few weeks you get £10 worth of points if you spend over £50. so if you shop wisely on 3 for 2, buy £50 worth. You can then go back and by another £10 worth of 3 for 2 for nothing. Quite a big saving but only if you think you can do £50 worth of christmas shopping in there which I can.

Hope this helps.

moneymabel

Just posted this on another thread but i have used money from survey sites/daily clicks/bingo scratchcards/quidco to buy most of my presents this year, either cash to buy pressies, items purchased with vouchers from surveys or giving the vouchers direct. Probably a bit late for this year but worth doing next year !

moneymabel

sazzledazzle wrote: »

I use my tesco vouchers to buy some of my pressies as if you use them in the clubcard deals you get 4 times as many points. For example a magazine subscription for a year is only £7 clubcard vouchers, if you brought that it would be £28. My family love the magazine subscriptions i get them as its something different. so making sure I fill up on petrol at Tesco at the mo to get the clubcard vouchers in Nov, plus their petrol is the cheapest our way. I also save my boots advantage points all year, and if you go the their special evenings over the next few weeks you get £10 worth of points if you spend over £50. so if you shop wisely on 3 for 2, buy £50 worth. You can then go back and by another £10 worth of 3 for 2 for nothing. Quite a big saving but only if you think you can do £50 worth of christmas shopping in there which I can.

Hope this helps.

My sister bought me a mag subscription last year with her clubcard vouschers, its great coz as i have been saving money i havent bought magazines so it is lovely to get them free and i tend to forget so it's a brill surprise when they turn up in the post!

gailey_2

I adore xmas but always feel short of money.Sometimes I feel bit down at shopping centre everyone walking round with loads of bags but now I think they probably in debt!

We really short on money this year gona stick to sensible budget this year.
I have brought few 2nd hand toys off ebay so far so kinda started.

Did mean to start saving stamps this year 4 food but not doing very well but is worth doing as staggers the cost.

I keep an eye @carboots

Im savijng my survey money and points for xmas presents vouchers.

I brought £50 of xmas tree decorations in sale for £9! So tree will look good this year.

I plan to make my own cards this year
and attempt to make jam and shortbread too 4 presents.

I have put togther cheap xmas food hampers from wehn i [EMAIL="worked?@well"]worked?@well[/EMAIL] know frozen food retailer as lots of multibuys on chocs,alchol and biscuits plus I got discount on top.

Good things to consider

Pound shops brough nice presents in them before

carbootrs/local paper/ebay and charity shops

boots/woolies often have 2 for 2 on presents

Collect points to buy

start saving stamps or on card

Try and buy in sales or discount outlets

make some presents

if you do buy online use discountr codes and get cashback through quidco

make vouchers promising to do things like massage,washing upcook meal ect would be appreciated.

In prep for food shop buy bogoffs and scour reduced food bays and freeze

try and cook things like cakes sausage rolls and biscuits yourself to save money as its fun.

Be more prepared 4next xmas

make xmas decorations

complete surveys for vouchers

sell unwanted stuff at carboot or ebay to raise extra money for xmas.

savingholmes

I've also posted this on another similar thread

Hi I'm a fellow DFW however I am also active on the special occasions board. Check out how do I make this, gifts in a jar, finished baskets for ideas on thoughtful presents that don't cost the earth.

I still have 2 nephews, my mum, a friend and OH to buy for but pretty much the rest are now sorted! Just as well as my job security is rather iffy!

Gifts in a jar
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=571440
Finished baskets - photos only
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1175727
How do I make this
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=622943

I also used the £10 a day challenge to help fund pressies plus the freebies section - got 2 grolsch glasses, 3 perfume samples and a few other bits and pieces so far. Also started entering competitions...

I like flannel reindeers, journal in a jar, tennis ball and sunshine in a jar, pot of gold and snowman soup the best so far... if you want to know what they are all about - follow some of the threads listed above....

HTH

Birdy12

I agree with Sazzledazzle, the clubcard magazine subscriptions are a great idea, I got one for my mum last year, and they do some children's magazines too.

Tesco are currently doing an offer where, for every £5 clubcard vouchers you have, you can buy £10 worth of wine off their website. In my case, I find it's not just the presents for relatives but also for school teachers, cubs/brownie leaders, football instructors, dancing instructors etc. I know you don't have to do this but I feel it's expected So, it's a bottle of wine for everybody and, with any left over, I'll be donating them to the schools/cubs/brownies/footballs tombolas!...that's if I haven't got to them first...

Oh, and I don't do Christmas cards. In fact, I haven't for about the last 4 years. The children do send some and nanny and grandad always get a card but, as I say to people, If I want to wish someone a merry Christmas, I'll tell them! Luckily, no-one's taken offence yet.

If you like baking, how about making Christmas/Dundee cakes for people?

lauzjp

fayjmck wrote: »

i am also a terrible hoarder of things from charity shops like nail polish sets (75p) (New boots 3.50 job) - anything new and in packaging I tend to buy and stash away in my present box, local soap place has a tonnne of things half price at the mo, so lots candles for 50p (reduced from 3.99) have gone in too - then I take the lot out have a good think and pair the pressies with the right person (if htat makes sense)

My SIL has a great way too, she keeps freebies, any good finds and makes a box up for each of my kids last year my daughter got a collection of childrens books from a paper (black beauty etc), pasta book, hot choc sachets, some socks, some silly sweeties and some hair things - its a great pressie auntie liz's box - maybe something ot think about for next year.

I am the same - collecting ideal presents throughout the year - most of the pressies we give throughout the year come from our local charity shop - they get so many presumably unwanted presents donated in perfect condition stuff from next, sanctuary, clarins, all sorts of stuff. Even clothes with tags still on. Candles are great, and there are always candle holders in the shop too. I love making little gift sets like fayjmck mentions above.