The Thrifty Gifty Girls 'n' Guys 2009 (Organised & Money Neutral for All Occasions)

mum2one

Me again - points update.

me/mum/dad/dd

Quidco
£1.68/£2.38/£4.16/na

OnePoll
£22.45/ £16.45/ £10.95/ £7.90

Mutual Points
2142/ 1347/ 796 / 1879

Global Market Points
370

Home of Research
Awaiting updates from site

Valued Opinion Points
£4.75 / £4.85 / £6.25 / £8.75

Sainsburys Nectar Points
3750

Tesco Card
£14.50

Tesco card vouchers
£35.00

Boots Card
£4.50

DD Swimming Lessons
£25.00 - (due Feb £45.00)

DD Ballet / Tap Lessons
£20.00 - (due April £50.00)

Supermarket tin (cash for vouchers used)
£27.00

Boots Vouchers
£40.00

xx
£27.00

sarahf191979

Happy New Year Everyone

Hope everyone had a good one.

Been busy since Christmas, OH Uncle passed away on Xmas Eve so was very quite and Sad time for us here. Kids had loads of fun and enjoyed every minute of the festivities though.

We are out at friend today for a few drinks then back home for Tea with my Mum to start the new year off.

Managed a few sales bits, and recyled a few gifts for this years Birthdays, need to sit down and sort out my lists again though after buying stuff the other day. Need to sort out what vouchers I have left now and due to come and do my gift lists.

Anyway better go and finish my toblerone rocky road bars, and do a few jobs before we go out.

Hope eveyone has a nice day :beer:

sarah
x

Tigger888

Happy New Year everyone!

We had a very quiet night and it's nice not to have a sore head this morning!

Loving your lists mum2one - I'm going to sit down and do the same although I think you have a fair few more presents to buy than me! Most of our birthdays/friends' birthdays are in Oct/Nov/Dec so it's very easy not to plan for them but this year will be different.

Hope everyone has a good start to their year.

JaneLiz

I may seem bad but I tend to only spend £10 on birthday presents for people, but it works for me

Month/birthdays (7 friends + parents)
Jan – 0
Feb – 0
Mar – 0
Apr – 1 (£10)
May – 1 (£10)
Jun – 0
Jul – 0
Aug – 1 (£10)
Sep – 1 (£10)
Oct – 4 (£40)
Nov – 1 (£10)
Dec – 0
Total - £90

Christmas (parents + 1 friend)
(decided with friends that we’re only buying for ONE person, either through pairing up with your ‘best’ friend or a Secret Santa)
Three people - £40

Parent’s anniversary - £10 - £15

We don’t buy things for mother’s/father’s day, they’re more a day for us when you ‘give’ other things – cook a meal, tidy the house, ‘pamper’ them, etc.

Overall total - £150 max

scattymam1

I think that's great about mothers day and fathers day - I think it should be that way JaneLiz.
I've changed from buying proper pressies to buying cheap mothers day type things like the stuff you get in card shops,etc; - but I think this year my dd will be making a few pressies for my MIL and FIL for these occasions and for her dad as that is how it should be. We spend enough on them at birthdays and christmases.

I do the £10 a present thing with my family and friends for birthdays except at christmas I might spend a little more but I can't do this with my husbands family - I hate it - if it was £10 each for birthdays it would make the finances so much easier.

jem1276

Happy New Year from a newbie to this.

The last 2 years I have looked to have an organised Christmas far too late in the year so have read the tips on the threads and thought 'oh I should make a note for next year' and then promptly forget.

Looking forward to learning lots and spending less this year and getting to know you all :j Jem

jamtart6

Happy New Year Girlies!!! XXX

mary43

I'm going to try and average out birthday/christmas pressies out at a cost of £5-6 per person. Tried to do it last year and kept going over budget
Must admit some pressies worked out less than £5 but the bulk went over - I kept adding to them so my own fault.
I'm not being mean but we don;t have a great deal of money and this year everyone appreciated their cheap and cheerful bits and pieces just as much, probably more, than if I'd spent a lot.

So, I've already started a list of stuff to make (save buying a lot so even cheaper).

furrypig

Top of my list of things to do is go through all the possible gits/presents for next year (whoops this year!!) and allocate them to people and if I'm not going to use them try and sell them on ebay or give them away as raffle prizes etc etc as part of an effort to declutter at the same time!

pinkladymel

Sarah, I am very sorry to hear about your loss over Christmas and hope that you and your family are coping ok x

I would like to wish everyone a happy new year. With the start of the new year the thread will now focus on becoming money neutral. To help with this, if you see any bargains, freebies or special signing up offers please let us all know JamTart is probably enjoying her festivities and run off her feet (I know I have been) but I know she will be back soon and hopefully with some nice pics of her sparkly diamond ring

I have heard a few people talk about making their own cards. If anyone has any questions or needs some help please feel free to ask me anything.

I made a few cards last night:







As for Organizing Christmas.. I shall be running a Rudolph Club the 25th of every month. No matter how busy you are.. or how sick of christmas you are.. Please PLEASE come on this thread and share your life with us for one day so we don't lose touch and we can keep up to date with everyone.

The Rudolph club will be a day where we can all report and share what we have done towards Christmas. By doing this.. we can see other peoples ideas and be inspired rather than me just telling you what to do. I am also going to aim to make Christmas cards every month so that they are done for Christmas. If anyone else would like to that would be brilliant

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!!