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

mum2one

Tigger888 wrote: »

Hello everyone! :hello: Hope you are all well - you seem to have been very busy!

Well, I have a notebook with all this year's birthdays listed and the list for Xmas (thank you Jamtart)- I have a huge box of bargains I got at the sales upstairs but I have not yet allocated them - did someone mention the naughty list!!! However I plan to rectify that tomorrow as we have no electricity from 9 - 3pm so I thought that would be a good job to do.

I am busy trying to fill in all surveys etc that come my way but it can be very tedious as times. I'm also slowly having a clear out in preparation for a car boot sale when the weather gets better.

First birthday present was given yesterday - friend's daughter turned 9 - I gave her a bracelet, a charm to go on the bracelet and some Funky Girl makeup - together with a homemade card and recycled wrapping paper (made prettier with some ribbon around it) it came to grand total of £1.90. Part of me feels a bit mean as her mum is very generous to me and my DDs but funds are very tight at the moment (and for the rest of the year) so I'm just going to have to live with it.

Love
Gill
xxx

Hi Gill,
Well done on the 1st bday prezzie, you shouldnt feel guilty, just think how much would the gift of been had you brought it at full price. U say her family is generous, maybe they have a bigger budget. I wouldnt worry, betthe girl loves the braclet xx

sylphraven

As long as you do moneysaving properly it defiantely isnt being a cheapskate, I define it as someone who gives tat as presents, - something that looks cheap &/or has no thought behind it, that isnt what we do. We buy something that would have been expensive at a reasonable/amazing price.

Tigger, that birthday present sounds great, after an item is bought think of it at the original price, & if it looks good - forget about the sale price in everyway except on here & your notebook.

jamtart6

Sylph - you tell your OH from me than I spent a grand total of £60 cash last year on gifts which included a Nintendo Wii, expensive Malt Whiskies, about £500 worth of stuff from Boots - so you can definitely do it cheaply but well! My OH is the same but is coming around to the idea and is thrilled when he has to pay £40 for most of his xmas presents!!

Tigger - I agree with sylph, I never think of my £5 as being £5 if it was originally £20!!

Claire34

Just a quickie - if anyone has someone spoily (inc oneself!) to buy a pressie for in the next couple of months there is a 48 hour offer of 30% the utterly Gorgeous REN rose otto bodywash. I got the email through at about 2.40pm on 29th Jan.
Link in the email is http://www.renskincare.com/product.asp?pf_id=30811&src=30811 and the code is INSTYLE09. it is a really top quality product in my humble, so whilst it's not a 'cheapie' it is certainly good value to get it at 30% off. I've scoured the net to try and find offers on REN but aside from occasional on ebay which often look like a great price but then there is a flurry at the end of bidding there has been nothing yet! x Claire

crazychatter

Grr, just lost my post!
thank you for the supportive comments! He is being a real stick in the mud at the moment!

paddingtondoo

Hi sylphraven & crazychatter - I thought it was just my OH who goes :rolleyes: when I'm saving money.

He was watching Martin on GMTV this morning when he mentioned a site that sells cheap food (sorry can't remember what it was called) and said he was surprised that we hadn't had huge deliveries from there as yet :rotfl:.

He also mentioned my craft stuff being ditched to store jars of mayo and bottles of squash - as if :rotfl:.

Don't expect he'll be whinging when he has loads of birthday pressies to open next Saturday rather than the usual 2 or 3 :A

pinkladymel

I had a Lush grabbit bag last year (from Telford too may I add for Sylphy lol) and it was awesome. It was only the tenner one and it had three gift boxes in it as well as tons of bars and what not!! I was going to get another one this year because I gave my friend and my sister the lush things for their birthday and used all the obviously christmas things (i.e christmas shaped bath bombs) for myself.

mum2one

paddingtondoo wrote: »

Hi sylphraven & crazychatter - I thought it was just my OH who goes :rolleyes: when I'm saving money.

He was watching Martin on GMTV this morning when he mentioned a site that sells cheap food (sorry can't remember what it was called) and said he was surprised that we hadn't had huge deliveries from there as yet :rotfl:.

He also mentioned my craft stuff being ditched to store jars of mayo and bottles of squash - as if :rotfl:.

Don't expect he'll be whinging when he has loads of birthday pressies to open next Saturday rather than the usual 2 or 3 :A

Exactly my point, I'm sure its in built in the male species!! Thou guess Sat mgt be the day when it sinks in! x

aurora_14

pinkladymel wrote: »

Aurora, I think a card and cuddle sound perfect x Are you crafty at all? You could make a little coupon book of favours for him to use - Hope you are feeling happy today x

Jammy I knew the exact bit you was on about and then you went and posted that link to my all time fave christmas film and now I am GUTTED it is not christmas.. HOW COULD YOU!! LOL Have you seen stepbrothers?

Hello everyone.
Mel - unfortunately I am not crafty but I can certainly try. So my plan so far is to make a card (use photo glossy paper, a nice photo of both of us at happy times to put on and decorate with red and silver sparkly dust, maybe some little hearts and a kiss - have to buy red lipstick for that one though :rotfl:).

Well, so far I am still in my job, we are in a "transition" period - apparently - I have my thinking head on to work that one out :rotfl:. Seriously, what will be, will be. Have to trust that all will be ok.
I must say to the girls - my oh was never the budgeting type, but since I took the control of the purse, he is very happy and in fact complimentary as he can see the benefits (cc bills much lower, slowly bit by bit paying off debts, little treats and so on). So there is hope. :j:j:j

sarahf191979

Morning Everyone

Have had another busy week here, managed to get on top of all the jobs in the house and do the weekly shopping twice. Hoping to have a nice relaxing weekend this week, might even rent a few DVD's.

I managed to pick up a few more bargins this week, got the kids some lovely velvet covered books in Homebargins called "Thank Heavens for Teachers" they were only 19p thought they would do as pressies at the end of term. I did buy some bath bomb sets originally from super drug at 49p each so they can go back in the stash towards birthdays and Xmas. Also picked up OH a Xmas homer simpsons cup and boxer short set at £2.60, which the kids can wrap up for Daddy.

And I'm well chuffed as I'm still nuetral..... I did feel I was being a bit cheap the other day but then thought NO, I'm saving money for me and my Family, what I've got it good stuff and is worth a lot more than I paid for it. So What if I've not spent what I normally do.

Anyway I better Go I need to nip to the shop........I HAVE RUN OUT OF COFFEE AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHH!!!! (The first time in years.....I normally have loads in, just can't find any, unless the OH has hidden it from me LOL)

Sarah
x