Christmas 09 Let's Get Organised!!

kaz2004

Wow! It's taken 4 evenings to read all of your amazing and inspiring threads. Please may I join you?

Am slightly worried that I will not be ready for the big day but I think you guys will spur me along.

One question B & M? What shop is that? Am a real fan of Poundland and do not want to miss out on another find.

Am now off to write my list. so excited!

Mrs_Ryan

Hi everyone!!!

Can I join in?

Xmas is a nightmare for me!!!! Last year I spent about £3-4000 and thanks to that Im now on a DMP :eek: :rolleyes: Unfortunately mum and dad have spent a fortune on me (us) and our main pressie - a cooker - came the other day. But last year I bought them 13 presents each (:eek:) so this year Im going to buy them a fairly big joint present and Im being strict in saying 4 small presents each only.

Im buying them a digital camcorder (they have everything else. OH suggested a DAB radio but unfortunately while Mum would like it as she loves her music, Dad is deaf so that kind of defeats the object a bit methinks!) But I've done some shopping around and found a really nice Samsung one for £149 in Currys, so going with that I think.
Doing a 'pink smellies hamper' for Mum (also sister) One of the girls I work with is doing Virgin Vie so have ordered some nice pink shower gel from her, plus I bought two cheap pink bath scrunchies from Superdrug, two travel-sized tubes of Soap and Glory handcream, two Vaseline Rose lipbalm pots (Advantage Points are a wonderful thing :rotfl:) two slices of pink Rock Star soap from Lush, and two Per Una bodysprays (bargain - £3 each) also Vera Wang handcream for mum (its pricey but Mum loves it - £13, anyone know where I can find it cheaper?) plus a necklace and earrings set (I get her one every year, probably from Bon Marche, I got her a lovely one last year for £7) and her Lindt Lindor choccies which I get nearer the time.
Brother and BIL will get the same as every year - random Lynx-type sets from Boots (like I say, arent Advantage Points great???) :rotfl:
Niece number 1 - three cans of Impulse, a make-up bag and some Hello Kitty toiletries - DONE!!
Niece number 2 - WH Smith voucher.
Nephew number 1 and 2 - Anyone any ideas on Dr Who bits??? Please??? I cant stand the blasted programme so I dont have a CLUE. I usually end up buying them bubble bath figures every year - nephew number 1 is 11 and nephew number 2 is 8.
Nephew number 3 - Fenwicks voucher.
Dad - have bought him 5 pairs of fresh feet type socks, plus will get him a bottle of whisky and some glasses. Mum has bought him a Nintendo games thingy (dsi? where do I get cheap games for this????)
SIL - pass. I bought her a silver lighter last year but no idea for this year?
Best mate - again, god knows! She has everything. Suggestions could be good!
OH is getting a multi-region DVD player, plus his usual pyjamas/Lynx shower gel/Game voucher/rugby top.

Im not as organised as some - the thought of Xmas is filling me with dread! My job means its difficult for me to get to town so I usually have to get everything in one fell swoop which is worse.

pretzelnut

Im still here, it was a false alarm with my waters, so i have been taking it easy today, doing a cross stitch thank you card and waiting for my cuttle bug to arrive.

As much as i'd like her to come early the longer she's in there the better it is for her in the long run, plus were to organised for next thursday wheni have my c-section for her to come early - were not prepared for that.

Im in love with my new cuttlebug machine, have been playing with it all night.

Not spotted anymore xmas bargains but i havent been anywhere to see any.

If i do go into labour Df has my password and strict instructions to come on here and let you all know.

Of to go catch up on the thread.

pretzelnut

Mrs_Ryan wrote: »

Hi everyone!!!

Xmas is a nightmare for me!!!! Last year I spent about £3-4000 and thanks to that Im now on a DMP :eek: :rolleyes: Unfortunately mum and dad have spent a fortune on me (us) and our main pressie - a cooker - came the other day. But last year I bought them 13 presents each (:eek:) so this year Im going to buy them a fairly big joint present and Im being strict in saying 4 small presents each only.

:eek::eek::eek: £3-4000 OMG i would have died if i had spent that much.

Dont feel like yo have to give as much as you recieve, especially as you are on a DMP.

You should still stick to a budget - regardless of how much others spend on you. How would they feel if they knew you were in so much debt because you felt obligued to buy them big gifts because they had bought you one.

Its good you've realised the errors of your ways and are trying to cut down this year:T, i think everyone is. Being organised will definately help.

Its not the ££££££'s you spent but the thought that you put into it. Which is why a lot of us are making little novelty things ourselves or doing hampers.

With hampers you can pick up loads of cheap little bits and when all put together it looks like you've spent a lot but people can see you've put loads of time and effort into it.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE im begging you - dont spend that much on christmas presents for other people this year or anywhere near it, put yourselves first and clear those debts. That would be the best present you could give yourselves and i doubt your family would begruge you finalcial freedom.

(you can tell me to shut up now):o

Money_maker

If you have boys/brothers/nephews to buy for, you many want to check out this thread http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1922747 on the Grab It board.

Free Lego toys for collection from Toys R Us or WH Smiths via a promotion in the Daily Mirror. Shame they're not local to me.

cheesy*wotsit

Im feeling miserable now. I went on the local radio station to tell them how handy it was starting your xmas shop early... and they thought I was bonkers. Why dont they realise its so I can get everything done and out of the way and therefore easier to work out how much money I'll have left for xmas itself... which being a temp and the money being a bit random is surely a good thing? :xmassign:

fedupandskint

Mrs_Ryan wrote: »

Xmas is a nightmare for me!!!! Last year I spent about £3-4000 and thanks to that Im now on a DMP :eek: :rolleyes: Unfortunately mum and dad have spent a fortune on me (us) and our main pressie - a cooker - came the other day. But last year I bought them 13 presents each (:eek:) so this year Im going to buy them a fairly big joint present and Im being strict in saying 4 small presents each only.

Hi, I think princesswoo summed it up well. Please don't feel obliged to spend more than you can afford. I realise it takes some doing in your mind to set a budget to stick and not feel obliged to spend spend spend with all the tricks the shops play closer to the time.

I have a budget of between £75-100 pp and I only have 3 people to buy for so this is do able for me,

From this thread I have shopped much more wisely and have bought half of 2 people's presents and I know what to get for the rest of theirs. Home Bargains has been a revelation it is so cheap - do you have one close by?

I don't mean to be partronising at all, just helpful and MS

roosterbean

:santa2:Sorry to jump on this thread folks (have been reading it over the last couple of evenings as my mind keeps turning to xmas!), but I just have to say Cheesy*wotsit that you will have the last laugh when you have a happy and well organised xmas - cheer up, you are not on your own judging by this thread.

Would love to be a recruit if you guys will have me.

I made hampers for everyone last year and they were all really appreciated - looking for something different this year though but not sure what....:snow_laug

Money_maker

cheesy*wotsit wrote: »

Im feeling miserable now. I went on the local radio station to tell them how handy it was starting your xmas shop early... and they thought I was bonkers. Why dont they realise its so I can get everything done and out of the way and therefore easier to work out how much money I'll have left for xmas itself... which being a temp and the money being a bit random is surely a good thing? :xmassign:

You are so right - wish those who flash the plastic at Christmas then pay for it the rest of the year would wise up to this.

And its fun!!!!:santa2:

cyclingyorkie

yes but if everybody started now then the shops would be busy...and they'd put the prices up!

Let's make it our secret....