Thrifty Gifty - Organised for Christmas and all ocassions 2009- Santas Challenges

Lucy_Lu_4

98jdougl wrote: »

Going to wrap up a big box and have it into a lucky dip thing.

I love this idea 98dougl, I'm going to do this too for an advent calendar for my boyfriend if that's okay?! I love it.

mum2one

PinkLipgloss wrote: »

LOL - I was thinking about that - I think I'll have to allocate a special drawer/cupboard space for Christmas stuff!

This is going to be the year I am super organised. I've previously not bothered about Christmas until the week before and typically ended up spending way over budget just to get everyone something.

I've taken over one of the sheds, its full top to bottom, but theres all bday till end of yr, and 3/4 of xmas prezzies....... thou have to confess i kicked dads stuff out of it!! xx

mrsow

glad everyone seems to be progressing well, i really need a good kick up the bum to get on with my file.
Ive spent the day sorting my notebook out and have a rough idea what to buy everyone except my mam and dad (really hard to buy for)
Got a few bits today as my order came from halfcost (truly addicted thanks to mum2ones link i followed haha i love it)

Lucy_Lu_4

ellemm wrote: »

Received my first parcel of goodies from Flowerhour very pleased with that and just wish I could get wrapping something!!

Still on the lookout for suitable boxes to do retro sweeties and as lots of sales on at the moment looking out for any bargains for the kids in the family which I can keep for Christmas. (Local BHS was selling clothes for £1 and £5 but nothing jumped out at me)

Folder coming along nicely, calendar done on when I hope to have things completed, obviously list of presents and progress there as well as detailed spreadsheet - sheet for each person - of everything bought, where from, any discount and actual prices. (sad!!??)

Need to order more stuff to make the bath bombs and make a start on those so still feeling motivated.

Wow you're really organised ellemm. I like the idea of a page per person.

Lucy_Lu_4

kiminijane wrote: »

Oooooh! I must join this thread!
I've literally read every post, picked up on all the tips, freebies and challenges. I even went out and brought a shiny ring binder.
Ooh, and I'm following the twitter account and blogspot.

OOOOOOOOH! I'M SO EXCITED!!

My folder's shiny red too!

Lucy_Lu_4

I'm multi posting tonight, hope that's okay.

As there are a lot of new people on this thread I thought I'd try and find old messages I've posted elsewhere that might be useful...


I am in the process of making a Christmas folder. It's an arch ringbinder and is shiny and red (I thought it looked like a Christmassy colour although I will probably decorate it too!) and I bought it in the WHSmiths sale. In it I so far have a few sections:

- Information about being organised, planning and budgeting
- A list of shops I like to buy presents from and offers they have, eg M&S and Boots do 3 for 2 and I like the BHS Christmas shop which is also 20% off a lot of the time
- Lists of people I need to buy for, presents I want to make, etc
- A food and drink section - I am in the process of cutting out recipes from Christmas magazines
- A craft section of things I want to make and ideas of Christmas card designs
- A list of what I bought people last year and for their birthdays

If anyone else has done a similar thing or has any ideas of what else I could include I would love to hear from you.

The second thing I am working on is a present and budget Excel spreadsheet. I have no idea how to use Excel but my boyfriend is in the process of converting me, he has made me a chart that will list everyone I need to buy for, it will calculate how much I have spent on them and let me know when I am over or under budget. I have to say that it is very clever and he is right in saying that it will help control my spending. I am determined to either stick to my budget for each person but ideally I really want to come in under as we really need to save money. I am going to make presents this year as well and have boxes and jars saved already which is driving my boyfriend mad!

Following on from saving money and budgeting...
I find such great bargains and end up saving money on a particular item but knowing how cheaply I've bought things, I then carry on buying loads more presents for the same person. In the end I end up spending a lot more and giving them loads of presents! Does anyone else know what I mean and end up doing this too? I need to break the habit and am going to try to come in under budget for the amount I allocate people. I'm also going to try to train myself to imagine I've spent the full price or to imagine that it is worth more so when I do my budget I will save more money.

Lucy_Lu_4

For the we whisk you a merry Christmas idea... (move the spokes from an ordinary whisk and put wrapped sweets inside them). I found red Christmassy coloured spoked whisks in Morrisons similar to this one, except the Morrisons handle is black. I don't know how much they are but they are Morrisons' own brand so I doubt they'd be much.

PinkLipgloss

mum2one wrote: »

I've taken over one of the sheds, its full top to bottom, but theres all bday till end of yr, and 3/4 of xmas prezzies....... thou have to confess i kicked dads stuff out of it!! xx

mum2one A shed :eek: You must be doing a lot more Christmas shopping than me! :rotfl:

mrsow A friend of mine bought a really large picture frame and made a photo collage of herself/brothers/cousins/parents over the years and gave it to her parents as a present and they totally LOVED it - it has pride of place in their living room. It took a lot of time and effort to put together but it looks fab.

mum2one

Lucy_Lu wrote: »

I'm multi posting tonight, hope that's okay.

As there are a lot of new people on this thread I thought I'd try and find old messages I've posted elsewhere that might be useful...

Thats a brillaint idea thanks.

I am in the process of making a Christmas folder. It's an arch ringbinder and is shiny and red (I thought it looked like a Christmassy colour although I will probably decorate it too!) and I bought it in the WHSmiths sale. In it I so far have a few sections:

Def mse in the sale!!

- Information about being organised, planning and budgeting
- A list of shops I like to buy presents from and offers they have, eg M&S and Boots do 3 for 2 and I like the BHS Christmas shop which is also 20% off a lot of the time
- Lists of people I need to buy for, presents I want to make, etc
- A food and drink section - I am in the process of cutting out recipes from Christmas magazines
- A craft section of things I want to make and ideas of Christmas card designs
- A list of what I bought people last year and for their birthdays
Really good idea as saves the double up

If anyone else has done a similar thing or has any ideas of what else I could include I would love to hear from you.

The second thing I am working on is a present and budget Excel spreadsheet. I have no idea how to use Excel but my boyfriend is in the process of converting me, he has made me a chart that will list everyone I need to buy for, it will calculate how much I have spent on them and let me know when I am over or under budget. I have to say that it is very clever and he is right in saying that it will help control my spending. I am determined to either stick to my budget for each person but ideally I really want to come in under as we really need to save money. I am going to make presents this year as well and have boxes and jars saved already which is driving my boyfriend mad!

A spreadsheet is a godsend I set up all my bday and xmas up, with ideal spend, actual spend, any plus or minus, and what I find really motivateing is if you put in the actual price of the presents.
Following on from saving money and budgeting...
I find such great bargains and end up saving money on a particular item but knowing how cheaply I've bought things, I then carry on buying loads more presents for the same person. In the end I end up spending a lot more and giving them loads of presents! Does anyone else know what I mean and end up doing this too? I need to break the habit and am going to try to come in under budget for the amount I allocate people. I'm also going to try to train myself to imagine I've spent the full price or to imagine that it is worth more so when I do my budget I will save more money.

I use to do exactly the same, say I'd budgeted £20 and the item was £10 in the sale instead of £20 , I then went and spent the other £20.

There was 2 things that brought me to my senses for want of a better word (we have arrangement here, I buy all the presents balances off some bills, can be up to 3 sets of present for 1 person - mum and dad, me, dd.

Last yr, we did a family of 3, our budget was £40,(3 sets of us), and I got bargains they would of originally been £100 for £20. So was going to spend the remaining £20.00

Then the reality hit me would I give that family £100 in cash for xmas NO WAY, then once everything was on a spreadsheet with the values it really makes a difference.

Once the spreadsheet up and running, pull a person out, and if you say £30 budget, but u only spent £10 would you really want to give them £20.
Once you've visualised that a few times - it will work.

Another way to think of it is there anything you want, for eg with me, two years ago, the money I saved by doing the spreadsheets etc, I paid for 2weeks all inclusive holiday - just had to find my spending money xx

Lucy_Lu_4

Some of you will have seen my posts on other threads will know how obsessed I am with Poundland and pound shops, I love them! You get such bargains! They are great for making hampers.

Here's a link to their store locator: http://www.poundland.co.uk/pages/storefinder.aspx