Worried

Jennykins

Thanks, tonnes of good ideas in there. I will check out all the offers I can find & will def make some truffles - that should go down well with my lot actually! There is a TK Maxx near me so i'll pop in there & there's a few different pound shops near my work so I'll check them out when I get back to work in December. I'm determined to do this. If I come back on here saying that ive overspent, slap me please!:rotfl:

katsu

pound shops near me had lovely hat and scarf - fluffy and soft, looked great value for £1 each. Think I'll go back this weekend and see if they sold out

karom

Jennykins wrote: »

Cutting down seems so hard. I hate this time of year so Im not the type to browse the shops which is why gift vouchers often feature & then I feel the need to give a "decent" amount. Expensive make up & toiletries are also frequently on my shopping list!

I used to be the same, not really counting for family however this years, my financial situation and commitments have seriously change this year and for the years to come so I setup a list and allocated £20 / person this year. 1st big shock in calculating the total.
Next: What do I get?
Vouchers are not as nice, I am sorry no way round it, people just see it as cash; I do not believe in them.
I am thinking about what to get each person (not obvious but given 1-2 month I should be ok) and record what to get, how much I spend and how much I save.

What I believe is important is the ratio thought-fit for purpose versus cost. Anybody can just by £20 voucher, but getting the £20 worth special. Don't feel bad, I used to but..... how annoying is it to never get a feedback as to what people get with the voucher ... or get a mild thank you.

Embrass the crazy present challenge people mind present; I dare you

karom

katsu wrote: »

pound shops near me had lovely hat and scarf - fluffy and soft, looked great value for £1 each. Think I'll go back this weekend and see if they sold out

Incredible, I found for the kids spongebob sticker album for £1 :T Can't odds it, definitely worth a look

ZarZar1990

karom wrote: »

Next: What do I get?
Vouchers are not as nice, I am sorry no way round it, people just see it as cash; I do not believe in them.
I am thinking about what to get each person (not obvious but given 1-2 month I should be ok) and record what to get, how much I spend and how much I save.

I'm in the same boat as you Karom, don't want to do vouchers, theres just something not Christmassy about it, plus then folk realise how much you've spent on them too...
I'm doing project hamper this year...

Basically going to places like Bodycare, cheap jewelry accessory shops, boots etc and buying lots of small items for £2-3 a pop and making each person a nice little hamper, for example, for my Mum & Stepdad I've got my mum 2 books (amazon under a quid each for new), my stepdad a dvd(amazon £7), bottle of wine(£5), and 2 mid sized boxes of chocolates (£1 each from tesco) total- £15
and my 16 y/o sister I've got her chocolates (£2), bodyspray/perfume set (£4), 2 orange bacardi breezers (£1.something each) (shes allowed a drink on xmas day, one with xmas dinner, one with xmas tea, just so you don't think I'm being the irresponsible big sister ) and a necklace/earring set for £1.50 off ebay. total- Around £10

Will probably present these in either a hamper or xmas stocking to make it fun, don't know you think this is a good idea? xxx

Jacks_xxx

ZarZar1990 wrote: »

I'm in the same boat as you Karom, don't want to do vouchers, theres just something not Christmassy about it, plus then folk realise how much you've spent on them too...
I'm doing project hamper this year...

Basically going to places like Bodycare, cheap jewelry accessory shops, boots etc and buying lots of small items for £2-3 a pop and making each person a nice little hamper, for example, for my Mum & Stepdad I've got my mum 2 books (amazon under a quid each for new), my stepdad a dvd(amazon £7), bottle of wine(£5), and 2 mid sized boxes of chocolates (£1 each from tesco) total- £15
and my 16 y/o sister I've got her chocolates (£2), bodyspray/perfume set (£4), 2 orange bacardi breezers (£1.something each) (shes allowed a drink on xmas day, one with xmas dinner, one with xmas tea, just so you don't think I'm being the irresponsible big sister ) and a necklace/earring set for £1.50 off ebay. total- Around £10

Will probably present these in either a hamper or xmas stocking to make it fun, don't know you think this is a good idea? xxx

It's a brill idea honeybunny. I LOVE a good hamper. I'm not the biggest fan of opening a bunch of voucher envelopes on Christmas Day either.

Plus, you can get way more VFM by shopping around so it looks as if you've spent more than you have.

I noticed in Tesco tonight that Glamour magazine (I think it was that one) is giving away Nails Inc nail polish with each copy. The mag must be about £3 and the polish would be about £10 at full retail... That's got to be an idea for somebody hasn't it?

Love Jacks xxx


PS I'm missing my Nan now. She used to make us up these gift bags of random stuff that she picked up all through the year and you never had the faintest clue what you were going to get. It's just not the same at Christmas without them.

skintas_2

im dreading xmas too, last year didnt buy much as we went on holiday in feb instead hoping not to buy much this year too

tori.k

my siblings and i still agree the best christmas as adults (before we all had kids) was the year we all had dinner together at mothers and had to get each other a table gift for less than a £1, my brother gave my mum a cut up spud and some cocktail sticks as a potato jigsaw, it was just a daft kinda night, i dont remember the expensive gifts i had the year after but that night still make's me smile

Shelldean

what about this idea??? can be adapted for any age..... but I did it once for a 50+ rellie so will tell you about that......

Get lots of little things, travel sized lotions and shampoos etc, nail files, face cream, tissues, tights, body sprays etc. All around the pound mark or cheaper. Wrap each item. And place into a big christmas paper covered box. cut hole in one side, fill wil cut tissue etc and it become a lucky dip. Great fun. I did write on the tag how many she had to find so nothing got missed in the chaos.
Also did it for younger rellies.

This yr for same person i'm going to get a small basket, and do a toiletry hamper for her. This way it has items she will ACTUALLY use.
Must add this person loves me getting her ponds cold cream, tissues, impluse body spray and tights for xmas as it saves her money through the year

ZarZar1990

Jacks_xxx wrote: »

It's a brill idea honeybunny. I LOVE a good hamper. I'm not the biggest fan of opening a bunch of voucher envelopes on Christmas Day either.

Plus, you can get way more VFM by shopping around so it looks as if you've spent more than you have.

I noticed in Tesco tonight that Glamour magazine (I think it was that one) is giving away Nails Inc nail polish with each copy. The mag must be about £3 and the polish would be about £10 at full retail... That's got to be an idea for somebody hasn't it?

Love Jacks xxx


PS I'm missing my Nan now. She used to make us up these gift bags of random stuff that she picked up all through the year and you never had the faintest clue what you were going to get. It's just not the same at Christmas without them.

Thanks Jacks Yeah that sounds good, I'll keep my eyes peeled for similar deals in magazines, I'm supposed to be on a magazine ban but I suppose if its technically saving me money and getting me a gift for one of my hampers then its good news all around :rotfl:

I need to get organised though! I've got soo many hampers to make and so little time until xmas! :eek:

Awww thats sad about your Nan, perhaps you could re-start that tradition at some point? maybe for next year?
I always maintain its much more fun to get lots of little random cheaper gifts if you don't know what you're getting than one big expensive present, and the guilt factor is a lot less when people haven't spent as much on you.

I'm soo glad I found this website, full of lovely people with lovely ideas :beer:

xxxx