best old style money saving christmas hints and tips

Kiwisaver_2

Dazi wrote: »

Oh and a big thing to remember......DON'T BUY THE ORANGE AND LEMON SLICES someone will always win a box in the xmas raffle lol

:T

I remember one year I vowed not to buy any chocolate, because we always end up with too much, people give choccies as gifts at work etc. Haha, how cheated was I when not one single box of chocolates was forthcoming? I now buy a modest quantity just in case of emergencies.

As for the cost of things, I agree homemade is not always the most thrifty, whilst buying ingredients to make some mincemeat it occurred to me I must be slightly mad as I could just as easily have bought a jar for a lot less money.

I decided not to buy any Christmas cards, paper or gift tags this year until I checked out what I had leftover from last year, the year before and the year before that. Looks like I have plenty enough without buying more.

maman

Kiwisaver wrote: »

:T

I remember one year I vowed not to buy any chocolate, because we always end up with too much, people give choccies as gifts at work etc. Haha, how cheated was I when not one single box of chocolates was forthcoming? I now buy a modest quantity just in case of emergencies.

I'm really going to miss Woolies pick-and-mix this year. It was good to just have a bowl of sweets on the side. I know tins of sweets can be cheap but you have to eat them!!!

Needhelpsaving

Hi all,

I am new to MSE and am loving the tips!

I buy wrapping paper etc in the January sales.

However, I have moved out and after settling in last xmas have decided to have some family round for dinner - any tips as I need to keep a strict budget and I wanted to help my parents out by doing is as they are in major debt x

luxor4t

Another OS idea I try to stick to: don't buy tat as a stocking filler.

Early 20s DD's 'stocking' will hold her favourite shampoo & conditioner, sewing thread, a diary, postage stamps, patterned tights & sweeties

all things she will use & far better than plastic novelties & "gift sets" most of which get wasted.

timmmers

My Mum used to have a "thrifty" old lady neighbour she looked after and every Xmas she came round and gave her a card and waited until she opened it...then spirited the unwritten envelope away when she left to use again :T

Her tightness was better then any decent Xmas pressy as it was sooo funny. The pening of Elsies present became a feature of the day, Mum used to recieve things like an old coathanger wrapped in second or third time used paper :rotfl:

As a daily routine this old lady used to wash her face in a morning using the warm water from her hotwater bottle from bed :rolleyes:

t

yummyhoney

im going to make truffles and fudge and put them into candle holders!!i hope,,never made them before:)

Olliebeak

One of my main tips is to be very careful with the packaging/boxes that Christmas lights/ornaments/trees come in. If you put everything back carefully when you take them down again, they will last you for years.

I've lost track of how many times my DD has had to replace absolutely EVERYTHING because things were just thrown into a black bin liner.

This is my fourth year with this 7ft Christmas Tree - bought when I moved into this house because I've now got a bay window to put one in. My last tree was a foot smaller but it was given away to somebody who didn't have one as it was still in immaculate condition AND in its original box.

I've stuck with a gold theme for decorations for about 15yrs (gold for Christmas NEVER goes out of style - neither does red/gold/green combination) and I've had 1 set of clear lights for about the same length of time. Over the yrs, as I've graduated from a 3ft tree (1990) to a 7ft one, I've added another set of lights at a time - now I've got 4 sets (about 350 in total) - all clear ones - and still have the boxes for them AND the spare bulbs as well. Also gradually added more tree ornaments at a time - especially as I now have to decorate ALL round the tree and not just the bit that was on show .

I also have a 'good' set of tableware that gets used Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day and then goes back into it's box and put into the shed where it's quite safe.

This year I DO need to buy some new glassware - but they will be looked after and put away after the holidays. I mostly use plastic tumblers for the remainder of the year and NEVER give glasses to children.

I've planned my main meals for over the holiday period and made shopping lists. Some stuff has been crossed off the list as I've already got a 'Christmas Goodies Stash' - gradually accumulated over the last couple of months and now hidden in my bedroom.

JulieM

For those with a sewing machine, make your own table runner. You'll need about 2 metres of christmassy material to get the length, but it will be wide enough to get 2 or possibly 3 runners out of it. So you'll have one for your own table and can give the others away as presents.

missychrissy

I bought 3 metres of Christmas fabric in Malins about 15 years ago. I hemmed each end and it has been my Christmas tablecloth ever since. It cost very little to buy and very little effort to make but is now part of our family Christmas.

I have some Christmas table mats and coasters that I bought in Tesco a few years ago, I always make my own table centre flower arrangement and I add some crackers, usually bought in Home Bargains. It's lovely to see the table looking so festive on Christmas Day and for very little money. I have about 10 for Christmas lunch.

Butterfly_Brain

My DD 20 and DS 15 still love their stockings it is a tradition and I still have the stockings that they had as toddlers and they are used every year :rotfl:
DD's stocking - Fishnet tights, Anti perspirant, Hair Serum, Heat protect spray, Bubble Bath, Needlework set, Eyeshadow, Mascara, Emery Boards, A tube of Nair, and she would never forgive me if I forgot her bag of chocolate coins!
DS's stocking - Bits and pieces of warhammer stuff, Stig soap on a rope, Stig Bubble Bath, Lynx chocolate deoderant and of course choccie coins