best old style money saving christmas hints and tips

[Deleted User]

eselt wrote: »

Oh and just to let you know about the cheekiest MSE xmas wheeze I've come across so far- last year a friend of mine held a 'Delia Smith' themed boxing day buffet and everyone had to bring their favourite Delia dish-hence she didn't have to provide a thing apart from a few breadsticks....taking MSE a little too far methinks?

I don't know, we once had a Boxing Day thrash years ago, when my late husband decided that everyone had to bring something that they thought they would be fed up with after Christmas.It was great as we had loads of stuff brought, plus it helped us to get food eaten up that may have been thrown away, and when folk went home they could take their pick of what was left if they wanted it, great way to use up food and lots of folk brought odd bottles of stuff they didn't think they would drink.We had a fantastic party and everyone was happy with the idea.I had a large Black forest gateux that I had bought in a mad moment before deciding that it would probably end up chucked and one of my friends was pleased to take it home to share with her elderly neighbour.Result was I had nothing thrown out and we got back to 'normal food' fairly quickly.I always seemed to buy far too much in those days

ASC

funkymonkey849 wrote: »

Tip: don't buy chocolates for people in November because you'll find yourself at 6pm on a Tuesday night curled up on the sofa halfway through a box of chocolates after having tried to resist for a good 45 mins, poor effort

:rotfl:

Wrap them up as soon as you buy them! I learnt my lesson last weekend having pinched a bottle of wine meant for a hamper (:beer:). I've now wrapped ALL the food and drink presents and put them in the attic...


Love this thread btw, so many brilliant ideas.

A x

[Deleted User]

brilliant thread this, I am going to have a go with the sliced dried orange idea as my tree goes up on the 1st December the day before my eldest DDs birthday.
This family tradition stems back to me bringing her home from hospital just before Christmas almost 42 years ago,a very broke and exhausted young Mum( had a very long labour with complications afterwards, so didn't get released from hospital until 18th December) and my lovely late husband had told me that he hadn't washed a plate or dish up since I had been away having her, and that there was no coal in the shed for a fire.Dreading coming home I opened the door and the whole sitting room was decorated, and a huge fire was burning in the grate and above on the mirror written in soap was 'Welcome home Mum and baby Michelle' he was a real wind-up merchant.
Every year since then we decorated the house the night before her birthday, and I still write Happy Christmas in soap on the mirror ,though now its in the bathroom.funny how different families have different traditions.

SammyD_2

JackieO wrote: »

...Dreading coming home I opened the door and the whole sitting room was decorated, and a huge fire was burning in the grate and above on the mirror written in soap was 'Welcome home Mum and baby Michelle' he was a real wind-up merchant.
Every year since then we decorated the house the night before her birthday, and I still write Happy Christmas in soap on the mirror ,though now its in the bathroom.funny how different families have different traditions.

Awww bought tears to my eyes...how lovely you keep the "tradition" going.

When my husband and I first got together I was having my first Christmas without my family around me. I was sad, and so he bought me a surprise Christmas tree and decorated it. We had no money, and he had chosen the cheapest tree in the shop. 16 years later it still comes out, I can't bear to buy a new one, even though it is threadbare with hardly any branches.

Butterfly_Brain

Well I got all my parsnips and brussels in Aldi today (39p a bag) and have prepared and frozen them ready -I now have enough in my freezer for Christmas Day and New Years day and about another 6 meals to boot !

Hardup_Hester

This is actually an 'after Christmas' money saver. Evey year after Christmas my butcher sells huge boned rolled turkey's reduced to between £7 & £10, if I buy one I cook, slice & freeze it, it does our sunday roasts through to about Easter.
Hester

Bargainloverbec

We have agreed a Secret Santa among the adults in my family this year - we did names out of a hat in September and we are each buying one present (this also saves on wrapping up, hurrah!).

Also told the in laws that I was sticking to a strict budget per head this year now I'm a SAHM and they've all decided to do the same thing.

My tip would be to have 'the conversation' nice and early with people, they will probably be really happy to join in - after all, who doesn't like saving money!?

Butterfly_Brain

Years ago we all agreed not to buy for brother, sisters, nieces and nephews simply because there are 15 of them and 3 great nieces we send a nice card and every year we take it in turns to go to each other's houses and have a buffet party this is much nicer than knowing that the toys etc would probably be gathering dust somewhere

Athome1

SammyD wrote: »

This year we are also having a pre-Christmas saving. We are not buying any of our regular treat food for the six weeks before Christmas - ie no soft drink, icecream, coffee, fruit juice. The idea is that we save money and then can enjoy them more when we have them for Christmas. I do find that things aren't special anymore cos you tend to eat them more regularly than when I was a child.

We do something very similar AND no roast dinners from the end of November either!:D

MrsMoo2U

Great thread.
I will now be preparing my parsnips,carrots and sprouts this weekend. Lidl 39p!
I like to do the oranges with cloves for hanging around the house. I also get cinammon sticks and tie bundles in ribbons to hang on the tree. I also make my own Christmas home fragrance by putting water into a pan and simmering, to this I add slices of oranges, cloves, nutmeg, cinammon sticks, frankincense essential oil (not cheap but this is one of my luxuries and you only need a few drops). Simmer away on the top of the oven (or in a pot pourri bowl above a votive) and the whole house smells christmassy. I also like to make a garland for the fire. For this I buy a cheap stretch of green tinsel. I then thread on the orange slices, bundles of cinnamon sticks, holly gathered from the forest, clementines dotted with cloves and some ribbon bows (offcuts from the market).
Best part of christmas is the planning and preperation