First Debt free Chrismas!

worriedsik

Here is a wee poem i posted on the xmas song thread

Normally at this time off year i would be a big spender
But now iam sensible since i have no lender !
It isnt spoiling my xmas fun having no plastic or overdraft to run

Infact its quite liberating and i have more time
and iam sure that when xmas is over i wont feel like i have commited a crime
There are people with no food or warmth in there homes
so iam gratefull for small mercys and appreciate those
I have my daughter which is more than money could buy
And i would like to thank the people on this board for getting me by

Thank you all you know who you are and a Merry Xmas to one and all

alastairq

katsu wrote: »

Have you considered supermarket saving stamps? They give you a small bonus for getting them, and it enables you to lock the money away fairly safely - I can't see tesco or morrisons going bust.

When we were very poor my grandmother used to buy us a £1 stamp per week with her food, so that we had £50 to spend at Christmas. It was a godsend.

hi katsu...thanks for that [timely?] reminder..certainly something to consider for next year, anyway...becasue.....Martin [MSE] mentioned using a loopehole of sorts in Tesco's way of working the stamps thing.....there is a section on mSE covering it......something to do with, instead of buying stamps each week, place the same amount into a savings account, each week....then, come October, withdraw [including any interest] and buy the job-lot of Tesco stamps...apparently the interest Tesco applies goes on only come October....so your pennies earn a little bit more.....

In_a_Mess_3

This year my mum and dad bought the savings stamps from Morrisons, which was fine but we were of course tied to the one supermarket.

We have agreed that next year we are going to put by £2.00 a week in a jar and let it mount up, so that way we can shop around and take advantage of all the shops special offers.

We are also going to get a pre-paid credit card, dh will get one through his bonus scheme which will be handy as that adds up to a little bit by the end of the year, we have got the boys presents this year through it, so they will be happy boys christmas morning!!

alastairq

I must admit, these pre-paid CC's rather make me suspicious.......plus, it appears one has to 'pay' for the privilege of accessing one's money?

Sadly, I am one of the few who seem to get total satisfaction from my electron card.....both of them.
[I buy over tinternet quite often.......paying paypal or whatever, via my 'bills'' card/account...then immediatey transferring the requisite sums from my normal account to the bills account. This way, I know whatever is left in the normal account can be used for food, petrol and cash purchases....don't have to worry about whether I've forgotten to allow for that amazon purchase]


IaM......may I suggest, you only save two-pound coins?

curly04

Alastairq - I have the pre paid card so my husband can't see what I am saving and find something super duper that we need the money for!

If there was a jar on the side I'd come home from work on day and it will be empty LOL

In_a_Mess_3

Good idea Alastair, thanks.

alastairq

aaahh.....I see....

skylight

An alternative is another Basic bank account. Its free and most come with some debit card or other.

My main account is my Natwest Step and I pay a little each month into my Co-Op Cashminder as my "instant access" savings. Very little in interest but I can access it quickly via the debit card.

The biggest plus point to this is that firstly, no fees or charges. Secondly, the little green '0's on my credit file (getting obsessed with these!!).

nervousmother

my prepaid card was got so i could do tesco.com but it really has helped as i transfer the amount i can afford for food and i havebuilt up a nice surplus up on it too...

cloverfan

i too have spent far less this year BUT for the first xmas ever I am totally happy with what i have for everyone!! b4 i used to worry how to pay for it end up borrowing off friends/family then panic buying and spending way too much!!!

I also do the tesco xmas club where you get all your vouchers together in one go in november instead of every few months and u can top it up at the tills if u have a spare £1

merry xmas everyone!!!