New Thrifty Gifty - Organised for Christmas and all ocassions 2010- Santas Challenges

sparrer

Anglea wrote: »

So for the rest of you - what would you do differently next year?

To earn money for 2010 birthdays/Christmas I will...

1. listen more so when people mention in general conversation something they want/need I can get them a present they would really like

2. when browsing in charity shops look more for presents for others than for things I don't really need

3. seriously get back into clicky sites

4. try to be more business-like when doing car boot sales instead of selling things for next to nothing

5. I usually have the cards written, addressed and stamped by end of Oct, this time I hope to have the pressies wrapped and labelled by end of November

6. really, really try to be money neutral

asking a heck of a lot of myself but I can only try...:rolleyes:

Tigger888

Loving all your ideas! For 2010 I want to:-

1. Have all my cards written by October

2. Spend more time clicking and doing surveys therefore more vouchers.

3. Plan the food shopping a bit better - we are in a rural location 5 miles from the nearest shop and with the snow I have not been anywhere for 9 days!! Ran out of milk on 23rd December and OH had to creep down the road in the car!

4. I'm probably not going to get to the sales with the snow but will be checking for a bargain on a regular basis!

Thank you Jamtart for the gifts list - it is printed and in my folder. Will be checking the spare pressie box today!

nickynoo08

• Our main problem was not being organised enough with food, left a few bits too late and under estimated on a few other bits so plan to shop earlier and get a few extras in.
• collect as many bits as poss through out the year. I'm doing more hampers next year so i've done a rough list of themes and i'll look out for bargains and mark them off my list so i DONT buy duplicates:rolleyes:
• be more money neutral, did quite well this year but want to do even better next year

Got quite a few gift bags now ready for next xmas so that'll save me a few pennies and a few unwanted gifts that'll suit other people plus i found a load of gift sets and other bits n bobs i'd stashed away and have only just found:o, hence the marking things off my list once i buy them.

I'm going to do my Jan budget today now i've found an easy way to work it out. OH gets paid weekly and i couldnt get my head round it last year but i think i've got it sussed now

rufusdog52

Morning Everyone

Had a lovely stress free Christmas this year after all. The homemade gifts all went down well and everyone was pleased with what they got so already thinking what to make for next year. Have told them they will be getting homemade again and nobody moaned.

I have a few gifts that can be recycled through out the year for birthdays etc.

Havent been up to the sales yet, might go tomorrow and see if I can get any wrapping paper as that was useful this year to have it all in and ready to go.

BEAT_THE_DEBT

I am in!!!

jamtart6

Second organisation tip from me.... (could be the last one until 2011!)

Get the thank you letters written!

I've just done mine. Being poorly is making me super organised. Don't feel well enough to go out so I'm mooching around here.

Just made a list of the birthdays for my Organised Planner.

Thinks like Mother/Fathers/Valentines day always surprise me. I always forget about those, so they've all gone down in the diary too.

14th March - Mother's Day
20th June - Father's Day

for next year!

fedupandskint

Had a very relaxing stress free Christmas Day and Boxing day due to being so well prepared due to this thread!

IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Everyone loved their hampers, my brother was v.chuffed with his car washing one in a new bucket wrapped up in cello and a big bow and ribbon! The HM treats, pickles etc went down a storm too and my mum liked her pamper hamper and her bargain babyliss hairdryer which I bought in the summer!

Everyone loved their Christmas Eve Hampers and the baskets from Homebase which could double up as a magazine rack.

I said if anyone didn't want the baskets/boxes I would have them back to reuse - one basket returned! They wanted to keep the hamper baskets and hat boxes to reuse which is fine and the retro sweet jars (filled with chocolate eclairs) also went down a treat too!.

The turkey was delish from Exmoor foods and nice and convienent in a crown and quick to cook.

Leftovers for tonight!

Looks like this thread helped me so much from the summer that I'll be jumping on board straight away again for 2010!

What can I say, what a humungous help and effort and was an equally humungous result! I came in on budget for all the pressies with careful shopping too! All ready early with no last minute rushing too!

I've written down the Jan Challenge which is my least favourite subject of money, however New Year New Way Forward it is!

The challenges helped me so much I will continue next year from the start!

I bought my Christmas Cards for work in the sale today from Sainsbugs and a table cloth cover too and they are away in the Christmas drawer. Homebase had 3M of wrapping paper for 29p in cream and gold but I still have 3 unopened rolls for next year and 2 open already!

I will be expanding my homemade treats for next year to include mincemeat and picallili and anything else from this year that people would like again (chutney and cake etc)

Already have a Mother's Day Card bought in the sale last year from M+S.

Have updated next years calenders with birthdays etc.

Will get back on the saving challenge with 1p and 2p's.

Other than that having a couple of weeks off and then will think about presents for the year. Will have a little look in the sales for stocking fillers and birthdays and put in present box. This year I used a photo album and some toilettries for presents that were left over from last year and they were very well received.

Thanks for all the help, advice and inspiration for last year - what a help!:T:A

elysia2003

I sorted out my present box last night, and have noted everything down.

I also found some lovely mirrored photoframes I bought in the sales last January. I couldn't think who to give them to this year as they are only small, but as the theme for my pamper hampers this year will be silver and pale blue (i bought some ribbon in these colours to tie the cello up yesterday) I think they will be a lovely addition. (well I hope so!) Now I have the theme sorted it'll be easier to find things to go in throughout the year.

Thanks Jamtart for the reminder about Valentines Day - what is it, about 6 weeks away? It'll be here before we know it.

I found last years Mother's day card in the black hole called the bottom of my wardrobe too. I always buy them, lose them and have to buy another! All cards have now been put in a special box, along with birthday wrapping paper and gifttags. Woo Hoo. :j

Sorry you're not feeling well Jamtart, I hope you get better soon.

mumofjusttwo

Well I already has DS present for his birthday. i have a few smelly gift set, purchased in sales. but don't really have anyone to give them too now. Can't think what to do with them. used some up for teacher presents etc.

mooomin

Hi there!

As a regular on the DFW forum I would really like to make Christmas 2010 as cheap as possible!! I did quite well this year - Bangzo etc meant that I was able to give some really interesting books to people and the Grabbit board allowed me to find some excellent presents. I also bought quite a lot of things last January in the sales!

This year I want to:

1. Buy as many sales things as I can
2. Only buy reduced wrapping paper/cards
3. Try and make my own cards
4. Recycle Christmas cards into gift tags/use images on cards I make
5. Utilise cashback etc to make Christmas and birthdays as money neutral as possible

I have already been to the Next (urgh), Paperchase (Ooh!) and M&S sales and have come away with some good bits for presents. Mr Fresian also received a small hamper from his grandad this year, and has said it's ok for me to pinch the (really lovely) basket to use for someone next year!

I now plan to make myself a little spreadsheet with information about the RRP of each gift and if I used vouchers etc. This will allow me to see the true costs of things.

Sorry for rambling on, nice to meet you all!