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

fedupandskint

Well there I was thinking how stuck I was for my brother's Christmas present

for his birthday I gave him a polo white shirt and a pair of combat shorts (from Primark at £3 and £8) which he really liked, some packs of dove soap he also likes and then a kilner clip jar filled with 3 packs of jelly babies which I think he liked most of all. I told him I would get him another present because I had been stuck and couldn't find anything else to buy him in as lots of shops were filled with stuff he doesn't like when we were chatting on Sunday

Then I had a little wander around Amazon to see if there were any deals on there and there is 55% off on Seiko watches. Found a lovely automatic one for £78 (supposedly full price at £175) and used my survey voucher to get £25 off to make £53

He loves watches and I think he will like this. I was really stuck this year as to what to get him.

Main present for him bought now, leaving some other bits to get

eg bargain car washing stuff which he also loves and never gets tired of, another jar of sweets as this always goes down well (much cheaper than buying a jar of sweets predone)

Just need to think about the other stuff but plenty of time left and a lot of my shopping has been done now! Will update my present lists and spends so I know where I am

Don't think I've ever been this organised, and I thought I did well last year!

elysia2003

Well done fedup!!! I haven't bought a present for what seems like ages. :eek: I've had a quick flick through the argos book but I am stuck for ideas for DD2. DD1 thinks she wants an Sony audiobook reader thingy but she seems to have lost her ipod (probably in her room under a mountain of Uni text books), so may may want a new one of those.

DD2 woud like a DSi or the new 3D one that's coming out soon, but we have 2 DS's at the moment. She lost one, so I replaced it and then it turned up. :mad: I'm just hoping that happens tomorrow when I replace my lost phone. :rotfl:

Even stocking fillers and little pressies are a bit tricky. DD2 is at the age where she's out of Barbie's and Moxie Dolls (always preferred teddies anyway) but too young for other stuff. She has a TV and DVD player in her room and has her own laptop, so I'm stuck for ideas.

elysia2003

Just realised.....I got my blog up and running yesterday. If anyone would like a peep. There's only cards at the moment but I will post any other 'makes' on there too!

Who was it who came up with the Bits and Blogs title? I've had a look (but only quick) and didn't seem to see it.

susan42

Well done elysia,

your blog is great :j and I love tilda, are those the 1st cards you done, they`re very good :T:T...I seen you joined the card making forum, i`ve been a stalker for about 5 months but they go so fast I`m afraid to join in case I cant keep up...:o

I`m following your blog, as a follower but couldnt leave a comment, dont know why, just think blogger sometimes goes like that...:)

Well done fed up and skint, thtas a bargain with the watch and another present sorted:T

Mary, dont give up with your tableclothes, I know what you mean about buying things and then wondering what ever pocessed you to buy it, if you`re like me, you thought it was a bargain and bought it on the strength of that....not its appearance :eek:

Nicki, sounds like a good idea the fleece thingy :T

Hi jane :wave:, we well thank you x

mary-op

Hello all :j

elysia -just had a look at your blog.........super cards :T I really must take more care when I do mine..........love the papers you've used.

susan -think when I bought the bright yellow patterned tablecloth -the garish one!- I had the kitchen painted a different colour............but honest, it really is awful (unless you like yellow........lol)
Not done much today -physio this morning so ached a bit but did a bit of 'charity shopping'..........cheap notebook to cover, box of decorative little candles and two heart shaped 'worry stones'.........got some little bags I can put them in. Got flowers to decorate scrapbook so got home and did that then made a start on clearing out the cupboard so the plumber can get to the leak around the stop-!!!!.......can't believe I'd got four empty tupperware containers !!!:eek: Dread to think whats in the other side of the cupboard.............thats for tomorrow when plumbers been and hopefully sorted things out.
Friday I've ear-marked for having a go at giving manky door a colour wash and then hanging up door hanger...........(she says but will she do ???)

NickyBo_2

elysia2003 wrote: »

School Holidays
By now the schools have broke up, if your on a day out, going on holiday, sounds mad, but double check you have everything, (Miss Hoodie left Big Boy - 3ft dalamtion dog), and we had tears, so rush job to the market and we now have Lola, a little Staffie looking dog - shes happy!!


Cooking
Is there that must try recipie - do it now enjoy it, if it goes wrong, then say its meant to look like that

Sales
A lot of shops have their summer sales, nowa the chance to get those small gifts for teachers, childrens friends, that family member who u haven't seen for 20 yrs but you still have to buy for

Argos
New catalogue out -
To me - its 2 good points, 1st - gives me an idea on what the prices are for the "I want, I like" and also there have a new sale on, getting rid of the items that not been brought into Winter catalogue

Activities
Most of us have children, wide age range, if anyone can think of freebie, cheap activity pop it on, sure there be at least one of us that wouldn't thought of it.

Christmas
Work through the Christmas list and set budgets, and start seeing if the children/ family members have any ideas for the I wants - the Argos give a base for prices

Bargain Hunting Days Out
Look at leaflets - usually have discount vouchers
Book on-line - usually booking siscount
Look at newspapers, The Sun and News of the World had bogof alton towers vouchers (also valid for other places)
Lastminute.com - apparently they do vouchers
Local museums - they tend to be free
has your town got any events on that are free

Argos catalogue - thanks for the reminder, I'll pick one up when I next pass Argos. It's good for finding ideas even if I don't then buy from Argos. I think my son might be old enough this year to look through the catalogue and pick things he likes (although he will probably end up picking the entire toy section!)


Bargain Hunting Days Out - I went on Netmums (mentioned on the money making thread) and found that the country hall and park near us is having a few events this summer. There's a teddy bear's picnic which I'm very excited about! They have face painting, a children's entertainer and games organised and it's all FREE!! :money:
They also have the Story Bus in their car park for a few days. Children can go in and listen to stories, do activities etc and it only costs 50p. I think the Story Bus goes all over so it's worth checking out

Sales - I was in Tesco yesterday and saw they have a lot of their jewellery at half price. There's some lovely necklace and earring sets for just £4, they would make lovely presents.

elysia2003

Hi everyone.

I managed to buy a Christmas present for DD1 yesterday. A personalised book. You take out the names of the main characters and fill in your own choice (then it is printed, like a one off). I bought Pride and Prejudice for my sister for Christmas last year. My sisters and I were the sisters in the book, but I left Mr Darcy's name the same. SWOON!:rotfl: LOL. She was over the moon with it.

I have bought Dracula for DD1. She loves things like this, vampires, dracula etc and the book was half price - Bargain! Trouble is, I only know a bit about it and can't read it myself (too frightened - scaredy cat). Does anyone have any suggestions for character names? I was thinking along the lines of Twilight or True Blood!

Sorry for the odd request!

Not feeling too good today! I have had toothache for nearly a week. The pain in tooth is gone but I'm left with a very swollen, and throbbing cheek. I look like a lobsided hamster. I think I have an abcess. will go to doctors/dentist when I pluck up courage:eek:. I'll be alright soon, just not my usual cheery self today.

mary-op

Hello all :j

elysia - does sound a lot like an abcess.......do take care and get it sorted out......very painful I bet:eek:

Done nothing in the way of Christmas stuff but did give manky kitchen door a colour wash of paint :T Pleased with myself or what !!!! Started to alter the door hanging I'd got to fit it then young girl came up to clear the cupboards out..............(plumber came very early.......did something or other to the pipe -don't know what, I'd just got out of bed..........lol:rotfl:)
Didn't get around to cleaning out the cupboard with all the cleaning stuff in it............took enough time sorting through the others and thinning out the endless plates and stuff I seem to have ''aquired'' !
Still, at least now I can see what I've got......young girl has taken a load of stuff home.......charity bags full for collection tomorrow and cupboards are clean !
Door I painted is dry so I'll put the door hanger up tomorrow...................feel quite pleased with my day:j

elysia2003

Talk about being organised! Here's a bargain if ever I saw one! Sorry just for us with school age kids.

Tesco have uniform, buy a coat, 3 pack of shirts and a pair of trousers/pinafore/skirt for just £12 (the coats on their own cost more than that). Here

Spend over £30 at Tesco (clothing only) and use the code XX-CB19BUD it will take £10 off (use by 01/08/10)

There is also a code worth 500 points (£20 in deals) I'm not sure if you can use both codes but it's worth a try! CC-JULY500

I bought uniform for DD and Neice, plus an extra set of shirts and an extra skirt for DD,then I paid the extra £1 to get another coat to give dd's friend. All I paid was £26.00. free p+p too

mum2one

Argos offer - ends 1st August

Spend £50 get £10 voucher
Spend £100 get £20 voucher

Very generous, as its normally £5 and £10 vouchers.....

Massive thank you to Elysia for bringing the challenge across, blame it on old age!! and the Tesco info - def have to have a look.

School jackets - got a lovely one from Peacocks for Miss Hoodie, bit like a parka style, but padded, greenish colour, but does look nice, and great school jacket and £10 to £12 depending on size - so got two bigger sizes, shes got to allow a jumper undernesth it.

On the school trail again (sorry), just thinking if anone has children that start swimming (for us Miss Hoodie goes this Sept - KS2 - Juniors), they like swimsuits only not fussy, talling to the lady in one shop and she said they won't be having any more swimwear in, its the end of the summer lines, getting ready for autumn stock. May be worth looking now and getting a bigger size.

Asda - got school styles from £4.00
Peacocks - navy with turguoise trim £6.00 (small fitting) xx