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

got-it-spend-it

I' a lurker but thought I'd dive straight in!

mum2one wrote: »

Can help with the breakfast box idea - doing a few small ones!

Putting in
Mug (got mine 25p)
Small Cafeterie (poundland)
Teatowel (got 5 for 99p - check Argos clearance they have 5 for £1.49 - split mine up).
Mini Jams /Marmalades (Morrisons sell mini jars 4 for £1.00)
Cappicunio / latte sachets - Poundland do box of 10 - split between the sets)
Egg cup (12p - got set 4 for 50p from QS - plastic - try Poundland, Poundstretcher, Home Bargains etc)
Biscuits ( shortbread fingers multi pack, split them, tesco or Poundland)
Mini cereal boxes (sounds daft but Nestle boxes 8 in set are cheaper than Kellogs, £1.20 at most supermarkets, kellogs £1.80 or Asda do own brand)

The good thing with breakfast hamper, you can make them as cheap or as dear as you want, - I've estimated mine at about £3.00

I'm planning on putting mine in small plastic basket (got 6 for £1 - last yr Morrisons), the plan is use tea towel as liner then add in, wrap in cello wrap.

If its a man, you could always add a mini bottle of Whisky - goes down very well! xx

I love that idea. Ikea have some lovely cupcake tea towels too. Also you could add a mini bottle of fizz for bucks fizz.

I've ordered some books from bargain books. I did two orders, spent £11 and got a selection of baby books (I have a 10 month old and lots of first birthdays coming up), three novels for my mum for Christmas, a book for my big bro and two free gifts- the Gruffalo and the baby books set. That's probably four Christmas presents done, plus three birthdays.

mum2one

mummyslittleboy wrote: »

I didn't get glass paint:( so am going to experiment with one on friday and I might just have to get some will let you know how well it turns out but I am thinking it will be rubbish.

It won't be rubbish, it will be creative, and on ariginal design, that was painted with love and care!!

Mum2one - knows best - that is till Miss hoodie comes along- (who had to show me how to get the texts up on new phone!!) xx

mum2one

I don't know if there be any help for anyone else, but trawling through Argos clearance came across these.

There is a 21st and a grandaughter reduced, fraction of the original price. (not pictured them)

9ct Gold Daughter Locket.

233/1007 - £16.99 instead of £45.00


9ct Gold Heart Mum Family Locket Pendant.

219/2961 - £25.99 instead of £69.99


9ct Gold Oval Diamond Trilogy Locket.


219/7306 now £29.99 instead of £84.99

Did my reserveing last night, now sent dad with money, his credit card!! and reservation numbers,

The plan is
- Mum - Miss Hoodie buy it me for xmas.

- Daughter - keeping to my 40th, we're having a small family meal, us, 4 friends and my aunty and uncle - so thought be nice to give it her then.

- Triloogy - was going to get mum the mum locket, but thought she 2 children (thou my sister passed away 2 yrs before I was born), and shes got Miss Hoodie, thought the stars would be her 3 girls.... again holding that to my 40th.

Bless them they did offer to arrange a party or big meal,not sounding tight, when I did mums 60th (5yrs ago - 24 people - we did party bags - it was £400 gone), and in all honeslty by the time you hire somewhere, then the dj and food, your paying for everyone else.

So I said close friends + auny and unlce - don't want more than 10.As there paying for me to go to Prague later on in 2011, so I might as well enjoy it, and giving me some money to buy a piece jewellery when Dom Rep. So to an extend get the best of both worlds.

xx

mum2one

They've just come back, so funny, mum came upstairs on the stairlift cussing all the way, I saw your dad wit jewellery boxes, I don't want \ny jewellery for xmas I've got enough!!

Then comes into bedroom (desktop computer is), plonks herself on the bed and says while I better have a look before they go back!!

showed her Miss Hoodies 1st - she melted, she loved it, then she apologised as she thought it was hers,

theres me changing the subjet - GOT - I thought I saw 2 jewelery boxes, then the I have enough lockets (she saw me looking at the mum one), - but being my mother she has to have a look, she said I'll have a look before it goes back, guessing its for me!! - Its the 1st time I've seen her gobsmacked (expect when I won £350 on Bingoback in June) - oh isn't it lovely, its beautiful, I thought I was having the mum one - so rub salt in the wounds (nicely thou), I said oh by the way it was £85.00 another jaw dropping moment!!! then I told her the sale price £30, so weird she saw the star pattern and said thats Karen (my sister), you and Miss Hoodie... oh its beautiful can't wait till xmas.... then told her oh by the way your not waiting till xmas - you have to wait till my 40th - think it will be more special then.... She cries, hugs me, and I'm the best thing since buttered bread...

- Argos again - even got dad on the mse wavelength - he was hoovering before (mainly when he suited him!!), but he saw a travel set -

Pink Travel Hair Dryer Set.

261/2984

<LI class=saving>Less Than Half Price <LI class=mainprice>£4.99

[*]was £14.99


But that wasbn't what came - (would put pic up - haven't worked out how to download from the camera yet -( Miss Hooide where are you!!))

Instead I had a pink travel set - lot thicker bag contains -

Collapisble steam Iron
Collaspeable dual vault hair dryer
Travel adaptor plug
Passport and travel document holder
Robust 3 digit combination padlock
luggage tag
Soft storage case

SAME PRICE £4.99

---

I've ordered 3 more via reserve - the item is excluded from 30 day exchange policy, but to get round that (done it before), go to go customer services say you have them reserved, but can you have a look at them to make sure there right as there presents - so there bring them up, open the box and check it, there in a brown box and the product is sealed inside a plastic bag, but the tag on top has all details contained (listed) if there the red set (unless u wanted it), you can always say no its not quite right, theres no probs at all with that.

We had to do similar 2 yrs ago when the new ds lite colours came out, (green, red, pale blue), I'd pre-reserved the pale blue for Miss Hoodie - was meeting friends in Chester, pub was near Argos - great buy it and sneak it in... no Miss Hoodie wanted to go to Chester for the Disney shop, so I had no choice - she knew then she was having the ds lite, even thou I had the blue reserved (they were also one of the excluded products), she wanted to see all the colours, they got them all out for us to look at - and she choose the pale blue!!).

mum2one

got-it-spend-it wrote: »

I' a lurker but thought I'd dive straight in!



I love that idea. Ikea have some lovely cupcake tea towels too. Also you could add a mini bottle of fizz for bucks fizz.

I've ordered some books from bargain books. I did two orders, spent £11 and got a selection of baby books (I have a 10 month old and lots of first birthdays coming up), three novels for my mum for Christmas, a book for my big bro and two free gifts- the Gruffalo and the baby books set. That's probably four Christmas presents done, plus three birthdays.

Hi got-it-to-spend, jump on right in, were one big family here, theres a new challenge on every month on the 24th - dont panic - you havn't got to do them, if theres anything yiou fancy or useful, I think of them like a kids pick and mix, some like jelly babies others dolly mixture.....

You've got some bargains there.

Wish Ikea was neaer its Birmingham, about 40 miles but the thought of driving to Birmingham ngtmare.... but I'll have to dream about the cupcakes, the teatowel sounds lovely,.

I tend to catch up here and there, and the brain goes wild, thr fingers can't keep up, hense a wack of posts...

Bucks Fizz - that should be our xmas treat!! xx

erm

Hello ladies (and gent),

Just been on the M&S Web site, having a bit of a mooch and they have their Christmas Shop up and running. Cards, tags, and wrap are currently all 3 for 2.

Now I really do feel Christmassy .

xx

elysia2003

I've just been in M&S and BHS and WHS they all have Christmas cards out - no gifts as yet but it's starting!!!

Thanks for the Argos tips Mum2one!

Susan - you take care of yourself, we don't want you to have another!

Update on health scare - I had a treadmill test at hospital yesterday. Hooked up to ECG machine started off walking pace and then sped up and got steeper so it was like I was running up hill. Was on there about 9.5 mins in all, should have been 10. I would have had heart attack if they'd left me on there any longer. LOL. Heart OK. (like I said all along) Need to keep taking tablets regularly but I'm terribly forgetful. :eek: If any more problems ask GP to refer me to have a camera down. Don't like the thought of that. Conclusion - I'll live. :rotfl:

elysia2003

Mum2one -Thanks again. I got the last trilogy necklace in the area reserved! :j

cookiecrumbs

Hello

mum2one - sounds like you've been busy bargain hunting and managed to get some lovely presents, I wish I was so organised!

elysia - glad to hear that you are feeling better, the treadmill doesn't sound like much fun but the camera sounds worse :eek:

I am mega stressed out preparing for my job interview but me and OH are having a long weekend by the sea this weekend. :j
Took me 2 hours to get to work on the bus this morning thanks to the tube strike, goodness knows how long it's going to take me to get home!! Might use it as a chance to revise a bit though.

Am definitely going to get into the Christmas spirit after this week. There's a craft fair at Alexandra Palace at the end of September which I'm going to get tickets for so looking forward to that.

cdsmiler

rufusd!!!2 wrote: »

Cd smiler - last year I tried making some plum and apple chutney with some fruit someone gave us. I found a recipe on the internet (think it was a BBC one) and followed it precisely. The stuff in the pan looked lovely as it was cooking, left it on for the amount of time it said and kept stirring but it was smelling really strong. I had all the doors and windows open to let the smell out, then when I went to taste it, blimey, it was rank. Tasted like salty vinegar. It made me sick just tasting a bit off the spoon, so it all went in the bin. The house stank for about a week after. I am just glad that I hadnt had to buy any of the ingredients except for the vinegar.

Ewww that's a bit weird!!

tq16 - No idea if it's a good offer - sounds ok mind. Think there MIGHT have been 2 for £9/£8 or even £7 at some points last year though :eek: ....or I dreamt it! lol

mum2one - blimey you've been busy!

susan - lol at your heart attack story! Bless your OH!! Must have been shocked!
Elysia - take it easy!!! lol

Welcome got-it-spend-it!

Free BABY BOOKS - sorry, can someone remind me who mentioned them and how to get them? My mind is a bit here there and everywhere at the moment!! lol

I'm not in the best of moods today. Checked my bank statements and last month they've charged me £25 for going over my limit, and £25 for allowing my credit card payment to go out. It was my credit card payment that caused me to go over my limit, and by how much?? £3.25!!! NOT a happy bunny!