Thinking about xmas. i know it's only august

Sallys_Savings

oops lol looks as if we both had the same idea together lol

jessicamb

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=69160

Its here but be warned - its a long thread started way before last Xmas. Lots of great hints and tips in there though.

MrsTinks

When I went home last I had so many smaples I managed to put together a little bag for my mum to take on holiday with her with mini everything She loved it! I'm now sending OH out with instructions to bring back samples from the hotels (he works away 2 nights a week thankfully paid for by work!) as my brother has recently moved away from home and all the soaps and shampoos will come in handy now he's started realising the cost of things and turned miser - sorry! Money Saving
Pigsback for vouchers! They rule! (says she with £110 of Boots vouchers...) Quidco for cashback - I have it set to pay out at £50 so it won't cost me to move it out of my paypal account Once I get £50 it'll be moved straight from paypal to bank to savings account
I have also started a Tesco savings stamp card. Each time OH or I go to Tesco for anything instead of getting a treat like a fizzy drink or a chocolate bar I buy or ask for a stamp all them little £1's add up
Make your own pressies... check the OS board as there is loads of threads and idea on there Also Tesco vouchers to swap for magazine subs will work out very cheap (£8-9 for a sub for Housekeeping)

T

FlofieGirl

What's pigsback ? How do I join ?

Ta. x

piglet6

Hi FlofieGirl

https://www.pigsback.com is the address you are looking for and if you pop over to the "Freebies (no spend required) board" on this site, you will find a thread all about it. Click on it and the first few posts will explain it all much better than I can here. Also, every day, people post the answers to all the competitions and other ways to get points, so just keep an eye on the thread each day. Its painless, will take 5 minutes out of your day, and you will build up points which you can convert into vouchers (some are "free", others you can gain by shopping via a link on the site (like Amazon for books, CD-wow for music, as well as other one-off purchases, like Eurostar, home/travel insurance, etc)).

Have a look - its a fab site. My only regret is not discovering it earlier!!:p :rotfl:

Piglet

arnie&caseysma!

jessicamb wrote:

Hows about trying Primark if you have one near you for jackets? I think it was this year they had a really good copy of a designer jacket for £15.

Or if you want householdy things then Au Naturelle - they have lots of good bits and bobs at low prices.

Have you checked the Argos RO list of the Grabbit Board? They might have some things on clearance that you could get now.

Thanks Jessie, unfortunately our nearest Primark is 80 miles away (unless I spend the same in petrol money in a return ferry crossing to Belfast!) and Au Natural 50 miles away! We life at the end of the earth! Our only 'chain stores' are Argos, New Look, O2, Mackays (Scotland only and very few and far between now), and, erm, I think thats it!!! I'm only occasionally away to other towns these days so I don't have much choice! Have a friend that works in Argos tho so will see if she can get me a hold of the RO list. DSD is quite a problem as she is a bit of a tomboy - don't know how I managed to get her to have a 'pink'room!!!

arnie&caseysma!

elona wrote:

Have you had a look at the freebie section?
I have got nice shampoo sachets and perfume sample etc.

If you look at the section for magazine subscriptions you can get several issues of a magazine as a gift for about a fiver and a "gift" like perfume or make up for nothing. i got hair straighteners for DD last year that should have ben £40 for the price of a three month subscription.

She loves the straighteners and is usually very picky.

Hi elona - hope you are feeling a little better today -or as well as can be expected. I have been collecting sachets and stuff but find that they are more useful for me than anyone else!!! I am too stingy (tight) to give the away as I would rather use them!
Also, DSD has quite frizzy hair. I used to use Tresemme hair straighteners with a protective spray and when we used them on holiday within 15 minutes you wouldnt' think her hair had been done! I now have another set of GHDs and even with those it takes forever and the style doesn't last as long as we would like! And I aint paying for a pair of them for her mother to steal!!!! :rotfl:
Thanks for the tips! Keep them coming!!!:D

tesuhoha

I hate Christmas because we are all forced to spend money we dont have against our will. I used to love it but now it seems so depressing the way it comes around earlier and earlier each year and all its just a winter festival to prevent us from becoming depressed during the bleak months when it is cold and there is no light and nothing much happening. Needless to say I have been saving up a little for it. At Christmas I do spend a lot but there always seems to come a time when I realise that enough is enough. Having said that I usually spend January and February paying it off. Sorry Im a bit useless I cant think of any tips except if you are incredibly organised its a good idea to buy all your cards and wrapping paper and presents in the January sales. Unfortunately, I am not that organised and hate thinking about Christmas until the 20th December. You probably think I am a right scrooge.

CFC

Hi Tesuhoha, I don't think you are a scrooge, it sounds to me as if you still really love Christmas but hate the financial stress which comes to you with it. I really think that you could enjoy it again if you paced it differently - it's awful leaving it all until too near Christmas. I did that one year and had a vile time rushing around panicking with hardly any money, and would never do it again. I really think that when finances are tight, organisation is the key to having a nice Christmas and a happy January.

Here are some of my Xmas tips for keeping it under control. I shop at Tescos all year and I keep all the clubcard vouchers to use for my Xmas shopping. On top of that, for 10 months I used to put £1 or £2 a week or a fortnight onto a Tesco Xmas saving card. It's suprising how the card and the vouchers pretty much took care of the extra family food and drink over Christmas. My Xmas shopping list is based around a planned food and drinks menu for Christmas week. This helps to prevent impulse buys which can be a killer when you go Xmas food shopping. I also go on my own with my list as taking anyone else along who isn't paying (kids, partner etc) puts the bill up substantially with said impulse buys.

I look for things in the summer sales which would make good Xmas pressies.I try to buy one thing a month, at least. I can't get organised enough to buy them in the Jan sales, although I do buy my Xmas cards then (and try not to lose them in the house during the following year!)

freebird65

I just signed up for an offer of 3 copies of Essentials magazine for £1....the cancellation date has been noted in my diary and the freebie is a fabulous set of TIGI haircare products which will make an "expensive" looking present!

I save all my Boots points too and use them on special offers to maximise the savings, ditto Tesco vouchers which pay for Christmas dinner.

I have an old wooden box which is my Santa box and anything that I pick up through the year goes in here ready to be handed out. It can be done.....especially if you spend too much time on MSE looking for ideas!