Cant afford christmas

jillie1974

:T you are a star!!
will be in bury tomoz buying everything!!
i'm so much more positive about the whole Christmas thing and i've had loads of ideas and support from everyone.i'll let you know how i get on...

hilary1

Stop worrying. Have a word with your best friend and either compmise on the amount spent per child or agree just to exchange cards. Your friends thats what matters not what you buy her children.

Christmas is ONE day. My son has just said to his sister that he'd prefer to not buy pressies this year, not because he cant afford it but because she cant.

Rachie_B

wanty that gift for your cousin sounds fab!! and seems like a lot for the money spent

she will love it im sure

iwanttosave_2

Instore are also doing little 2007 diarys you can add into hampers, the chepest being 50p.

See now you are spoilt for choice

iwanttosave_2

Rachie_B wrote:

wanty that gift for your cousin sounds fab!! and seems like a lot for the money spent

she will love it im sure

I know, I can't belive how much I got for my money, she was the one I was worried about buying for as well.

Ah well 5 down, another 20 to go. :rolleyes:


Oh that reminds me, Asda.

They are doing beer sets for a fiver, they are doing 5 cans of bud and a glass, or 4 bottles of stella and a glass or for the ladies, 4 small bottles of wine and a wine glass all for a fiver.

Thats another 2 peoples I have got for

lday77

Hi It is do-able and you've still got plenty of time to plan, I was is the same boat last year, things are a bit easier this year but I'm still not going to overspend.

Last year in October I opened a paypal account with ebay and sold old clothes and books/Cd's/DVD's, free sim cards and just general stuff that I didn't really need anymore, I made £75. I withdrew £50 and used the remainder (£25) to buy things from ebay, I got a bottle of perfume, 3 board games, wrapping paper and cards, lacome mascara, socks and bubble bath all including p&p for my £25 and I managed to do the rest of Christmas for the £50 by buying things on offer and mainly from home bargains.

I did make big batches of shortbread and fudge and wrapped it up in florists cellophane and ribbon (which I got for free) and everyone got a bag, people really appreciated it as they knew I was skint but still wanted to give something. I had never made anything like this but it was really easy, just make sure you get the quantity's right.

Good luck

dawn060861

Hi I know it is a hard time for you but it is one day and your loved ones will understand, tell them you are giving a family gift this year, either a tin of choccies ( 3 for 2) or a board game ( 3 for 2)for the family to share ( juat one gift per household) and you will make up for it next year when funds are not so tight.
The previous posts all came up with fab ideas too and Poundland is a Godsend when you are skint.

Dawn

dlb

Hi dont worry, i to am on a DMP and money is tight, i have made hm hampers from freebies, just use a bit of imagination and i have surprised my self how good these pressies look!!
Eg for sil+bil i have made a family night in hamper, £2 bottle of wine 4 cans of coke for the kids, sweets+choc that were on bogof offer, a pack of card and dominos £1 from instore and made a voucher saying they can borrow any dvds of ours as long as they promise to spend a night together as a family.
Also printed off some score sheets with their names on for when they play cards!! Iv put it in a basket i got from car boot with some shredded paper and it looks great!
Total cost around £6 !!! A it looks good.

As said dont run any more debts up for one day, i know i owe enough already without adding to it.
xx

teapot2

We haven't been able to 'do' Xmas much for the last 2 years. Just told everybody how it is and they were fine. Still buy little things for kids in the family but no one else really unless its a v little pressie that I think is just right for them. I do a bit of baking - am not very good so just do easy cakes and some sweetie things which i put in recycled boxes with recycled ribbons..... All been ok and we all survived It took the strss out and we didn't beuild up more debt whilst doing it :eek:

If people care about you they'd rather you were happy and healthy than stressed and upset - that shouldn't be what its about
Good luck Teapot

sammy_kaye18

Christmas doesnt have to cost a fortune. Most fo the gifts ive got were either in sales, in poundshops and even some in charity shops.

* my sister - a top (£5 in sale),eminem picture (£1 in £shop) and set of 3 candles (£1 in sale) = total £7.

* my niece (1year) - my first dolly (£12.99 in sale) PJs (£5) = £17.99

* cousin (14) - flower frame (free gift),

* auntie - 3 tubes of bath salts (£1 in £shop),

*cousin (2) - nesting eggs (98p in sale) = £5.98

*cousin (2 months) - clothes (£3 in sale) = £3

*Nan - 2 x 3 drawer storage boxes for card making supplies (£1 each), = £2

*grandad - jigsaw (in a 3 for £5 deal), shortbread (homemade) = £2 (jigsaw in deal)

*cousin (3) Thomas the tank engine colour in playmat (50p in sale) = 50p

*cousin (4) Thomas the tank engine colour by numbers (50p in sale) = 50p

*nan and grandad - photo album (free gift) = £0

So in total i have only spent £ 39.97 and thats 12 people done. I now have only 5 people to buy for (not including my 2 year old and bf)

it doesnt matter how much you spend its the thought that counts and there are lots of ways to make thign sspecial come christmas - if you have young kids or nieces/nephews why not sit down and make some things with them - decorations, fairy cakes etc and give that as the parents gift - they get the afternoon off whilst you entertain the kids.

dont spend a fortune on wrapping paper - even the simplest of things can mean alot - if soem one loves reading how abotu usign an old newspaper or comic to wrap presents in? if they liek baking how about a ncie clean tea clothe? be creative im sure you can come up with some more

baking - good fun, cheap easy and always appreciated.

why not make a picture collage for parents/siblings etc. me and my sister still giggle at the collages we've made each other in the past fo those embaressing baby pictures.

why not make family hampers (sure thats been suggested already) make a film hamper - bucket of popcorn, a christmas dvd, few cans of coke and a bag fo jelly beans - relatively cheap and very effective if there is a large family to buy for - plus they'll enjoy the family time of watching the film together.

hampers of freebies - always useful adn you can make a few up and apply for vrious thigns - helps too if you have a family member whos also willing to recieve packages for you so you can double what freebies you apply for.

BOGOF offers - why not make a hamper for elderly relatives with things from you shopping that you know they'd liek but could never afford. Most pensioners are on a budget so can not afford expensive chocolates or a bottle of plonk because they have to watch what they spend - so why not give something helpful instead

Rice bags - why not make some rice bags if you can manage to sew a straight line and you have a sewing machine - very simple and appreciated by everyone especialyl with the cold weather.