New, New Thirfty Gifty for Christmas and All Ocassions 2011..Santas Challenge...

mrs-moneypenny

today was last recommended posting date for usa via surface so if you have any cards for there gt hem off in the next day or two or it will be airmail only
sorry havent been in for a while but keep scan reading o keep up, hope you are all well special hugs to those who need them

mary-op

moneypenny = crikey - didn't realise usa cards had to be posted so soon:eek: Think other years I must have left them and sent them air mail.

mum2one - everythings working now...........:T OH always cooks anyway but is longing to do 'proper meal' now............no time tonight as electrician didn't finish till 7pm.
At hospital tomorrow for xray and seeing 'back chap' and depending on what time we get home we'll start arguing about what in the endless boxes of stuff goes where in the new cupboards........lol

sugarspun.........sorry to hear about DH-hugs (((:o)))

Hope you're all ok:)

alja

does everyone set a specific total budget for their christmas pressies? just intrigued... I personally don't...I just stretch my money as far as I can to get things done as cheap as I can...

mum2one

Alja -its a 50/50 with budgets,if its kids presents stick at £5, but try to bring in cheaper, the presents I call gestures again £5 limit, friends vary between £10 and £40, (only 1 at £40)
Off Miss Hoodie - budgets mum + dad give her £20 for each of them, then when I get mum and dads try to stick to £100, Miss Hoodie, try to stick to £100/£150, but that usually goes out of the window.

But with her bday I spent £66, (felt so quilty), but got 3 4 2, reductions, she had what she wanted.

Try and stretch as much as poss, and hit Jan sales, xx

SugarSpun

I make a budget based on last minute if-I-had-no-choice prices I'd need/be willing to spend and then try to come in under half of it, then try to make back what I've spent so I'm cash neutral

alja

sounds good! thankfully I don't have many people to buy for...as I still live at home, my parents grab the pressies for the children in the family etc

mary-op

Hello all :j
Been to hospital with OH to see 'back boffin' - had xray, nothings changed but no worse which is a good thing. Not the sort of thing that'll cure overnight if at all but if its kept as it is he's happy with that. This boffin actually seemed to be interested and asked questions and talked to OH -not like the last one. Had to wait 2 hours to see him but least we know more now that we did. OH mentioned muscle and joint ache and queried arthritis -boffin said he may well get arthritis in the spine but needs to build his muscles up and that might help.............so he's not being referred for physio.
Kitchen tiles have arrived and are currently all over the kitchen floor until we agree on some sort of 'design' and the odd job chap can come and put them on the wall. Managed to sort out a few things that are now on the kitchen worktop - get the rest sorted and I can delved into the bits and pieces that are going to be ''kitchen hamper'' bits............lol (at no cost ...............:T)

ALJA - I never have a budget........its whatever I can find that I think someone will like and is affordable. This year a lot of things from our bathroom and kitchen are being 'upcycled' as pressies so costing nothing apart from wrapping and the choccies I might put in some storage jars.

Hope you're all ok:)

alja

that's brill thanks for the replies! I picked up my order from Boots today, so I'm happy that's sorted! Only just found out on the weekend that it's my other half's mum's birthday this weekend coming!! eek! thankfully I had a few pressies in ready to pop into someone's bday bag! I've bought some tesco value wrapped up chocolate eclairs to make the bag up a bit more ...got a bottle of bath cream..some candles, some body lotion & matching bath salts...all come to about just £2 or so so far!

rufusdog52

I dont have a budget for Christmas, I just spend whatever it costs but I do it all throughout the year right from January, in fact I have already started for next year on some things. I have been trying to make everyone a present for the last few years. I keep a spread sheet and write on it how much things have cost to buy and what they would have cost if I had paid full price etc so I can work out at the end of the year how much I have actually spent and how much I have saved. Also I belong to the sister thread so make money by doing surveys, reviews and selling on ebay and my shop etc, and I try to make sure I just use this money to buy the presents for (not just Xmas but through out the year too). So far this year I have spent £545 on presents for everyone, if I had paid full price for things I would have paid £1.217 so have saved £665 just by buying things on offer like BOGOF or 50% discount etc. All the money I have spent has come from money I have made one way or another so I will be money neutral for this year.

mrs-moneypenny

i only realised about the overseas surface mail date when i nipped in the post office for something else, i thought it might help ohters if i mentioned it on here. i only had one overseas card so quickly bought, wrote and posted it that afternoon.