My SOA :(

*zippy*

Bea I've just read your thread and your energy and excitement has made me smile after a horrible day, well done on all you have achieved, it's very inspiring how much can be saved in one day with a few phone calls :T At this rate you will soon have your debts sorted

Lovely idea to make soups for your FIL too, I'm sure they will be really appreciated.

KxMx

If you decide to switch to quarterly gas/ electric bills, get a free Post Office Payment/Bill Card. You can load up money in between bills, so when the bill comes, much of the money is already there. Plus, it being on the card, it's not cash in a pocket that is tempting to spend!

I wouls also recommend looking into pet insurance for the cat and dog. Self insuring is great but for example my £10 odd policy for the cat gives me £7.500 cover per year, per condition. I could never put aside that amount and Vetrinary care is so expensive!

faithcecilia

Just a little thought on presents, I look out for things when they are in sales or on offer. For example, toiletries, socks(cos its not Christmas without new socks is it???) clothing, alcohol etc can be bought and put away (I bought several nice smellies giftsets in the Jan sales to use as presents through the year). Then later in the year when the kids start asking for particular things you only have those to buy, not the little stocking fillers. Also it can be good to pop into poundstores and similar as amongst the tut you can often get some treasures - I got several good books etc.

Then once you have bought the same amount of presents you should have a lump sum to throw at the debt in Jan, assuming you put away the amounts mentioned in the SOA. Just be careful to not buy even more than usual just because you have the money ;-)

pleasedelete

faithcecilia wrote: »

Just a little thought on presents, I look out for things when they are in sales or on offer. For example, toiletries, socks(cos its not Christmas without new socks is it???) clothing, alcohol etc can be bought and put away (I bought several nice smellies giftsets in the Jan sales to use as presents through the year). Then later in the year when the kids start asking for particular things you only have those to buy, not the little stocking fillers. Also it can be good to pop into poundstores and similar as amongst the tut you can often get some treasures - Just be careful to n ;-)

I can see that saves money but I woukd go one step further and ask do people really want the stuff? We seem obsessed with buying each other piles of stuff that ends up at a car boot or tom bola. Do we need to buy gifts for all these people. To my mind (and I know many will disagree) if we are buying someone socks or toiletries you are going through the motions.

pleasedelete

I was in a shop last week with a sale and 2 women were buying loads - saying I'll put thatvaway for SOMEONE for Christmas. I just thought that if they were buying such generic gifts they were not likely to be something the recipient would really want.

I just think less is more and it is so much better to get one well thought out gift than 20 do for someone ones.

The soup idea is lovely.

beabea81

I think I should use both points. One of the kids favourite presents is the 'chocolate box'. I don't buy them many sweets at all, in fact I don't buy any but my FIL will do on occasion, but at christmas I always make up a 'hamper' where I buy a few different chocolate bars and sweet treats and the kids love it and they last for ages as even they are not allowed a bar everyday...except on Christmas Day and Boxing day when it's choccy for breakfast (how naughty!) I can start to keep my eye open for deals when I go shopping and stock up on them.

I certainly see and agree with your points pleasedelete. I am spending far too much on people that don't need it... I was a boots 3 for 2 girl and even then I knew I was buying useless tat!

pleasedelete

I ran the tombola at my childrens school last week. There were over 100 boots and body shop Christmas sets donated plus loads of bits that looked like they had come from them. There were 3 identical hot toddy sets. One of the unopened sets was the big gok wan wardrobe case which someone said was £40? I just knew that 5 years ago I woukd have been donating quite a few as well before we broke the cycle as a family.

I actually think toiletries are one of the most personal gifts (in that most people chose a scent or range of scents they like and stick to it) and so the most likely to be an unsuitable gift.

faithcecilia

pleasedelete wrote: »

I can see that saves money but I woukd go one step further and ask do people really want the stuff? We seem obsessed with buying each other piles of stuff that ends up at a car boot or tom bola. Do we need to buy gifts for all these people. To my mind (and I know many will disagree) if we are buying someone socks or toiletries you are going through the motions.

I agree, but the OP has given her reasons for wanting to buy a lot of presents, so I was offering an idea whereby she could do so and still save money.

Some people like socks and toiletries! My friends and I always buy each other picture socks, and my mother would be horrified if she didn't get a mountain of smellies!;)

HappyMJ

beabea81 wrote: »

I am currently looking at Tesco Broadband + phone line which will cost me just under £20 a month instead of £55

Personally I think that's a really good deal. I would suggest though that you use Topcashback for £35 cash back and also use the code TBB4M for 4 months free and I would highly recommend the unlimited landline calls package for a total monthly cost of £23.75. The cost of the landline calls on the normal package is far too high and you cannot use call override providers so you are stuck with making an expensive daytime call. For an extra £4 per month you only need make a few calls for it to be worth it. The first year cost taking the 4 months free and the £35 cash back will be £155.

miggy

pleasedelete wrote: »

I can see that saves money but I woukd go one step further and ask do people really want the stuff? We seem obsessed with buying each other piles of stuff that ends up at a car boot or tom bola.

beabea81 wrote: »

at christmas I always make up a 'hamper' where I buy a few different chocolate bars and sweet treats

I think I needed to read this thread! Last Christmas I spent far too much on stocking fillers (mum, DH, DS1, DS1's g/f, DD, DD's b/f, DS2!!!) and while I don't want not to give them stockings (I adore watching all the silly presents get opened, and some are very silly!) I decided I need to go for fewer items and better quality. I love the chocolate box idea - do you mind if I pinch it? I don't buy the toiletries sets, I found a particular scent that each of them liked and bought something small - like a shower gel - in that scent.

I think it's time I had a wander round and did some serious planing as it's been the last minute ideas that cost so much.

BTW - yes that's a lot of people to buy for - but mum was in hospital and I couldn't be with her so I asked the staff to give her the stocking so she would feel someone was thinking of her. My kids' partners also got presents to make them feel part of the family - I just need to be more careful what I buy! Oh, and I do buy socks - TK Max ski socks for the ski-ers, cartoon socks for the boys.:)