Are you feeling the pressure over Xmas?

Deeperblue

I occasionally go on a parenting forum and there are many people on there who are spending £400 on 1 toddler! I'd say £200 is the average, which sounds like a lot and is about double what I'm spending on my little one, but if you think how much toys cost now a days that's probably only 2 large toys and a couple of smaller ones. Yay for ebay and carboot sales I say, especially when kids are too young to know. :T

Last year I suggested to my brother that we don't buy for adults any more in the family and just for the kids (he's got 4, I've got one). He said we were being cheap

flippin36

Deeperblue wrote: »

Last year I suggested to my brother that we don't buy for adults any more in the family and just for the kids (he's got 4, I've got one). He said we were being cheap

My OH family made us feel really bad for suggesting the same thing - they made a right fuss :mad:.

boschiba

we're in the same boat. I have yet to announce that we are only buying for under 18s but it wont go down well with other half's family who make a huge big thing of every event they can.
my lot will be fine about it. I hope to still be able to spend up to £100 on each daughter - but they are 15 and 12, and the days of lots of cheap tat just dont cut it anymore! hubby and I will not do anything for each other - maybe a CD or DVD, but that's fine.

barbiedoll

Yes, I know exactly how you feel

I managed to save a few quid by claiming my work travel expenses in one lump sum and putting them away for Christmas. Then we had a large car repair bill so that's my money gone. :mad:

My DS is very good, we have been on our DMP for two Christmases now and he knows that we can't afford the big expensive pressies any longer. (Not that we ever could, if I'm honest!) So he just asks for a couple of computer games, they are being released well before Christmas, so I will be able to pick them up cheaper through Amazon or even ebay Along with a few little bits and pieces, and probably some clothes, that will be him sorted out. All I have to worry about then is his birthday. In January! :eek:

Me and DH don't even bother with presents for each other now, we may get a small one from DS for each other but that's it. I don't buy for relatives other than my mum and my auntie, again, they will just get token gifts, they wouldn't expect anything else.

I've been buying saving stamps from Morrisons every week and I also buy extra things like tea-bags, tinned stuff and toilet rolls each week, to store away for Christmas. This keeps the shopping bill down at an expensive time and means that I don't have to go out for "necessities" in the horrible Christmas rush.

To be honest, I feel so much better for not buying stuff that we can't afford. Plus, anything on credit is much more expensive, why pay more of our hard-earned cash than we need to, especially as there are so many bargains to be had now. I am stressing slightly at the moment, but I've been saving a couple of bits and pieces that I'm going to sell on ebay for some more cash. I know that it seems as though everyone is having a better time, and spending more money than you are but in reality, lots of people are feeling the pinch and let's face it, all those kids with Blackberrys and laptops probably have parents who haven't had their LBM yet!

Give the store cards/credit cards a miss this year...I think the banks have had quite enough of our money already, why give them any more?

amorge

I'm dreading it to be honest. It's my first Christmas as a single parent having been with hubby for 18 years. Kids are 16 & 14 (both DD's) and thankfully understand that it's financially going to be incredibly different from their usual Christmas's. A friend works for Boots so she got me some things on the staff double discount day but still stockings for the kids to sort out. My parents will be fine with something small but it's friend's that will be the problem, normally we buy for each other's kids (thankfully never adults) but this year I really can't afford it... I'm having a meal here with most of the mum's next week...think I'm just going to bite the bullet and tell them all I can't really get the kids stuff so please don't buy for mine!

kjp

YORKSHIRELASS wrote: »

I think its time to rip the Next Christmas book up and put it in the recycling.

Best thing I ever did on my DFW journey was emailing Next and asking them to not send me catalogues anymore. I save £3.75 twice a year - plus the temptation of buying more! If I want something from Next, I look on the website - no more hefty catalogues lurking around!

Will be following this thread with interest - hopefully the recession will limit the consumerism of some people around Christmas - I don't remember many of my Christmas presents when I was young, but I do remember the Christmas parties we had with our extended family on Christmas night and the token presents in the pass the parcel!

BEAT_THE_DEBT

Hi this will be the first year that we have bought and paid for all of the cost of christmas. I buy all year around to spread the cost and come oct i start buying extra bits food wise per week in my christmas shop.Be strong you will be laughing not crying then in Jan xx

natlie

Hi
we are having homemade xmas - apart from kids - have got their pressies already, I have made jam, chutney, marmalade, mincemeat so far - cakes and sweets next. chutney was a bargain cost £2 for all the ingredients on offer in Mr t's.

paulwellerfan

sorry to say that i gave up even buying a christmas card years ago.
i would never go in to debt for christmas.
its a lovely day off work, with a nice dinner with family but thats all it is.
ho ho ho and all that !!!!.

karen_is_trying

What a fab thread when i think of how much debt ive got us in last few years just on STUFF and then rest of the year im trying to claw back room and rehoming other STUFF im with you all all presents are from cash saved or park hamper vouchers and some extras from our next few pay packets i appreciate we are really lucky at present to both be working especially after reading in metro today 200 people turned up for 20 jobs, in poundland... and when we think how long the present bit actually lasts for xmas morning i definetely wont be getting into debt for it...Knowing when to stop is my problem especially as my little un is only 5 in december