"I'm dreaming of a FREE Christmas..."

princess*daisy

"Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat, please put a penny in the old man's hat...". Well, it's 9 months away but we all know how quickly the time flies!

As I was opening some freebies I got through the post yesterday, an idea came into my head. Would it be possible to have a "free" Christmas? So far, I have amassed a few things that I can put to one side as gifts or to use towards the cost of buying Christmas gifts.

Ideas of things that could be collected are:
*Vouchers from survey sites
*Vouchers received from companies for giving compliments or making complaints
*"Free" items bought in BOGOF offers that could be used to make hampers
*Any items won in competitions
*Any unused gifts left over from this Christmas
*Freebies collected with magazines
*Freebies that only require P&P etc (e.g. those on the "low spend" freebies board)
*Personalised photo items, e.g. mugs, cards, pens, photobooks etc (Vista Print, Bonus Print offers etc)
*Money won from participating in no-risk free bet or bingo offers
*Money from cashback sites
*Home made gifts using recycled items

Etc. etc.....

Any other ideas are welcome, these are just from the top of my head!

So far, I have got a full-sized gift from B@yliss and H@rding, 2 x £5 gift cards from well-known stores and I have almost got my first £10 from Valued Opinions :j

You can try to make the whole Christmas "free" if possible, but if this is unachievable, set a cash amount or percentage that you would like to achieve for free.

Is anyone with me on this?

tallyhoh

I recycle prezzies from previous years, note: always mark who sent them to you.........
We collect tesco, nectar points fowards food & I have an Asda credit card which I collect points on (its cleared every month) I get Asda vouchers from that in November. Also all our loose change goes into a tin.
I save any vouchers from surveys & clicks towards prezzies, also my commission from a mail order catalogue.
I do make lavender bags & jewellry, so thats a bit more. Also look for very cheap bargains on ebay & sales during the year.

flippin36

I think its the perfect time to start thinking about Christmas! Especially if you want to make it as free as possible as it can take months to collect freebies.

Last year we had a really frugal Christmas and plan to do the same this year;

We used cashback to buy main pressies for the kids (topcashback, cashback from credit cards which seem to come around oct/nov/dec)

Smaller stocking fillers and other relatives we used some of our points (boots, nectar, tesco vouchers)

Food we usually do the Morrisons Christmas voucher offer. Not brilliant but takes the edge off the expensive shop. We also decided to ask other people to bring stuff. They all brought their favourite foods and drinks and we had a fab buffet Christmas eve.

We always buy comedy dvd's at Christmas to keep overnight relatives entertained but we used amazon vouchers from surveys (we then sold the dvds back on amazon so got some cash after Christmas)

Any points or vouchers left over was spent in the Jan sale for pressie cupboard. The problem is being disciplined. Its so tempting to spend those vouchers when they arrive especially if you are having a tight month.

If you are struggling you could also agree to

Buy for kids only

Each buy just one £5-£10 present the have a lucky dip

Have a handmade only Christmas (we did this a few years ago and it was loads of fun)

Do your own service vouchers

Faith suppers (people like bringing stuff to you as they can show off their catering skills)

Be clever with wrapping paper - save what you can from the year before, save any useful bits and bobs over the year for decoration, use scraps of fabrics to make gift bags, use newspaper or old magazines to make gift bags, make your own wrapping from leftover wallpaper turned the other way and embellished (kids love doing this and people like to receive it).

Its hardly free but if you are the type who like to splash out a bit at Christmas a sealed pot started now could help take the sting out of its tail in December.

Natterjack88

I love this idea! I only started my mse ways just before last Christmas so it would be nice to see what is possible this year!

piglet39

Hi Princess - count me in honey!

Gonna have to modify a little though and spend a small amount on the boys x 3. But their Christmas stockings - mmm you've got me thinking...

I don't have many people to buy for - Stopped buying for parents/brothers (mutual agreement all round) years ago and I don't have a man to buy for :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: but thinking about it Christmas cards, Secret Santa at work etc maybe this is the perfect time to be thinking about Christmas!

x

LittleMissGiggles123

Love this idea!!! I'm in:j

ska_lover

Im in, I shall follow this thread with great interest.

Dont have any great ideas as yet, will put some thought in though

lavinia21

I would like to join I have already bought most of my christmas presents in the jan sale but would love to be part of this thread anything where i'm saving money I love love love

Pixie_Fairydust

I am determined that this Christmas is not only sorted in plenty of time but on budget........ I hate January trying to make do on very little money as I have overspent on Christmas

Some ideas from me............

1. If you are going to the beach try and find pebbles with holes in, they are suposed to be lucky! Put in a clean recycled jam jar (I'm saving my peanut butter ones) Decorate lid and make a nice rustic label about bringing you luck etc...............unique and practically free

2. My daughter is saving me baby food jars which I am going to paint with glass paints and then put a tea light in...........perfect size and can make them very individual. Small pickle jars would work well too.

3. When my children were small and we went to mums and tots a lady with a guitar would come and sing, my children's favourite was buns in the bakers shop because she had some knitted buns with knitted cherry's on top! So I am going to knit some for my grandaughter and my 2 nieces. I just need to find a pattern now!

Just a few of my ideas (sorry if I've read them on another thread and claimed them as my own!)

Just over 8 months to go.............. better get started! :T

Pix

Time_to_face_the_music

Pixie_Fairydust wrote: »

3. When my children were small and we went to mums and tots a lady with a guitar would come and sing, my children's favourite was buns in the bakers shop because she had some knitted buns with knitted cherry's on top! So I am going to knit some for my grandaughter and my 2 nieces. I just need to find a pattern now!

Check out this website for free food knitting patterns, it's really good fun :rotfl:

http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/food.php

whitewing

I love this idea but I shall only lurk for now.