What are you not going to buy this christmas

Lilyplonk

I definitely won't be buying -

• any more wrapping paper - about 5 or 6 'half rolls' still in a bag!
• any more Christmas Cards - apart from 'special ones' (Mum, daughter, son, etc)
• christmas tree ornaments - around a third didn't even get used last year
• battery-oerated novelty ornaments - I have a couple of 'classy ones' and the rest are often tacky or overpriced OR both!
• christmas decorations - got lots already
• perfumed candles - still got 'christmassy ones' unused from last year
• tinned fruit - we all prefer fresh fruit and eat it regularly anyway
• christmas cake - I'm the only one who likes it and I'm dieting
• christmas pudding - as above
• mince pies - as above
• 'continental-style cakes' - they all hated them last year
• booze - OH doesn't drink and visitors usually drive here
• Kiddies Selection Packs - I buy bags of Asda Mini Fun Size stuff and put an assortment into a decorated bag instead!
• no nuts in shells - I'm the only one who likes them
• no chestnuts - again, I'm the only one who likes them
• packs of assorted salty nibble snacks - I'd rather buy a couple of packs of 'Extra Special-style' (or make my own) than have all those mini pretzel things lying around going stale.
• Twiglets - yuk!!!!!
• no more Christmas Recipe Books or magazines - if I haven't got enough ideas by now, I never will have

I've already been stocking up on what we WILL use -

• bags of whoopsied crisps/snacks (the ones where folks have opened and removed a pack that are then sold at half-price!!!!!)
• pickles, condiments etc often whoopsied
• couple of packs of Extra Special Ground Coffee - all whoopsied
• Extra Special Assam Tea Bags - whoopsied
• whoopsied veg - all now prepped/frozen ready
• couple of joints of meat (pork/lamb) in freezer
• turkey steaks in freezer
• whoopsied Extra Special Strawberry Conserve for making desserts and filling cakes
• nearer to Christmas, I'll get whoopsied parsnips to make my own Spicy Parsnip Soup as our 'starter' to lunch.

I've a reputation for being a bit of a 'cheap-skate' in my family - but that's how I can afford the few luxuries that I like to indulge in AND how I can manage to cater for the hoards that descend on me at Christmas expecting to be fed :rotfl:

loulou123

As I'm working Xmas day and boxing day proberly won't buy too much but Definately won't buy...

Mince pies or Xmas pudding - yuck!
Crackers - cat goes mental over bang
Christmas cake
Nuts (tho hubby might get some as he likes them)

Gettingtherequickly

Refuse to buy "smellies" gift sets, instead buy the equivalent value of shower gel & deodorant, appreciated more and more re-cyclable.

Have made Christmas cakes as gifts, but not going to decorate. Will leave them wrapped as they are, cover with cello & tie with nice ribbon. That way (and there is so much rum in them!) they can continue to mature for another couple of months and will be appreciated when there is nothing "nice" in the house, rather than cut when there is still alot of junk food in the house.

As a family we always buy each other a silly gift, but is usually practical so not left as a dust collector, my mum is getting a pair of reindeer ovengloves for example. Last year, my brother went camping for the first time and I bought him an enamel plate from Poundland, he actually said to me yesterday that it was one of the best things he was ever given, is used as a plant pot holder as he couldn't get one big enough for the pot!

Moneysavingwebby

This is the first Christmas we will be hosting but I'm searching fir ways to save money.
No turkey instead huge stuffed double chicken breast and huge joint if beef both yellow stickered and in my freezer already
No cheese boards will just get a couple go little potions I know we will eat
No cracker barrels we only eat one or two varieties so will buy individual packets
No sprouts, Christmas cakes/puds, cranberries, brandy sauce
No wrapping paper will use brown and nice ribbon

weeclick

No crackers or christmas cards this year because we still have leftovers from last year!

On a food note very little "sweet stuff" so no yule log, mini rolls, biscuits, buts, ice creams, deserts, chocolate tins. We are both on a diet having lost about 5.5 stone between us so far so would be stupid for us to let christmas spoil it for us. We will still have our christmas dinner and a small desert. Ive already worked on a healthier breakfast and if we really need it I have a few healthy snacks planned too but its nothing outside our usual shopping list. Oh and less drink as well for the same reason.

Shopping bill will be bigger this year and thats because we normally go to my parents on christmas but decided to have our own this year.

The money I have saved on cards etc is going striaght into a savings account to get started for next year

ScarlettOHara_2

I don't buy special cards for family - last year I got a big pack of normal cards and wrote one for each of them and put a lottery scratchcard in. It cost less than the cards would and there was a bit of excitement. I'll probably do the same again this year.

Rsrohit

mother_noah wrote: »

The shops are filling up with all the stuff they are trying to convince us that we could not have Christmas without . It got me thinking of all the things I no longer buy and wondered how many things others had stopped buying .My list includes and this is not a full list ...
Christmas cake
Christmas pudding ( always found in the cupboard when spring cleaning )
Large tins of sweets ( they don't taste nice )
Dates and figs
Big tins of biscuits ( I choose a couple of packets of ones we really like but rarely buy because of the price )
As I said this is only the start of the list but now it's over to you ..

Hi. I always hate to chocolates, then obviously I'm not buying to it.

polkadot90

Chocolate advent calenders from the supermarket. Far too expensive!

BAGGY

I wont be buying.....
Christmas pressies for family other than Dad and my kids or friends.
Dates - even thoght DT2 loves them. I'll pinch some from sis.
Tin of chocs - Why? Strawberry and ornage creams are vile as are anything mint flavoured. Will make fudge, coconut ice and peanut choccy thing.
Biscuits assortments. Will get choc chip shortbread from Aldi
Cheese with 'stuff' in it. Just wrong.
Xmas pud. People only eat it coz it tradition. I throw 3/4 of it out in the new year.
Sausage rolls etc. We scoff too many and then cant manage lunch.
Crackers. Me and the boys are making them with £1 present fillers. that will be the xmas pressie for family.
Never had smelly candles as they are yeurk.

RockPaperScissors

I won't be buying the following:

Advocar...Literally nobody drinks it but for some reason I always think SnowBalls would be a really nice idea. (They never are!)

Baileys - I love it but last year my mother got a little too tipsy thinking it was just a flavoring for her coffee!

Agree with the food! I will be making lots of the treats this year such as

- Peppermint creams
- chocolate truffles and solid truffles (so easy but saves so much money!)
- A Christmas cake
- homemade fruit and veg crisps (parsnip, beetroot, apple etc. - really delicious but they cost a bomb in the shops!)
- Home made alcoholic ginger beer - I have a recipe that only takes 2 days and it's delicious
- Sloe Gin (been fermenting away for a couple of months now!)

Basically - I'm on a mission to pay out as little as possible! I've even been making my own Christmas decorations out of ribbon, canvas, felt etc. so that I'm not tempted by the rustic looking (and frankly over priced) decorations in the shops!