Thrify Gifty Santas Challenge 2013,

mrs-moneypenny

thank you for the new thread, im in again this year. i packed christmas away today and its all neatly labelled and boxed with the cards wrapping paper and tags on the outsdie of the pile so i can get at those first. i threw a big carrier of broken tatty and past it deccys away.

have written all the sale stuff ive already got and noted who its for so i dont duplicate buying for them, and ive retieved the two cuddly teddyes i got in the just after mothers day sales that will come in very handy this year for mum and mil.

hope everyone is well and has a much happier new year.

BabyC

Hi everyone,

I'd love to join in this year - was a bit of a lurker before Christmas and got loads of great ideas!

Got spreadsheet for next year's birthdays and Christmas pressies sorted (slightly alarmed at the overall total :eek:) so keen to cut the budget as dramatically as possible!

Thanks in advance for all your help over the year!!

BabyC x

mum2one

A very big welcome to everyone, great to see so many ideas floating around and the magic word spreadsheets - there my absoloute lifeline -.

Miss Hoodie been and spent her xmas and bday money - shes brought herself an ll singing, all dancing camera from Argos reduced to £109, - looks lush.

been on to dotcomgiftshop and done £40 order - few xmas and bday prezzies in there, - great offer little hsndbag sewing kits 29p each.

Plan at weekend to look at book people sale and see what can get from there, then get ready to aim for Boots 75% sale (plz don't dissapoint us Boots).

If anyone doing a hamper - theres new cookery books that have come out, the 1st two are cadburys diary milk and golden syrup suppose to be £2.99 each, - but on offer for 99p small a5 sized books. Brought set - going to add the golden syrup and bar of choc of Miss Hoodie for friends bday in March.

we've been crafty tonight and made some air-dry pottery, done a little change tray and a small coin pot - take about week to dry" then paint and there come off Miss Hoodie.

Got to have route around b4 weekend, got to find wedding day photo mum and dad, and normal one ready for the local paper - its there golden wedding on 12th.
Got 35 coming to the party, - done party bags up, ladies got little nick nacks and a necklace, gents are going to have bottle of beer, - each couple jar of fudge/toffee anything get with gold labels on. xx

H0gg1t

May I please announce myself an avid lurker, now confident enough to show my hand?

I read last year's thread from Oct onwards, wasn't too organised, though ended up with more sanity in place than previous years and not ill over the break; that makes a change!

Need to reduce shocking financial bill, so am looking for home made gift ideas (have bought a sewing machine) also hope to do hampers. Appreciate now that getting organised is half the battle.

Found the "note" function on mobile a boon as can jot down ideas and likes when required and can also have a list for each person on the go (and spends and ideas).

Thanks all and a happy new year!

stepmum

Hi ladies, could I join up again please? Started last year but after a bad 2012 things fell by the wayside. Would love to be more organised again this year now I have my mojo back.

Happy new year!!!!

Anglea

Hi everyone again

I aim to be active this year as last year I hardly posted and was the most disoraganised ever when it came to cards and my house.. In previous years when I used this regularly things were much easier.

December was the first year I never put up a tree of any kind or decs and no-one noticed when they all came over for Christmas Day !!! I did mean to put up them up but forgot to ask DS to get everything out of the loft when he arrived on 24 hour visit from the week before.

Having a scaled down menu helped as in previous years I left food in the oven forgetting to take it out etc

The other thing that nearly became a problem is those collage envelopes I make throughout the year, I had forgotten to finish them as I didn't use this thread much and had to do it a few days before they were needed.

Which reminds me I need to make another 10 for a few weeks time as I totally overlooked I needed a double lot, for December and January.

Thanks Mum2one for all the financial info and hi to everone :j it's really nice to follow everyone's progress.

I also really enjoy following what is happening in all our families as well as having Miss Hoodie keeping us on the straight and narrow.

Cher-Ching

For those yet to get wrapping paper/cards etc just been into Asda on lunchbreak and they had all of their christmas stuff, which was already half price, reduced by half again (so effectively 75% off)

Got a couple of rolls of 10m wrapping paper at 25p each and some bottle bags (only the smart price ones but look great with snowflakes on them and nobody this christmas could tell they were smart price) for 4p each

They also had loads of cards starting at 25p and gift labels, pack of 50 stick on ones for 25p

redbooties

If anyones planning on doing a garding hamper soon, the range have lots of bulbs on sale for 10p and 20p they had loads of daffidils and tulip bulbs and also indoor hyacinths which comes in a lovely gift box with a clear glass pot which you fill up with water and the bulb sits on top and grows. They say on the box to be planted August to December not sure if they can be kept for any length of time or need to be planted now.

SugarSpun

30m of wrapping paper for €1.98 yesterday :j And some ribbon for 50c. I need to be better at wrapping this year, my DH completely outshone my wrapping skills.

If anyone is interested I am setting myself monthly decluttering challenges. This month is mine and DD's clothing and shoes - I will then have an almighty online flea market clearout and hopefully be richer and less cluttered. I'm hoping DH will take the initiative and sort through his stuff too.

susan42

Hi everyone, i`m here but have visitors and then off on holiday monday, so I`ll check in again later

been to clintons today and everything had 90% off. I spent £35 , filled a box, then went back in spent £15.

All the cards were 5 for £1...all sizes

I make my own cards but for 20p ...bought loads...even bought my sons wedding card and he havent got a girlfriend.....lol

Welcome old and new abd thanks mum2one for a shiny new thread x