Thrify Gifty Santas Challenge 2013,

Kitchenbunny

Another item ticked off the list today. I had a wander into town at lunchtime and into Wilkies - they had some of their Christmas gifts seriously reduced. They had packs of the 4 small Rebel marked bath fizzers for 25p each, so I got 2. That'll do nicely for a couple of stocking fillers. Also got a couple of violet fragranced bath/shower sets for a £ each - fairly sure they were £5 when I saw them last. That has saved me a fair bit as one of those will make a lovely gift on its own.

Did a Nectar point check this morning and am up to 1,366 points (£6.83) since beginning of December, so not bad going. Boots points still at 443 and not sure about Mr T Clubcard points. We'll see when the next statement arrives.

KB xx

Cher-Ching

Kitchenbunny wrote: »

Another item ticked off the list today. I had a wander into town at lunchtime and into Wilkies - they had some of their Christmas gifts seriously reduced. They had packs of the 4 small Rebel marked bath fizzers for 25p each, so I got 2. That'll do nicely for a couple of stocking fillers. Also got a couple of violet fragranced bath/shower sets for a £ each - fairly sure they were £5 when I saw them last. That has saved me a fair bit as one of those will make a lovely gift on its own.

Did a Nectar point check this morning and am up to 1,366 points (£6.83) since beginning of December, so not bad going. Boots points still at 443 and not sure about Mr T Clubcard points. We'll see when the next statement arrives.

KB xx

don't forget to download the nectar search toolbar to get 100 bonus points too

mum2one

My order came today from dotcom gift shop, plzed with the bargains, thou I wouldn't pay the "full price" for some of the items, - got 5 pink spotted umberallas and some of the sewing kits, they were only 29p - so adding them into xmas prezzies from Miss Hoodie.

Bdays - 16 people - 8 done, 4 half done - spent £70, but presents worth £290...

Xmas - 37 people - 6 done, 3 started - spent £49 - presents worth £108

Very happy with those figures.

Now have everything sorted for Sat, - bar what I'm wearing...

Miss Hoodie wearing a dress, shes choosen a prom style dress, black with pink spots. xx

greentiger

Just found this thread full of great ideas. But I'm curious to know what's a "collage envelope" please?

mrs-moneypenny

greentiger wrote: »

Just found this thread full of great ideas. But I'm curious to know what's a "collage envelope" please?

think
its sticking pictures and words onto the outside of the envelope to give ideas for what the money/giftcard inside could be spent on.
ie cinema one could have films picture of popcorn cinema logos filmstars on
pampering one could have toiletries, make up, nail polish spa type pictures on.

still working on cross stitch for mum for mothers day, hve got the big cuddly teddies as well one each for mum and mil, still need to sort step mum out, usually flowers and a like a mum card.

first birthday of the year yesterday, got a couple of cards to post over the weekend then need to think about valentines

greentiger

Oh, thanks, mrs-moneypenny, that makes sense.

Katiehound

For the crafty stocking maker! or decorations , valentine hearts , felt stars etc-
Wilkinson's selling off their stuff- red felt Santa sack (120cms x 90cm) for 50 pence

cdsmiler

Happy new year everyone! Bit late, but I’m here! Massive waves to everyone and a warning that this is a long post!!!!

All decs down, Christmas cards in a pile ready for chopping up into tags, new cards bought in the sales (only thing I got really, except a tin of Cadbury fingers which should have been £4 but was down to £1.75 – the tin will be really useful in itself!!).

Have cleared out DD’s bedroom (mostly – just the top of the wardrobe to go!!), and want to slowly do other rooms. It’s easy when it’s just daughters stuff or my stuff though, it’s DH’s stuff I just don’t know what to do with.

Due to one reason or another I didn’t have many survey vouchers to use for Christmas, but have ended up with £45 worth since! Good job really as it’s DH’s birthday beginning of Feb. He’s asked for spending money for our trip to the Harry Potter studios in Feb (was a Christmas pressie from me, but seeing as its 2 tickets it benefits me too! Lol), which I’ve budgeted for, but since then he’s offered to buy me an iPad on credit (interest free!) for my birthday! Well, with that lovely gift coming my way in May, I decided to use the vouchers on some expensive aftershave he’s always fancied but could never afford – cost me about £3.50! lol He doesn’t have a clue. Doesn’t match an iPad but hey!

Looking back over Christmas, although I was really planned present wise, I wore myself out with DD’s birthday a week before (and struggling with her mad birthday cake! Lol). And she wasn’t well for her birthday in the end (which can’t be helped) – luckily she was better for Christmas! So, next year we’re taking her to Disney for her birthday week (something we’d always planned for her 4th birthday years ago and have started saving already), then will stay in London where DH’s family live to do Christmas day there (their turn!), before coming home late on boxing day to do it all again with my family, celebrate my nan’s birthday, and new year. So, bearing in mind she’s JUST started school this week, and was kind of asking for a proper party this year already (we just did family – again good thing seeing she was ill!), then I’m going to cheat and do her birthday party about 2 weeks before (beginning of December) and have it somewhere like a soft play place that also do food as part of the package!! That way we just have to pay for it, and do a cake – which is going to be structurally simpler this year!!!!! Keep it simple. Plenty of years to do the whole thing with homemade food and games like my parents did for me! So going to have to start saving for that too.

Plus because of what we’re doing over Christmas, pressies will have to be small to fit in the car!

Also need to consider that it’s my Dad’s 60th and parents 35th wedding anniversary (and our 5th!) this summer too…..

So, bigger need than ever to do some extra money earning. So I think I need to go back to jewellery making, and have a good go at some car boot sales again. Lots more surveys too – and stop ignoring the emails about them! lol

I’d also like to maybe make some more homemade stuff (non perishable!) as gifts. Did very little of that (except for jam and marmalade) this year.

Tips for little ones with birthdays and opening pressies: they get SO much from everyone else!! We tried to cut down this year, which we did money wise, but the amount of things wrapped was ridiculous! Also, when opening pressies we only presented her with one at a time, let her open it, and let her play with it if she wanted while other people opened pressies or potched about sorting lunch…. It was very laid back, no rush, and we tried to keep the whole thing quiet. And it worked really well. She also helped give other people pressies too which helped her realise that everyone was getting gifts, not just her.

List for January:

1. Put Christmas back into the loft (DH!!)
2. Add stuff I’ve decluttered from DD’s bedroom in to the loft (keeping almost all stuff for future kiddies)
3. Make tags from old cards
4. Sort DH’s birthday pressies (Done!)
5. Continue Avon rounds
6. Find cross stitch stuff
7. Design SIL’s wedding cross stitch and make a start.
8. Find homes for all Christmas presents!

Sure there’ll be more!

Clare x

redbooties

cdsmiler, I bought Harry Potter tour tickets for my daughters birthday when if first opened. It was amazing, I thought it was very good value for money. I would suggest you make sure you have plenty of spare batteries for your cameras, we took 2 cameras and had 3 phones with us and we took so many photos they all ran out.

Kitchenbunny

Cher-Ching wrote: »

don't forget to download the nectar search toolbar to get 100 bonus points too

Thanks for this - I do have the app that lets you get points when you search for things on the go, so would I be allowed the points from using both? I'll need to do some reading, I think.

Got a few more bits from Wilkos today - more make up bits and bath stuff so that's a lot of girlie pressies sorted now. Got to get through a few more things off my to do list now!

KB xx