Have you started saving for Christmas yet?

nikki2804

I have been saving with Park and so far have £100 of Next vouchers (will use in the sale) and after this months payment I will have £400 high street vouchers.

Neices and nephew's have been informed that they will getting vouchers for birthdays / christmas this year. Between having a baby mid/end September, hopefully moving in November and a fulltime college course I cannot be bothered traipsing around the shops.

Netwizard

The mind boggles with just how much my friends / work colleagues spend on xmas tat that will be forgotten about by boxing day!

I have 2 good friends that i'll have a takeaway with and share a few bottles of wine with, i'll buy my parents a few bits and bobs, and apart from that, its done and dusted.

Have never understood why people skint themselves for Christmas! Its crazy.

paulineb_2

Neither can I, but some people are really into Christmas, Im just happy with a couple of presents and spending some time with my family. I appreciate for people with kids its different as the pressure can be on to spend more, but Id never spend thousands on christmas, just as well really, as I dont have a spare thousand quid knocking around.

Netwizard

paulineb wrote: »

I appreciate for people with kids its different as the pressure can be on to spend more.

Agree and understand this totally BUT I know of one friend who has a 6 (I think) year old child with an ipad!! I'm sure the child would of been happier with a much cheaper alternative!

Amazing how many very young children have the latest tablets, PS3's etc.

When I was a child, I made do with some scalextric and dinky toys

marisco_2

I put £50 a month by for Xmas, so I don't have a mad panic come November over how to fund it all. This covers presents for my boys, my niece and nephew, my sister and bil and my parents. I normally spend Xmas at my parents house and contribute toward the cost of the food and drink too. I don't go crazy buying expensive gifts for people. Last year my sons got a second hand ds each which were much less expensive than if I had bought them brand new. They were in good condition and worked perfectly fine and they loved them.

lushlifesaver

I only buy for bf, mum, dad and brother (bf buys for his side).
I have started saving this month.

I have bf's birthday in November and brother's in December. For that brother will likely get a top or a voucher for somewhere like HMV or burtons etc - I hate giving vouchers but he is awful to buy for! Will budget £25 for him - that will come from Novembers pay.

Bf has just spent far too much on me for my birthday, I think I will budget £50 plus a nice meal out. that will most likely all come from September/Octobers pay though.

£35 saved this month for Christmas, will be £35 in September, October and November too - so that will be £140. £30 for mum (a Pandora charm) £25 for dad - not because I love him any less but because that will buy tons of what is on my list for him! I'm making him a kitchen/cooking hamper with nice flavoured oils, herbs etc in and £20 for brother - not sure what he will be wanting. Leaving £65 for bf, will try and save some more where possible to add to that - although not 100% sure what to get for his birthday or Christmas yet!

I will also buy some Christmas food bits that I like but are a definite luxury - nuts, tin of choc etc as we are eating Christmas dinner with my lot this year (had it with bfs lot last year) and I always make a cake

Last year I bought a new outfit for Christmas eve (nice dress from a discount centre and some beautiful shoes) but won't do that this year as we won't be going out Christmas eve night. Think I will treat myself to a pretty dress for the daytime though.

To be honest I have a lot of 'slush' in my budget so will be strict with myself for a couple of months to go all out at Christmas as I am an elf come December 1st!

kettlefish

It's amazing how much some people spend on Christmas - I think this year it'll be around £100 on presents (£20 each on my 2 brothers, £30 ish on DD including stocking, and get something for mum and dad if I see something they want.) DH and I don't do gifts for each other as a rule. Probably £30 on extra food and drink - we usually go to mum's on Christmas Day but if I end up doing dinner this year it'll be about £40 ish I reckon. I'll be heavily pregnant so might make our gift to everyone Christmas dinner out somewhere - probably not a traditional dinner but would have a curry or similar.

Winter is so miserable there's bugg*r all else to spend your money on (days out, petrol etc) so it just comes out of the current account. Sorted.

jakes-mum

I start work on the following christmas on boxing day :rotfl: but then again im a serial comper and 'win' christmas . Last years christmas was completely free present wise (1 grandparent, 4 parents, 1 DH, 1 Sister, 1 BIL, 1 neice, 1 nephew and our 2 kids) so am aiming for the same again this year.

I also put £10 a month into DH's ISA so he can buy me a present

ska_lover

an9i77 wrote: »

Bit unfair if they don't have kids but you'd expect them to buy your kids a present. My brother started doing this when he had kids but I didn't. If you both have kids then it's a bit easier to implement.

Yes, but we are not supposed to give to receive..it's Christmas day - not present day.

lady1964

We already have about £1k saved for Xmas and the December birthdays - 2 of our DD's are December babies!

I usually start thinking about Xmas after our main summer holiday, so not until mid October this year. We don't have that many to buy for really, all adults apart from one 2.5 year old so it's quite easy as some much prefer to have vouchers and my dd's tell me what they would like, and they don't ask for mega expensive items either.

We don't spend the whole amount on gifts, it will go on the food & booze as well and there's usually some left which we'll leave in the account for Xmas the following year.