Mr and Mrs K's New Journey to a Debt Free Life.

AlexLK

gallygirl wrote: »

It IS a budget Alex, just rather a large one

I'm guessing you worked out how much to spend on everyone then added it up at the end? :money: Martin says do it the other way round - work out how much you can afford then divvy it up. Interested to read rationale behind parents/in law split?

A bit late coming to Lasagnegate - but I'm with the others

We tried to cut down as much as we could. I'd rather not tell you what we spent on my parents last year for Christmas.

Yep, that is exactly what we did. However, we may review.

Hope I explained the rationale above.

pennywisepoundstupid wrote: »

Good morning Alex.

I usually lurk on your thread and don't post, just wanted to say well done on efforts to become debt free.

Also wondered if you had thought of a joints gift for your parents, sadly my husbands Grandparents are no longer with us but something we used to do was buy them a food hamper, they never really wanted anything as such, so we started to buy the hampers as they would contain some nice treat items that maybe they wouldn't normally buy, but I knew they would enjoy, Waitrose and Marks and Spencers do some nice ones.
We would also take a Photograph of the children or use a nursery or school photograph, put it in a pretty frame and that would be their present from the children, something they could look at and would give them joy all year.

Link for Waitrose Hampers.
http://www.waitrosedirect.com/gifts/?facet=isWineClub:(%22N%22)+AND+isCorporateWine:(%22N%22)+AND+parentCatgroup_id_face

Right now I'm going back to lurking .

Hello there!

Thank you for reading and also contributing.

To be honest, we can do a Christmas hamper for Mrs. K.'s parents but mine wouldn't be so pleased (their house is full of "treats" at the best of times). Can certainly do something photo wise though, in fact we already have something planned.

theoretica wrote: »

What about the idea of making your parents a puzzle from family photographs that you didn't have time to do for your mum's birthday? Should cost far less than £100 and be something they couldn't just buy themselves if they wanted it.

We were thinking of doing that as well as buying them a gift each.

Don't think Mrs. K.'s lot would want a homemade family photo puzzle but my parents will be very pleased.

AlexLK

Originally posted by *Robin*.

Alex you've come such a long way so quickly for which - but goodness your xmas pressie budget is a bit lopsided!

Could be over £100 off the debts unless there is something either of you actually need?

Thank you. We are continually trying.

I suppose we just wanted to do something nice for one and other.

Son = £100. (can buy plenty of age appropriate toys for that)
For a four year old who is going to be thoroughly over-indulged by rich grand-parents, this seems an awful lot to spend on yet more toys so soon after his birthday. Why not stick £80 into his savings and make it a challenge with Missus K to see who can produce more fun for a tenner?

He will be three at Christmas, not four yet! I think Mrs. K. and I will need to talk about this one.

Parents.
Father = £100. (can just about get something he would be pleased with for this)
Mother = £100. (as above)
As mentioned by fellow MSEers, this is your chance to make a unique gift which can't be found in any shop.
In Laws.
Father = £25 (No idea)
Mother = £25 (A bottle of red and a bottle of white wine)
This is the bit I really have a problem with in your list, Alex. You are prepared to spend £200 on two people who already have plenty, yet only £50 on the other side - where a £200 gift would probably make a big difference to their lives!
BTW, £25 on vino will go a lot further at one of the German supermarkets - you'd be surprised; maybe consider getting some of your own booze supply there (but avoid the own brand spirits!)?

I hope I have explained why, re. the parents / in laws.

Must admit I've never tried wine from Aldi and I'm prepared to try most things once, this will go on the list.

Brother = £25 (Home made Christmas "hamper")
Brother's wife = £15 (As above)
I'd put these two together - one very carefully thought-out hamper between them.
Niece 1 = £15 (Music theory books she needs, yep I'm going to be a popular boy . However, Brother in Law suggested this).
Niece 2 = £15 (Home made Christmas "hamper")
Nieces are sisters? Then a book plus something else each ("Lush" gifts worth looking at).
Mrs. K. plans on giving just a small token gift to her sister and her family as they do not get on.
They don't get on? This year a card will do.

That's not a bad idea re. the hamper.

Yes, the two nieces are sisters. One is now a piano / theory pupil of mine.

No, Mrs. K. does not get on well at all with her sister but her parents will expect her to at least buy something, we were thinking cheap box of chocolates .

7roland8

Don't think I would want my son spending that sort of money for my Christmas gift - would much rather he used the money for himself.

Its nice to be remembered but that is more important than the value of the gift. Surely they are past the stage of havig pretty trinkets? Or they could buy their own.

One of the loveliest things I had from one son was a big Christmas card - but it had such a lovely verse that he had taken time to choose that it carefully that it made me cry - very touching - and I don't recall the gift that went with it!

7roland8

Actually I don't think you have to compete with your son's birthday gifts - he's not going to be totting up the cost of them.
And will he really have that much more fun with a £400 pedal plane that one that cost around £50?

gallygirl

Ultimately Alex you need to do what you and Mrs K feel comfortable with. It's all very well for us to say it's too much for your parents, too much on each other, too much for your son. But if it's more important to you to do this and be happy than pay a few hundred off your debt that's your decision. As long as it means you're just paying less off your debt and not getting more into debt......... . But don't try to compete with your parents over little K. TBH, suggest they take the plane out of its box and you wrap the box up with plans to turn it into a castle and your present will be more popular in the long run :rotfl:. He has no concept of value yet so make the most of it while you can .

AlexLK

7roland8 wrote: »

Don't think I would want my son spending that sort of money for my Christmas gift - would much rather he used the money for himself.

Its nice to be remembered but that is more important than the value of the gift. Surely they are past the stage of havig pretty trinkets? Or they could buy their own.

One of the loveliest things I had from one son was a big Christmas card - but it had such a lovely verse that he had taken time to choose that it carefully that it made me cry - very touching - and I don't recall the gift that went with it!

My parents are both collectors (yes, I inherited my compulsion to buy pens, watches and goodness knows what else). They have said before they don't want / need anything.

7roland8 wrote: »

Actually I don't think you have to compete with your son's birthday gifts - he's not going to be totting up the cost of them.
And will he really have that much more fun with a £400 pedal plane that one that cost around £50?

No, I suppose he is not and I doubt he will. My parents (and I) do appreciate good craftsmanship and I imagine the plane will be here for many years to come, long after my son has outgrown it.

AlexLK

gallygirl wrote: »

Ultimately Alex you need to do what you and Mrs K feel comfortable with. It's all very well for us to say it's too much for your parents, too much on each other, too much for your son. But if it's more important to you to do this and be happy than pay a few hundred off your debt that's your decision. As long as it means you're just paying less off your debt and not getting more into debt......... . But don't try to compete with your parents over little K. TBH, suggest they take the plane out of its box and you wrap the box up with plans to turn it into a castle and your present will be more popular in the long run :rotfl:. He has no concept of value yet so make the most of it while you can .

I can assure you, we are absolutely NOT getting into debt over this.

:rotfl: I suppose I should be making the most of that, re. son. In a few years he'll most likely not want to know my wife and I for how much his grandparents will spoil him.

LannieDuck

We take the opposite view - when my DD's grandparents bought her relatively expensive toys for her birthday, we took the opportunity to just buy her a few, smaller presents. She's only two - she doesn't need lots of big gifts.

She loves the presents her grandparents bought and plays with them almost every day... but she also takes one of the presents we bought her to bed with her every night (a cuddly toy of one of her favorite TV characters).

You don't need to spend a lot on Little K because you have insider-information :P You know exactly what your little boy would most love, be it a cardboard box painted to look like a castle, or a teddy bear as big as he is.

AlexLK

Lannie: Thank you for the advice.

Mrs. K. and I are going to have a think over the next couple of days if there is anything we wish to review for the Christmas budget, after all (for once) we've got PLENTY of time.

AlexLK

Sunday 10th November, 2013.
Day 71.

Dear Diary,

Today has been a busy one, yet rather enjoyable. Tomorrow, on the other hand promises to be "just another manic Monday", thus I am rather inclined to focus on the here and now and, for the time being, forget about tomorrow.

After a quiet morning, enjoying a lazy lie in for once, my wife, son and I went to my parents' house as usual for lunch. Unexpectedly, my father looked better than he has in years, putting it down to some new pills the doctor had given him starting to work. I do hope that is the case and today wasn't just some one off. Before going to collect some furniture, we talked about lots of things; even my mother was willing to chip into the conversation and better still, they've BOTH promised to be on their best behaviour next week at the gathering for our son's birthday (which is not actually on his birthday).

On the debt busting front, I've another £350 to put towards the debts, after a couple of items ended on eBay this evening. Also another success to announce on the cooking front, we had sea bass with sundried tomatoes in a spicy tomato sauce and a little rice for dinner this evening; it was utterly scrumptious if I may say so myself.

Summary:
NSD!

Yours Faithfully,
Alex.