Christmas Present Challenge

good_advice

Join

Last year i went mad on buying boxes of chocolates fpr everyone, I usually have a theme.

This year I have gone mad in the Debenhams blue cross sale.
x2 lots of orders and £70 spent.
We have also gone halfs on a more expencive gift for someone we both know (was asked if we would).

I am going to start putting extra's on my supermarket home delivery, i love shopping on line.

i plan to make a Christmas cake soon as we are staying at home this year and inviting people to us.

I will keep looking on hukd for more sale items.

cottage_retreatist

Hello everyone!

I'm back! My budget is based on what I have spare each month to put aside so I am hoping it will stay the same but it could fluctuate if things come up unexpectedly!

So - here goes!
October - 60.00
November - 50.00
December - 30.00

Total - 140.00
Total spent so far - 0.00

That's actually quite a lot! :rotfl: I might try and come in below those budgets then if possible!!

This is just for family and doesn't include gifts form me to OH and vice-versa. All our money comes from the same pot so it's a bit awkward going 'hey babe, here's 60 quid, buy me something nice!!'.

As far as presents go we have:
My Mother & her Partner
My Grandmother
My Brother
His Mother & Father

I already have lots of types of jam I made earlier this year so the aim is to do each grouping a homemade hamper with a few small gifts in and then do 1 main present each.

So each of the hampers include:

• plum, vanilla and blackberry jelly
• plum and apple jelly
• spiced plum and molasses jelly
• strawberry and rhubarb jelly

to do:

• boozy sloe gin jelly (need some more jars cause I've run out!)
• mini christmas cakes (made with a Delia xmas cake mix I got from Waitr0se reduced down to 50p each a while ago and still have a few boxes of it left!!! :rotfl::rotfl:)

So that has all been made for minimal cost (all fruit was free more or less!!! ) and I never really count these as being a cost towards Xmas as I do them anyway!

Now I need to find some little 'stocking fillers' to add to each hamper that makes it individual and then also find the big presents.

My mu will be the worst because she has everything she needs and if she wants something she buys it - at top dollar - for herself anyway!!!!

charleybear - hobbs do nice jeans - and they have a sale on at the moment - if all your mum wants is jeans?

thanks for letting me join in!! :j

Nelly11

I'd really like to join this please, I've bought loads and loads for Christmas Hampers, my middle sis isnt buying pressies this year as she is broke, so she doesnt want us to buy pressies for them, I shall get something though for my Nephew as he's only 16 and I'd feel soooo means if I didnt get him a little some thing. I've just been buying things when I see them reduced, I bought the boxes with lids fron Ikea for 1.50 each, but now they look huge, lots of bits from Accessorize. Im having a man bag made for my OH and have a new Granddaughter that I'm going to make a food parcel up for as shes got everything and will be weaning early part of 2014.
We have been making Sloe Gin, Vodka and jelly and Toffee Vodka which also go into the hamper, just lashings off tissue paper to fill in the spaces. Tee Hee! I'm quite excited now xx

Nelly11

Well you really got me thinking, I sorted out all my Christmas bits and bobs last night, so far I have filled 5 hampers and ordered main pressie for OH but the bill for the remaining pressies comes in at a hefty $395, which would have been great if I'd put a pound a day away for Christmas. Now I am going to try to reduce the spend, I budget $5 for grown ups and $10 for kiddies (sorry but my pound key isnt working).
Have any of you any ideas how I can make the $5 stretch to look as if I've spent more?
Out of that money I am also buying $100 worth of clothing vouchers, would it be cheaper just to buy the kids some clothes myself.
Son3, the last one to still be living at home really wants a keyboard for xmas too, I just dont know how I'm going to fund that one, I am doing a table sale at the end of Nov and shall be ebaying my little heart out until then.
Think I'm going to add Christmas spend to my signature see how much I can knock it down to

LuckyPenny

Oh you are all doing so well, and all so frugal with your jam making etc. Is £500 too much I ask myself?? The bulk of the money will be going on my daughter and husband. Thanks for the £5 for children and £10 for adults tip, I think I will spend £10 on all those people I 'need' to buy for (except hubby and daughter) and up to £5 on those who are 'wants'.

I fund some great annuals in Home Bargains the other day £7.99 reduced to £2.99. The one I bought was Tatty Teddy. So I think this is a good buy - looks like you spent more than you did?

I also found some Chrismassy hot water bottles in Home Bargains. There are two sizes - I have bought 6 of the smaller ones at £2.99 each for teachers and brownie leaders. They are white with a red nordic theme on. Equally could be a nice pressies for the grand parents - I might go back and buy a few more

good_advice

hi, i am back and talking Lynx..
the men of the families and friends.
i count 6 men/adult kids and i only give small gifts
i will just get my calculator...

this is Tesco shop
on offer x3 lynx deodorant £5 - buy x2 = £10
400ml shower gel on offer x1 £1.50 - buy 6 =£9
total for x6 gift sets home made = 1 deodorant, 1 shower gel, i can provide my own Christmas bag. £3.16 per gift set

In tesco,, a Christmas gift set of the same in a box = £6
x6 box sets of lynx = £36

my home made gift sets put in a Christmas bag £3.16
x6 = £18.96

a saving of £17.04

LuckyPenny

hgotsparkle wrote: »

I spent a total of £400 last year but this year I want to get all presents for £100.

I've set a budget of £50 for OH, and so far I've gotten him an led globe hes wanted for ages which I found cheaply at £20, then got him a couple of t shirts this morning in Tescos sale rale, £3 and £2 so thats £25 on him so far.


Then my mum I'm budgeting £20, haven't found her anything.
My stepdad £20 and haven't found him anything either.
Best Friend I'm going to try for £10 and may get her a couple fo things from everything5pounds.com when I need to order my shoes for OHs christmas do.


So, so far I'm at quarter of the way through :snow_grin

Wow go you £100 - that sounds like a big challenge since you spent 4 times that last year!

bobsa1

Well I'm not quite sure what I've spent but have bought everything at 50% off or more. I've nearly finished just got OH to do and my Mum. I buy for my 3 DD's 5 nephew and nieces, my Mum, OH Mum and my uncle so not too bad.

Nelly11

JOIN
Budget = 395
spend so far = 0
Gifts I've found that I picked up in January sales = 7 x 5 so Ive saved 35

Total budget now 360 (without having to spend a thing)

Now I only have 16 gifts approx to buy!
Whoop!

candygirl

I'm doing it a lot cheaper this year, due to finances being poor all round the family.Have agreed with DD to get the kids less , as they have literally everything!!This way we can afford to have a little holiday at half term :
I haven't bought one prezzy yet, so am behind so far lol