The financial nightmare that is christmas...

Xaniwoop

jellyhead wrote: »

The hexbug fish is called aquabot. I think they come with or without a fishbowl. There's another type called robofish which has better reviews.

I've ordered these robofish from ebay super cheap. They haven't arrived yet so I can't answer to the quality but at that price I'll run the risk.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200952563447?var=500178202646&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

FatVonD

seanavfc92 wrote: »

If it was up to me, I'd push Christmas back 1/2 weeks and go and buy all of the presents in the Boxing Day/New Years sales.... Nothing worse than buying something for £100 (e.g.) and seeing it in the sale for £50 the following day!!

Save all your receipts. If you see it in the sales cheaper buy it again and return it with the original receipt (unless, of course the sale item's packaging/tag is marked in some way.)

DKLS

I was budgeting carefully for xmas this year but finally HMRC have finally sorted my tax code out, so can up the budget a bit.

I have just booked two tickets to see Its a wonderful life at our fave cinema. That should get us in the festive mood.

twigpig

We don't really do extended family here but it's £20 a head and that's about £600 before my hubby and I buy each other.

Our son was only just under a year last xmas and his birthday comes the month later. With so many family to buy for him, we actually only spent under £10 :rotfl: We'll be doing the same this year - maybe £20 :rotfl:. Young kids get so much from everyone else, there's little need to spend much and they don't know any different. He'll end up playing with the paper anyway.....

The best thing about xmas for me is that the sparkle lasts all day. Even before kids, I insisted that OH and me would spread the present opening, so first one with breakfast, the last before bed and anything else in between then. We usually have about 5 gifts but some will be less than £1. This is actually more important to me then what's actually in the gifts. I hate to see kids open each present one after another, dump them on a pile and move to the next without even a care about what they've just opened.

Love the 'one they want, one they need, something to wear and something to read' - will steal that when my little one gets old enough to ask for things. Thanks for this.

thriftylass

twigpig wrote: »

We don't really do extended family here but it's £20 a head and that's about £600 before my hubby and I buy each other.

You don't call buying for 30 people extended family? :eek: Ok, let's say you have 4 siblings plus partners with 4 kids each (sory don't know whether you mention the size of your family earlier) and then the sets of your parents, PIL, could you do what we do?

Even for close family (brother and his gf, my parents) we just get a family present, i.e. a hamper, not individual presents. So instead of 180 per family group it would just be let's say £50 max or so.

starlight29

I love christmas but I plan all year for it I make home made gifts for my family and maybe some new pjs or slippers which we all love lol my daughter is 13 and I've gotten her a mobile phone as hers is nearly had it ( an old one of mine ) I've bought her some clothes but just stuff she needs really.
My little man is 2 he has autism and hyper mobility so I have had to buy him some special needs toys which aren't cheap his birthday is end of November too his Xmas present is a projector which puts beautiful oil bubbles onto the ceiling all colours he goes mad and flaps his arms he can't talk but I know he's so happy bless him the one he has at the minute is on loan so having his own was something I really wanted to get him it cost 120 pounds so not cheap but worth every penny. Our springer puppy had the snip yesterday so feeling sorry for him I got him a dog stocking full of treats from Wilko s today for Xmas lol

Starlight

hgotsparkle

My problem this year is, with it being my first christmas in my own home, I don't want to spend as much as when I was living with my parents and obviously had a lot more money, but I really want to spoil OH as he really does deserve it, but he's not into handmade presents, he prefers the practical presents. So far I've gotten him a light up globe, some tops, a dvd boxset, a ring, a bracelet and I'll be getting him some aftershave too. I know he'll be surprised because we only said we were doing small cheap presents but he never really gets spoilt and I feel he deserves it.

Norma_Desmond

There's a fair amount of 'have to' and 'need to' posts on here regarding this annual frenzy of greed.

You don't have to do anything or spend everything - you're not going to be struck down for putting an end to the silliness once and for all.

Many years ago after Spoilt Brat Niece #1 asked 'Is that all?' when we gave her an expensive PlayStation game, we stopped it dead.

DH's family were bought an Oxfam goat the year after that - and nothing since.

My elderly Mum has Christmas dinner with us and gets a hamper full of yummies she wouldn't normally buy - and loves the treat.

That's it.

DH and I spend the week eating good food, catching up with friends, drinking a bit more wine than we should, beachcombing, watching old movies and doing jigsaws. Bliss, selfish bliss, uncommercial, and stress-free.

Janepig

givememoney wrote: »

A true MSE in the making. You should be very proud

He takes after his old man, who is also a tight git!!

jellyhead wrote: »

I think you need the new game, but I'll check with my husband - I don't understand gaming

The hexbug fish is called aquabot. I think they come with or without a fishbowl. There's another type called robofish which has better reviews. I saw people discussing the two on here recently, and people said hexbugs stick together if you put them in the same tank, but on the advert they showed several in a tank.

They are 2 for £15 in argos, and they have a 2-pack without the bowl for £9.99 http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/1377543.htm

Oh let me know about the Skylanders if you can - I don't want to buy the figures only to find out that he can't use them.

I'm glad I can buy the hexbugs/robofish without having to buy the fishbowl. We've got a fishtank languishing without any fish in it after they all died, so I'll be glad to use that again!!

Jx

red_devil

Unless you know the adult very well the chances are your present could be regifted so why waste your money.