Struggling :(

EssexHebridean

Definitely check out the comparisons sites to see how Bulb would work for you - if you switch via your friend's link then yes, you'll each get £50 in the form of a credit to your bill, so this will help towards winter heating costs etc.

can you talk to your respective siblings about buyung token presents only for Nieces & Nephews this year? Alternatively it might help keep the costs a bit lower to make each of them up a "Goodie Bag" with a selection of small items mostly from pound shops - we do this for each of our Niece & Nephews and they LOVE them (In fact the 14 year old was quite affronted when we said earlier in the year that we would understand if they didn't want us to carry on doing that for them if they felt it was a bit babyish...!) and you can bulk them out particularly for smaller kids by splitting up packs of things intended for party bags and stuff like that, plus we always scatter things like Candy canes from the Poundland boxes of those through too. . For the gift bags to make them up in we always keep en eye on the "card factory" shop for their special offer of X number of bags for £1 and get them that way.

PauloB

Hayley20013 wrote: »

we also have 12 nieces and nephews �� three of which have birthdays in December plus my dad and grandad. We don’t buy presents for adults at Christmas anymore. I usually save what I can throughout the year for all of this but with unexpected repair bills and the loan for a car I just haven’t been able to.

Agree with the adults in the family not to buy gifts for their children (your nieces and nephews) and ask them not to buy for yours for birthdays and Christmas.

My wife is one of eight and I have four siblings, the majority of whom also have multiple children, so some years back we all put a stop to the gift buying for each other's children. It saved a lot of money and quite frankly everyone was relieved to not have the burden of it.

Emzmom88

Hello

I didnt want to read and run i have really tried this year ti bring all my bills down and it was shocking our worst place where we were wasting money was our food shop look through your cupboards and fridge and try and make as many meals as possible if you have enough main meals for a week use that extra on xmas presents...i know you have neices and nephews we have 8 to buy for then friends kids and i always like getting a decent present for them...this year however itss just pjs and a selection box...as nasty as it sounds no one cares whats under our tree for dd so i have to make sure shes got everything she needs then everyone else next!!

As for bdays id offer to take everyone for a meal maybe next yearafter xmas or better still invite the bday people around on a sunday cook a roast and have an afternoon of chatting earing and laughing...moments are morr special than gifts

I hope it helps a little

Emzmom88

Or even approach the parents and have a secret santa £20 each for the kids so everyone gets 1 decent present xx

kazwookie

Can your OH pick up some agency work for when he is on 2 weeks shut down?


Driving

Shelf filling
Local Post office


Just cut out the presents for the 12 nieces / nephews, explain to the parents you simply cannot afford it. end off.

linz

Someone mentioned surveys - https://www.prolific.ac is a great one. I find it easy to make a couple of quid per night. You can cash out via paypal at £5 for a small fee - 5%? or wait til you have £20 built up and redeem with no fees. They are fast paying too - If you joined you would have enough for a few small stocking fillers next month. From memory, when I was little I just loved seeing all the wrapped up presents, it wasn't about the expense, it was the excitement of opening presents. They don't need to be expensive at 5 and 10.

tlc678910

Hi OP,
My elder son’s birthday is in October and my baby son’s Jan. After the Oct birthday I’m short of ideas for Xmas and my little one is only turning 2 in Jan so too young to care but I’m not looking forward to the problem you state of birthday and Christmas together.

Anyway I wanted to make the suggestion that you celebrate the birthday in a modest way on Xmas day (cake/candles/small present) but you agree with your daughter that because her birthday falls on Xmas day and she is already getting presents (simplistic but I think you said she was 5!) you will celebrate her half birthday properly instead so on her half birthday (25 June?) you do cake/her “proper” birthday present - which is a better time for outdoor toys/roller skates etc and maybe a treat with friends if that is affordable - as Xmas is a hard time to organise this for friends as well as you.

Re 12 nieces and nephews (I know this feeling too!) it is hard but I think you should send a group text to all parents saying something like “Dear X - our finances are still recovering from our house move and unexpected repair expenses so we won’t be able to buy presents for wider family this year (or only buying token presents this year if you prefer e.g. sweets). I hope you understand and looking forward to seeing you all over the Christmas period. Love to all”

Final thoughts: do you have any Tesco points? (3x value for days out for Xmas treat) / boots points etc towards gift/ any credit on your utilities account that you can claim back? I agree anything to sell or switching banks is a good idea.

Bulk out their gifts with chocolate/sweets and pound shop items they will like.

Xmas food if you are doing Xmas dinner- do you have a Heron/B&M foods or similar. If you needed to make Xmas dinner (for your family of 4) as cheaply as possible I would get the frozen chicken Tin (£2 or £2.50)/frozen mash/frozen roasties (1.50 each - or cheaper still buy spuds ), 22 skinny sausages (1.50). That makes £7 - and then spend 4 or 5 quid on veggies and cranberry sauce.

Heron/B&M do a lovely family size chocolate brownie that you put in the oven to bake for £1 (or an apple crumble) - with a tub of ice cream and I think you could have a lovely meal for £15.

I only say this as it’s so very easy to spend £50 in a supermarket without much of a meal to show for it.

Finally is your husband able to borrow ladders and tackle the guttering himself even as a temporary fix?

enthusiasticsaver

Sorry you are struggling and I think your family would understand if you pointed out you have had to buy a new car this year and have bought a house which needed some repairs.

If your daughter is only 5 she will not register she is not getting as much as her brother. Try and cut back as much as possible for next month or so and look to sell anything you don't use any more. Online surveys, competitions, evening/weekend work for either of you in the run up to Christmas may be possible. Getting a credit card will make your situation worse so I would not advise that. Borrowing is never the answer if you have a cashflow problem especially when money is tight anyway. Move bank accounts for introductory bonuses. Maybe buy a few bits at charity shops for xmas to keep costs as low as possible. B and M also are reasonable.

bloomfelt

Sorry to hear your struggles. qmee is a good survey site depending on how much time you have to complete surveys i mostly just do in the evenings but it pays out to paypal straight away and there is no minimum amount to cash out
Wont help much immediately but if you are buying online make sure you use the cashback sites (quidco, topcashback, swagbucks) i use all 3 and go through whichever one is paying the highest cashback for the site im buying from

bloomfelt

Also check out the debt free wannabe challenges for some ideas to earn extra money