The 2008 Money Neutral Gift Challenge

brownjasperdog

I'm referring back a few pages here, but we have had the first birthday party of the year this weekend and I managed to make a card for an estimated 15-20p. Thanks for those of you who persuaded me to have a go! I'm not too confident at designing cards with paper and glue etc so I just got a clipart photo off the internet and put it into a Word document with "Happy Birthday X" floating on top of the picture. The small boy in question is a big tractor fan so it was easy to choose a suitable photo! I got my OH to print it on glossy paper and it looked good! Incidentally, the present we gave him was obtained half price from the Tesco Direct website after Christmas...of course!

sophiesmum_2

I just looked on envirophone and I could get £72.15 in Argos vouchers for my phone, plus £7.20 from quidco so could get £79.35 if I sent it in. It is a samsung U600 silver, it's only 3 months old but I really hate it, don't know whether to do this or try e bay, although e bay terrifies me:eek: .

mum2one

sophiesmum wrote: »

I just looked on envirophone and I could get £72.15 in Argos vouchers for my phone, plus £7.20 from quidco so could get £79.35 if I sent it in. It is a samsung U600 silver, it's only 3 months old but I really hate it, don't know whether to do this or try e bay, although e bay terrifies me:eek: .

Wow thats a gd price, Id be surprised if you could get that much on ebay, its worth doing a search on ebay and it will bring you up current U600 listings and at least you can see what there fetching. x

jamtart6

eBay is also notorious for scammers when it comes to mobiles - but talk to them on the eBay board on here for help they are a knowlegable bunch. I can let you know the outcome of my transaction with envirophone if you want when it is complete - although I believe they have good feedback. My phones aren't worth that much so
if they went missing/i had a poor experience, I haven't lost out on too much!

PS - I'm now mooching round the house looking for any mobiles that have gone to phone heaven!!

jamtart6

Well had fun in Boots 75% off sale - spent my points so completely neutral, also my mum spent my points so she is paying me back in Boots vouchers (which is better than boots points) and cash - so i have cash towards my totals now yay!!

Would anyone mind a lot if I got rid of my £240 that I've spent on the joint xmas and bday present, its getting me down as its a HUGE amount. I think I will remove it, see how I go and hopefully get ebay motivation back - someone remind me to add it again later on in the year!!

everyone else is very quiet - how are you all doing? do we have any lurkers who haven't posted yet but would like to join in??

celyn90

Hi everyone, I think I'm doing okay so far.... although I now have to find £38 after a Boots spree... (75 % sale boots spree, so could have been worse!)

I made a gift spreadsheet so I could write in what I need to buy and keep track of the cost.

My oddest free aquistion was a bottle of alcohol which my Dad will get for Christmas - I was drawing a picture waiting at the airport in and someone offered to buy it from me... I said he could just have it (I only chuck the things away anyway - my own artwork embarrasses me and I've never been able to accept money for drawings) - and 5 mins later he comes back with a bottle as a thank you - but a little :embarasse . I've also kept some chocolates I was given for Christmas as a birthday gift for my sister who's birthday it is soon. Boots points have paid for Mum's mother's day pressie and nephew's birthday gift. I transferred some money from caio to my account (about a £10) so I have some hard cash to play with.

hayley11

I bought my first presents this year from the Boots sale, got 8 presents in all and only spent £25 (all points) so i'm very pleased :T

I've done quite well with quidco/amazon/clicks etc but we're moving and need money for it so I can't put any of it away for pressies. But once we're moved and settled i'll start putting money away that I make for pressies.

sophiesmum_2

jamtart6 wrote: »

Well had fun in Boots 75% off sale - spent my points so completely neutral, also my mum spent my points so she is paying me back in Boots vouchers (which is better than boots points) and cash - so i have cash towards my totals now yay!!

Would anyone mind a lot if I got rid of my £240 that I've spent on the joint xmas and bday present, its getting me down as its a HUGE amount. I think I will remove it, see how I go and hopefully get ebay motivation back - someone remind me to add it again later on in the year!!

everyone else is very quiet - how are you all doing? do we have any lurkers who haven't posted yet but would like to join in??

hi Jamtart
Can you not just remove it permanently as he already got it and you paid for it already last year:rolleyes: . Its an awful big amount to have to make up right from the start. Sure it will be okay with everyone else.:D

jamtart6

i know! i did want to be properly money neutral but its just demotivating me! i'll scratch it for now and see how i get on. It cost £480, and I made £230 on ebay to for almost half of it last year

I'll start again and see how I get on will total shortly

EDIT: Spent £19 in real money and have £70.56 in cash already so I am 371% money neutral

SugarSpun

I've spent £72, and I have £20.27 in Quidco and something up on Ebay.

I also have £10 in vouchers set aside for another gift, although I'm going to spend my (now €11.05) book vouchers on myself because I'm out of people who'll appreciate book presents! And 1150 pigsback points.