The 2008 Money Neutral Gift Challenge

SugarSpun

My friend announced their wedding date last night so I need another gift for that. They're looking for Ikea vouchers, which I'm not sure I can find reduced in any way. Curses...

I also bought my mother's birthday present. Her birthday's not till next year, so I shall make a note of the 15 pounds it cost me and not add it to this year's list unless I end up doing really, really well.

€10 more from pigsback today and another 20p tracked from play.com. I'm still waiting for my Betfair cashback too.

mum2one

SugarSpun wrote: »

My friend announced their wedding date last night so I need another gift for that. They're looking for Ikea vouchers, which I'm not sure I can find reduced in any way. Curses...

I also bought my mother's birthday present. Her birthday's not till next year, so I shall make a note of the 15 pounds it cost me and not add it to this year's list unless I end up doing really, really well.

€10 more from pigsback today and another 20p tracked from play.com. I'm still waiting for my Betfair cashback too.

Ah, sods law re the wedding present, I konw theyve asked for Ikea vouchers, but Id buy them what I want, if there was a wedding list at least you would have choice.x

scattymam1

Yoohoo there - yes jamtart def. still doing the challenge. Got stuff ready for e-bay and the pawn brokers but my camera is bust - but working up nicely with points and vouchers on surveys...wow jamtart you are doing well on ebay at the moment aren't you...will do an update soon but house has just gone on the market so very busy as of late.

Sugarspun sometimes you can get vouchers on ebay - for example there's currently £250.00 of vouchers on for £190.00 at the moment but keep looking as more could come up, I once got £30 of whsmith vouchers for £22. Worth a look. Just make sure you see a photo and that they are genuine gift vouchers and not money off vouchers...

jamtart6

SugarSpun wrote: »

My friend announced their wedding date last night so I need another gift for that. They're looking for Ikea vouchers, which I'm not sure I can find reduced in any way. Curses...

I also bought my mother's birthday present. Her birthday's not till next year, so I shall make a note of the 15 pounds it cost me and not add it to this year's list unless I end up doing really, really well.

€10 more from pigsback today and another 20p tracked from play.com. I'm still waiting for my Betfair cashback too.

How about ebaying things to the value of the vouchers? Technically free then

jamtart6

scattymam1 wrote: »

Yoohoo there - yes jamtart def. still doing the challenge. Got stuff ready for e-bay and the pawn brokers but my camera is bust - but working up nicely with points and vouchers on surveys...wow jamtart you are doing well on ebay at the moment aren't you...will do an update soon but house has just gone on the market so very busy as of late.

Sugarspun sometimes you can get vouchers on ebay - for example there's currently £250.00 of vouchers on for £190.00 at the moment but keep looking as more could come up, I once got £30 of whsmith vouchers for £22. Worth a look. Just make sure you see a photo and that they are genuine gift vouchers and not money off vouchers...

Ditto this, and also make sure they have a decent feedback

jamtart6

Yep not doing too badly with the ebaying, it'll slow up soon because its summer, and I found last year March-May were good months, and September-November were good, depends on what you sell, but people are outside more in the summer and have no money at the start of the year - a little tip for those of you trying eBay. I have £17 in onepoll, they have redesigned the site so its easier to use a bit, I still think its a great survey company!
Should be over 30000 in Toluna soon too, half way to a £12 voucher - the hardest ever! Not sure I'll bother after I have one voucher!

TNS are quite good, not very regular, but they credit you with 25 points sometimes even if you dont meet the requirements of the survey. They put the points onto your nectar card, last year I had about £15 worth in Argos vouchers via nectar from just buying petrol at Sainsburys and TNS surveys. Pretty good! I did a survey last week for them for 550 points which is about £3.50, so not bad at all.

My friends bday is this week, I have to ask what she would like and she wants a surprise - yipeee! This means she can have the gift that I had put aside for her in case she wanted a surprise (but I always like to ask!!) so this will be money neutral again! On a roll! I am virtually covered on birthdays now until Xmas (just 3 I have to ask), so I am now on the major drive for Christmas presents, which I spent about £600 on last year.

Last xmas my OH's gift was half for his bday and half for xmas, so I also technically have to cover that £250!!! (but he's getting naff all for his bday this year as he's already had it!!)

SugarSpun

jamtart6 wrote: »

How about ebaying things to the value of the vouchers? Technically free then

I ebayed just about everything that wasn't nailed down before Christmas, and then I moved countries, so I have nothing left to ebay!

What I may do is separate out some of the uncut emeralds and amethysts I bought on ebay and put them in a pretty bag, and give them along with a couple of nice bottles of wine. I have some great wine that people have given me, but I'm too spontaneous to bother with the sort that you have to let breathe for hours. A German sekt (apparently they're famous) and a nice red).

Balls to Ikea vouchers

mum2one

Looks like my total of I need could be reducing - on Quidco sites looks like they have pd me and mum, but not counting the money until I draw it out of bank x

Still looking for rich millionaire .......... I can dream.......

mum2one

I know its not exactly money neutral, but I have found the most amazing web site, (please note that this is not a referral link - merely sharing my good fortune of finding this site).

I wanted to wait before mentioning anything, incase it was a load of rubbish, its not.

www.half-cost.co.uk

Its basically a clear out company but from the invoice enclosed with parcel, its the same paperwork as Studio cards etc, you pay when you order, my order was £20.00, and it was £3.99 postage, (bargain considering what some ebayers charge).
They have a brilliant £1.00 line, Ive stocked up on a wack of items for birthday presents (next yr and any odds and sods need for xmas this yr)

My shopping included.

Girls Head Backpack, (lightweight style) £1.00
6 x angel fridge magnets £1.00
Foldable travel hair dryer £1.00
2 x sun and moon outdoor mats £1.00
Pair of girlie pink curtains (yes youve guessed) £1.00

Obviuosly items do change as its a clear out, but the bargains are out of this world.

happy shopping x

brownjasperdog

Hello all, I'm still doing the challenge! Check my signature - I've finally got over 100% money neutral! :beer: Although, I'm probably doing it a bit differently to others, as I'm just buying gifts and earning money as I go along throughout the year and aiming for 100% at the end. I haven't got it quite as well planned as some of you have!

I've done very well out of cashback sites, particularly with car insurance and home insurance. I have a ton of stuff still to Ebay. I really have been very lazy over this - although I suppose I've been doing lots of other 'challenges' recently! I got as far as photographing a load of items on Thursday when it was 5p listing day then my camera went flat and while I was waiting for it to recharge so I could download the photos, I totally lost all motivation!:o