January bargains that are not!

summersnearlyhere

Just wanted to let you know my experience of money wasting over the last two years! In January I have bought reduced wrapping paper, cards and gift tags. Last year some of the gift tags had Merry Christmas 2006 in the middle of the packs (not visible when I bought them), this year a pack of Tesco Christmas Cards have Woodland Trust quoting on the back how this will help children plant trees in January 2007! I can't send them out it will look like I'm tight! I will have to be more careful this year I need to money save not waste!!

RHYSDAD

Ah, just cross out the offending dates, send them out and stop worrying. It's the thought that counts, surely? If anyone gets offended, strike them from your list the following year. Grow a thicker skin and keep saving money!!

taketwo

Get real, no one will notice, and if they do no one will care. Do you think people really expect you to throw away any unused cards each year?

setmefree2

Hi Summers nearly here (We Wish!)

This is annoying isn't it. I had this happen to me with a pile of cards from WH smiths a few years back...it's not very green is it to make us throw xmas cards away cos we don't want to offend people. :oOh well you can still use the envelopes. :money:

duchy

I doubt anyone would notice -who reads the back of Christmas cards anyway ?
Anyone who would be offended by something so trivial isn't worth having as a friend

Tao81

Use them anyway! Go on I dare you!!;) If I get cards citing last years date in the blurb on the back (or anywhere else for that matter) I feel quietly proud of that person for having helped save the trees and, equally importantly, not unnecessarily wasted their hard earned dosh on cards they don't want / need to send :eek: !

............Guess what?! I go even further , each year I ask everyone I know NOT to send me xmas cards! ........ I've adopted this practice for over a decade now and it works brilliantly.
I simply state that, I prefer to see trees in their natural form and that to verbally wish me a happy xmas is sufficient and that this prevents waste of both cards and money!.........To this day, no-one has ever protested and if they gossip about me behind my back ( which I doubt many do!) then it's none of my business and to quote a very well known phrase "Quite frankly my dear I don't give a damn!"
The sense of satisfaction I get form knowing I've not contributed to the annual madness of deforestation for the sake of social etiquette and protecting others sensibilities, is Eeenormous!

The only circumstance I trade this feeling of satisfaction in for and relent to sending a handful of cards are for those people who live across the miles and I have known fondly for years, or those who have been particularly kind during the year and who might be mortally offended / wounded (Sigh!....:rolleyes: ) if I didn't send them a card at xmas.
But happily I've found that over the years even those who are at a distance begin to respect and accept my abstinence from this annually excepted conditiononed madness and allow me the 'luxury' of not posting to them without any consequent childish emotional or social backlash?!.....Fantastic! :j So now I'd find it impossible to use up one of those HUGE boxes of 10 cards and it means that those cards I do send are very individual and special, no innane cheap cards with matching customary innane messages /sentiments!

Some email cards are so pretty! and cost nothing in terms of trees or money, when you'd have your computer on anyway?!....Go for it!

(......and Yes! :rolleyes: I do buy recycled stationary and toilet rolls etc. My principles are not just for xmas!;) )

SO GO ON! Send your old cards with lots of love and xmas cheer and not a hint of embarrassment!...........OR......Do as I do?! .............I Dare you! - IT'S SO LIBERATING!....... AND SAVES MONEY IN TO THE BARGAIN!!:money:

pulliptears

we dont send cards either. DD's school sponsors an 8 year old boy in Malawi and we give the card money to his fund every year. Last year we had a goat amongst other things

saveaholic68

To be honest, when I read 'plant a tree in 2007', it took me a while to realise that it had already passed. I say, just send them and hope your mates are as slow as me

oldagetraveller

I'm using last years Christmas special postage stamps, should I throw them away and only use this years?

missyg_3

I also do a charitable donation instead of sending Christmas cards, and have done for years. This annual waste-fest does my head in.

I have explained to friends and family how strongly I feel about it, and asked politely that they please do not send me cards. WHY do some persist in doing it anyway!

So now stores are "date branding" their Christmas stuff, presumably to make you buy new each year and create yet more waste :rolleyes:

setmefree2

My dated WH Smith Cards also have proceeds going to the Woodland Trust:rolleyes:..too ...they obviously want us to chop more trees down.....:o