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money saving christmas tips

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  • Bogof_Babe
    Bogof_Babe Posts: 10,803 Forumite
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    Don't forget the Pound shops for stocking fillers. They get some brilliant stuff, not just presents but for example I got a fleecy pet blanket with paw-prints for £1.99 (actually it wasn't a true Pound shop but the same type) and saw them in a catalogue not long after for £9.99. Also got a scented candle in a glass holder for £1. Similar sell at about £3 elsewhere.

    A silly little thing I have been thinking of - you know those small plastic pots and bottles you get in Body Shop and Boots with lip balms, shower foams etc? Well if you keep the empty bottles and pots, and peel or soak off the labels, you can make your own travel set for people to decant their toiletries into when going away. You could get a cheapish, pretty cosmetics bag and put a couple of bottles and a couple of pots in - instant gift! If the bottles are printed not labelled, you could cover with self-adhesive plastic.

    They sell empty ones in Boots for about 99p for a little plastic pot - I got some in Sainsbury's sale, with lip balms in, for 50p each. Double value as I have the lip stuff too!
    :D I haven't bogged off yet, and I ain't no babe :D

  • Lillibet_2
    Lillibet_2 Posts: 3,364 Forumite
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    Good tip BOGOF-Babe, they are giving away free make up bags with next months Eve magazine (advertised in this months mag with the free umberella) which could work with this, you could add a pair of Boots toe seperators too if you are still stocked up with them from the points bonanza!
    I have actually used magazine freebies for stocking fillers in the past, last year one of the mags was giving away really nice free scarves or gloves, I bought 4 copies to get 2 complete sets of each which I added to a bottle of home made mulled wine & a scented candle for a cheap seasonal gift & gave the extra magazines away to the doctors surgery.
    Post Natal Depression is the worst part of giving birth:p

    In England we have Mothering Sunday & Father Christmas, Mothers day & Santa Clause are American merchandising tricks:mad: Demonstrate pride in your heirtage by getting it right please people!
  • 16011996
    16011996 Posts: 8,313 Forumite
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    will have a look in pound shop. funny i never think of there for stocking fillers. thanks bogof.
  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,151 Forumite
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    £1 shops often have great stuff in em. Last xmas Nursery asked kids to fetch in a Santa hat for their concert. As there was 78 kids didn't want mine getting lost. Bought v.distinctive one in £1 shop that had reindeer antlers coming out of it. Anyway no one else had one, and eldest was picked to plau a reindeer for their concert.i :)
  • 16011996
    16011996 Posts: 8,313 Forumite
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    i do go in mine, just never thought of it for stocking fillers. silly really.
  • lilmisskitkat
    lilmisskitkat Posts: 919 Forumite
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    I love pound shops  :)

    Last year i got Bob the Builder mugs for £1 each. Apparantly they were seconds because the picture wasn't perfect or something (looked fine to me lol)

    I bought them for my 2 little Nephews, filled them with mini chocolate bars and sweeties and wrapped with celophane and tied with a ribbon. Then got them a DVD to share  :)

    Kate xxx
  • Nickynoo1
    Nickynoo1 Posts: 390 Forumite
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    Christmas has always cost a few hundred pound in my family. Last year the whole family decided each present was not to cost no more than £10. Quite challenging to find decent pressie but good fun trawling the web sites for offers and promo's. John Lewis was a life saver - £20 gifts for a tenner!

    Anyway as BF and I only spent £50 on rest of family it meant we could spend a whole load more on a present to ourselves. We went to Lapland to see Father Christmas. It was expensive but the money would have only have been spent on others, probably unwanted gifts too.

    So this year I've saved my £50 per month for Christmas, and again I'll spend £50 on family and the rest on a present to my self. Trip to New York i feel.

    These types of trips would normally be way to extravagant, but it feels better to get something I really want, than spend a whole load of money on other people and getting it wrong......again. Plus everybody has something to unwrap on the day.

    Ooh does that sound selfish!

    Nickynoo
    16/06/16 £11446 30/12/16 £9661.49
    01/08/17 £7643.69
  • 16011996
    16011996 Posts: 8,313 Forumite
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    no, you go for it!!!!
  • cathy_3
    cathy_3 Posts: 1,500 Forumite
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    this is what you would have had for christmas dinner when food rationing was out, this is to feed 5 or 6 people !!


    Poor mans goose


    1/4Ib potatoes

    1/2Ib liver

    1/2 teaspoonful dried sage

    1 oz flour

    2 small onions

    cold water

    salt and pepper

    METHOD

    Mix the flour and seasoning together. Cut the meat into even-sized pieces and roll them in the seasoned flour. Place in a pie dish with layers of sliced onion and sage. Peel the potatoes and half cook them. Cut them into thick slices and place over the top of the meat. Three-parts fill the dish with water, cover with greased paper and bake in a moderate oven (350°F) for about 1 hour.

    its actually very tastey and I loathe liver but you cant taste it when its cooked
  • cathy_3
    cathy_3 Posts: 1,500 Forumite
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    chestnuts are falling off the trees and dirt cheap to buy now so save some and make your own stuffing

    Chestnut stuffing for roast chicken or turkey

    Ingredients


    14oz (400g) chestnuts, boiled and peeled


    4oz (120g) breadcrumbs


    7fl oz (200ml) vegetable stock


    a little marge

    Method

    Mash the chestnuts and mix with breadcrumbs. Pour in enough stock to make a stiff mixture.
    Pack the stuffing loosely in the turkey. Place any remaining stuffing round the bird and sprinkle with a little margarine. cook
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