HOW DO YOU AFFORD CHRISTMAS?

[valmarg]

My god no, I can manage well enough on my own without remote control. ;D ;D

valmarg

[valmarg]

[Ninnyscrops.]

Seeing things at the right time and grabbing them  ;)

Old tin herb flower pots £1, Tete a Tete bulb pots £1, rusted bell 40p and a bit of plastic wrapping foc from the local florist.

For neighbours either side and neices, where we major on their children.

[Mrs Ava]

I'm another who buys wrapping paper and chrissy cards in the sales.  I also shop throughout the year, picking up bits and bobs as and when.  And I don't go crazy about the food.  We have our luxuries but we don't buy stacks of biscuits and cakes and choccies and enough bread to feed the whole of Essex. 

[kt.]

And I don't go crazy about the food.  We have our luxuries but we don't buy stacks of biscuits and cakes and choccies and enough bread to feed the whole of Essex. 

I agree with your statement.  Please come to my house and educate my wife on this issue ;D ;D

[Froglegs]

And I don't go crazy about the food.  We have our luxuries but we don't buy stacks of biscuits and cakes and choccies and enough bread to feed the whole of Essex. 

I agree with your statement.  Please come to my house and educate my wife on this issue ;D ;D

Ya could have a word with my wife and me mum too EJ. ;D

[Mrs Ava]

 ;D ;D ;D

[Borlotti]

I have had second thoughts about giving my sister a 10p book from the library.  Just read it and it was good, thought it would do for grandchildren but it is a bit dirty as has been read many times, and the author Noel Streatfeild is more for children.  The book is 'when the siren wailed' and the older children have been learning about the war.  Just remember how I loved ballet shoes as a child so thought I would buy two copies of ballet shoes and one new copy of 'when the siren wailed'.  Most be getting old as I think some of her books are out of print, think I can get Ballet shoes all right.  Don't want to go to Smiths as that is where my purse was stolen.  I think they are all into Jacqueline Wilson at the moment, or 'whatever'.  Anyway I have it in my head what I am going to buy so off I go to the shops (Woolworths might be a good shop at present).   I am after a jigsaw board for grand daughter, got mine at charity shop for £1.50 and she wants one as is getting told off for doing puzzle on floor.  I think I got a bargain as the fold up boards are expensive.  I would rather buy them things they want/need/use during the year than rush out at Christmas and buy loads of things that are not liked, but as it nearer I will probably go out and buy 'willy nilly'.

[nilly71]

I bet a lot of people who say they can't afford Christmas wait till the last minute to buy gifts with little money saved, but have been smoking or drinking for the rest of the year. >:(

Christmas is meant to be a time of joy, but most people worry too much about what to get for everyone.
As toys get smaller but more expensive then you end up spending more to try and componsate, the kids open the toys in minutes and there is nothing but a small pile, then the parents feel guilty and end up spending more the following year.

I was brought up, that if my parents did not have the money then we could not have it. We still got a few presents and was never disapointed. Sometimes a couple of months after Christmas or Birthdays a present would appear on the table and my mum would say she could not afford it then but can now.

It's difficult in our home sometimes, as i think the same way as my parents, but my partner did not have much as a child and tries to make up for it by buying everything for our three kids.

We buy a few thing for them and give the two eldest money as well. We try and encourage them to save some so they can add other Christmas/Birthday money to it, to buy better stuff. My 8yr old has just bought a digital keyring for £10 from last Christmas money.

Don't try and prove your love by spending so much and getting into dept for one day then causing missery the rest of the year because your in dept.

Neil

[caroline7758]

For cheap second hand books, as well as charity shops, try this site:

http://www.greenmetropolis.com/index2.asp

For gardening books, look under "Home, Family and Health"

[Froglegs]

For cheap second hand books, as well as charity shops, try this site:

http://www.greenmetropolis.com/index2.asp

For gardening books, look under "Home, Family and Health"

I will recommend  greenmetropolis been using them for yonks . :)

[Mr Smith]

I would not mind Christmas if it was celebrated for what it is rather than families getting lumbered with debt for the following year, it also goes on for to long I would not mind if Christmas was in the middle of summer ;)

[Froglegs]

Christmas should be like the Olympics every 4 years. :(

[grannyjanny]

I buy wrapping paper  & cards in the sales plus pressies that don't take up to much room. The Book people prices are amazing. I use my Tesco vouchers for presents. £2.50 voucher spent in Tesco's is worth £10 in Tesco deals. I get magazine subscriptions & they are greatly appreciated. I have a lovely cake recipe, mincemeat cake & I make about 10 of those & give them away. All year round I keep an eye out for suitable things. TK Max is another good place. I have bought Port Merieon candles at a fraction of the price elsewhere.
Janet.

[SamLouise]

Having been at both ends of the scale - from being very skint and setting a limit on everyone's pressies to the past couple of years where we are very comfortable financially, I tend to go a bit crazy with people's presents but I don't care because Christmas is my favourite time of the year and I make sure I over indulge  ;D ;D  but ... I also donate to charity and buy toys/clothes for the local women & children's refuge. 

Going back to when we were skint many years ago, I used to start buying presents weekly from about August onwards.  Also did this with the Christmas food.  Had a huge cardboard box that I added a couple of things to each week when I did the shopping.  Someone mentioned paying things off weekly but that isn't available to do now.  In the past with little local toy/food shops, the manager was happy to put your goods aside and let you pay for them weekly but there's no way of doing that now.  The closest thing is a catalogue and their prices are just outrageous to start with!  We've been sticking a tenner a week on our Asda card since September just to help out with any extras nearer the time :)

[caroline7758]

I've just ordered some really cheap CD's from play.com. They've got hundreds of them for £1.99 and £2.99 and it's free postage on everything. Lots of oldies and "best of" etc.
How about this one if you're my age? ;D

http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/647039/Various-The-Best-Of-Top-Of-The-Pops-79/Product.html