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Credit crunch Christmas
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Message 1.Ìý
Posted by Nomadnomore - XNo - Quiz Queen (U3180380) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
I am aware from postings on the board and my own family's position that some of us need some money saving ideas for Christmas.
My step daughter is going to be making home made truffles for her friends for Christmas. My Christmas present to her is going to be the ingredients (but she doesn't know that yet).
I'm good at cooking, she's good at presentation so between us we can do it.
Any money saving suggestions amongst ourselves welcome.
BTW, I fully acknowledge the "I don't give any Christmas presents" and "I don't do Christmas" and "Christmas is an over-commercialised consumer fest that shouldn't be allowed" camp.
This is meant to be a practical thread for those with financial constraints to share ideas.
If it takes off I'll post a flyer in the Bull. -
Message 2
Posted by Sunny Clouds (U7606212) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
For the last couple of years, with my brother and a couple of friends, we have been making donations of undisclosed amounts to the charities of our choice. It works nicely for people that aren't fussed about getting something tangible, as no one can be embarrassed about how much they are or aren't spending.
The classic way of giving when you have no money is vouchers for time: "Babysitting for one evening" "Cutting your lawn twice" or whatever. -
Message 3
Posted by Nomadnomore - XNo - Quiz Queen (U3180380) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
Yep, both of those work. What about people with young children who are expecting Santa? Anyone with ideas for them?
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Message 4
Posted by Mylovelyhorse (U7473297) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
A friend of mine, noticing that the latest fashion is for slate cheese boards, has made some to give as presents this year. She nipped down to the local tile shop and bought a few square slate floor tiles. She's cleaned them thoroughly, has attached little feet to the back, and she will give them as pressies. They look fantastic - really professional, and cost very very little to do.
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Message 5
Posted by yorkshire puddin (U4522617) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
that's a good idea. It reminded me of a party I went to years ago with slate as serving boards and they had the dish written on in chalk, looked great.
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Message 6
Posted by Hazel Wooley (U2338026) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
I make sweeties for christmas. My most penny pinching treat is chocolate dipped candied orange peel. I save up my orange peel and when I've got enough (about 8 oranges' worth) I candy the peel, leave it to dry overnight and then roll the strips in sugar. I then dip each piece in melted chocolate. I also make sea salt caramels, fudge and truffles. All of which cost a fraction of what they would in the shops. I'm not particularly artistic so these sweets are even easy for me.
However, I'm definitely interested in the slate tile idea now.
HW -
Message 7
Posted by flea (U12948061) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
Young children expecting santa - get thee to the charity shops. I have just bought the most gorgeous - enormous - cuddly dog (for me, lol) for £3. And that was one of the more expensive ones. As new. Toys, books. Some poor quality, some perfect.
Poundland.
Wilkinson's.
Etc etc. -
Message 8
Posted by SussexCornflower InTheFinalCountdown (U13833966) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
A good way of doing cheaper presents for young children is to do it as a lucky dip. That way, half the fun is in the dipping rather than in the cost of the present - and you can have a couple of goes.
It would work for one child just as well as for two or three.
The presents can be anything from a tube of Smarties to a fun-shaped bath sponge or some such. -
Message 9
Posted by MV Whitby May Rose (U6862284) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
For children I would go down the bits and pieces route ie bubbles, mouth organ, crayons and paper, slinky, blackboard and chalk type things.
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Message 10
Posted by Sunny Clouds (U7606212) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
When I was a child, Father Christmas used to bring me a red stocking. I think it must have been quite high denier. It had nuts and satsumas and coins and chocolates and something bigger like a paperback or a toy. Since the real fun was groping around in it in the dark under the bedclothes, it didn't matter too much how expensive or cheap the book or toy was, just that it should be big enough to be difficult to extract from the stocking.
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Message 11
Posted by posh_scouse_pinnedwithpride (U2514024) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
for us.. it's the pound shop.... me dad will love the farty cushion..
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Message 12
Posted by notjenniferaldrich (U8555450) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
The charity shops are a wonderful source of toys and children's books. Whenever I take my grandson to England for a visit, we always take back the toys from the time before and get some new ones from the charity shop. He doesn't come with me all that often, so he's at a different stage each time, which would make providing toys and expensive do, even for someone not suffering credit crunch-wise- So three cheers for the charity shops.
My S-i-L swaps things at the kiddie club and cat club, where people take their surplus items and exchange them with each other. She saved a lot of money on her children's clothes and toys, and she now has four grandsons, so she's back swapping again.
Charity shops are great for books, too. So you can give soneone a good read for Christmas without over-spending. And the kids love different books, too. They are much less fussy than grown-ups if the corners are a bit dog-eared. Their priority, bless 'em, is the story. -
Message 13
Posted by Nomadnomore - XNo - Quiz Queen (U3180380) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
I love the tile idea.
I've found a site that sells different sized jars at sensible prices if bought in fairly reasonable quantities so I've ordered some and will bottle some of my jellies for Christmas. I've also got access to labels and a laser printer (personally not stealing from work) so I can do proper labels for them.
I might do some to sell and see if there is a market for them.
DS used to make clock from used rally car brake discs fitting them with a £2.00 clock mechanism from cheap clocks from woolies. They were good Christmas presents for anyone with a strong wall and he sold them for £30.00. -
Message 14
Posted by April (U7310327) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
When I was a child, it was the cheap stocking fillers that made Christmas most enjoyable and memorable. Any child under the age of 5 or 6 will be delighted with loads of brightly wrapped cheapies, along with one main present, I'm sure.
A few years ago I suggested to our ones (grown-ups) that we buy a gift amounting to no more than a tenner for each other. Not that I'm mean - just that we tend to buy one biggie and a load of small items (surprises). But it hasn't happened yet ... And we still all end up with a load of things we'll never use/want or need. And anyway, I thought it would be fun - and if it wasn't what they wanted - no worries, no waste.
I'm still using a little mirror (for eyebrow plucking) years after someone bought me that. And someone else bought me a cheapie quantity of face flannels (in a gift pack) which I was eternally grateful for. So it CAN be done. It's just getting everyone to DO it. -
Message 15
Posted by Hebe (U1477254) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
oh i've tried suggesting this as well April. We do the lots of extra "small" presents as well as the biggie, and we end up with stuff we don't need. It just doesn't seem to happen, even when there's an discussion about not going overboard and being sensible..
I try to buy very disposable little things now, ideally fun things we use up over Christmas. Hawkins Bazaar has been great for this, lots of very cheap bits and pieces which will be fun and a giggle on the day. -
Message 16
Posted by Orsen Trapp Not An Ingredient (U2273997) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
Ah - I was going to mention Hawkins! Great for traditional toys like kazoos and things. They're online but I saw a shop in Glasgow when I was there last, so I suppose they're in major cities, too.
We've done home-made hampers, too, but they cost an awful lot to post so we don't do it often. -
Message 17
Posted by Now Locking for a house (U3261819) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
XNO. Your post about the clocks reminded me of my son's framed first computer keyboard. I think it was a Sinclair? It looks amazingly effective. I think he should resign and make and sell these instead.
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Message 18
Posted by April (U7310327) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
oh i've tried suggesting this as well April. We do the lots of extra "small" presents as well as the biggie, and we end up with stuff we don't need. It just doesn't seem to happen, even when there's an discussion about not going overboard and being sensible..
Ìý
I know, Hebe. Especially when you've about 8 people to buy these little knick-knacks for and you're spending on average £30-£40 on them alone. Soon adds up ...
And that's on top of the main prezzie. -
Message 19
Posted by Trillian (U14033122) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
Weirdly, I just went into my first Hawkins Bazaar today. It's just opened up in Colchester. Had hours of fun in there looking for bits and pieces for (adult) relatives, but loads of fun things for kids too. Lots of puzzles and goo and things that go bing.
Bought a couple of clockwork racing snails and a talking parrot actually. -
Message 20
Posted by DeeKay Bee - Disenfranchised (U236881) on Saturday, 5th December 2009
Ikea is quite good for jars and bottles
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Message 21
Posted by catwomyn (U1485618) on Sunday, 6th December 2009
Ö÷²¥´óÐãmade jam leftover from the jam season.
Will be making gooseberry jam later today or maybe next week, with frozen gooseberries that I picked in the summer.
Also frozen Seville oranges = home made marmalade.
That'll do for family. Might even nick the slate tile idea for a cheeseboard for a certain family member, if I can find a tile shop. What do I clean it with?
Ta
Cat x -
Message 22
Posted by Sister Primrose of the Red Tinsel Flag (U5405579) on Sunday, 6th December 2009
My kids are at the bit older 'want an i-Pod' stage. I've talked to the Grandparents on both sides and asked that we do a combined gift for the big item. There will be a selection of stocking fillers that I've accrued along the way.
The good thing about them being bigger is that although they tend to want more expensive stuff they also understand that there's not a lot of cash coming in and that getting into debt over it is not an option.
PP -
Message 23
Posted by Gayer-Anderson Cat (U13637930) on Sunday, 6th December 2009
Love the slate tile cheeseboard idea! I don't need a cheeseboard, but I do need some new placemats "for best" (ie not peeling, chipped, etc), and with little protective feet thingies... Decent placemats are so expensive.
G-AC -
Message 24
Posted by moose (U2611801) on Sunday, 6th December 2009
Try the above, especially the old style and special occasions boards.I have saved a fortune this year ! -
Message 25
Posted by Isca (U9480909) on Sunday, 6th December 2009
I see the great Mary Portas is opening five second-hand shops across the country. Too much is thrown out in the mindless pursuit of trendiness, she says. Fine.
.. Except that her shops are, presumably, all to be dedicated to the same cause as the first, "Living and Giving" in Rochester... That cause being Save The Children.
Now, I happen to feel that StC is a far too well recognised and supported charity to need Ms Portas's support. So, however much I like the idea of cheap re-tread designer clothes, I'll be avoiding her outlets, until they start supporting less glamorous, and less obvious, causes.
- oops, was I pontificating....? *shuffles off*
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