Christmas on a shoestring?

[Squiglet]

With all the energy price increases and the risk of loosing jobs left right and centre... I have decided that we need to be ever so careful this Christmas... Last year we relied on our credit cards to get us through, I'm not doing that this year... my credit cards are for rainy days atm... So after wandering around the internet I came across this website. It gives really ingenious ideas over Christmas, and some nice creative ones if you've got older children (5/6/7/8 etc) who would enjoy doing things like making decorations or home made presents for relatives..

Its got some good tips and ideas though... I can never decide what to buy my parents for xmas so will be making cookies with Tia and putting them in a pretty basket...

 

[LisaJ1986]

I'm gonna get a nice pic of Angel done, i have a decent camera so free. You can get them enlarged next to nothing online, then get bargain frames. So say about £2-£3 each, one for each family, done. Grandparents and sisters sorted! Lol I used to spend about £150 a year, not this time.

 

[newmum]

This was a nice idea on that page Squiglet

http://www.budgetchristmas.com/news/chr ... kings.html
the heirloom stockings.

Last year we saved money by.... going abroad and missing the xmas in Switzerland and just having it in England... nobody made any comment but I am not sure how many years we can get away with that for. If you leave early enough and come back at New Year people seem to have forgotten about it

 

[Misslarue]

Great thread I think everyone is feeling it right now and worried about christmas
OH used to make cookies for christmas when he was a student

We're making calendars of Dan for all the grandparents and great grandparents. We did them last year and everyone loved them but we also got 'normal' presents for them aswell. Everyone is just getting calendars this year (about £10) which will save about £30 a couple!

 

[Quill]

Ooh great link! And really timely too. It's starting to get to the point where I'm thinking about what to buy, and how to save. I was thinking about getting family portraits done and putting some in nice frames to give to family, but I might steal Misslarue's idea about doing it as a calendar actually, that's a great idea

 

[Misslarue]

Quill, I couldn't recommend the calendars enough. Everyone loved them. We were a bit cheesy and did theme photos for October, December etc like Halloween pictures and Christmas ones. But we also dedicated seperate months to each parent/grandparents (not one the same calendar, different ones for each) so a good picture of each of them with bubba. A fantastic 'cheap' present

 

[Suzie and Faith]

oooh some great ideas!
this year me and OH are only spendind £15 each on each other including presents from Fi and our parents/friends will be getting small 'token' gifts... afterall... the thought that counts! and me and my bos/sis have decided to buy for the kids only

 

[helsekia]

excellent link

were only buying for our 2 kids this year.weve asked everyone not to buy for us or the kids as we wont be buying back and for OH parents ive blown up a photo i took and framed it so cost £5 total and then got a £10 m&s voucher for each of them and thats it!

 

[Cixes]

I have been knitting messenger style handbags for my family for christmas! They are actually really nice! Only costs a few quid for the wool and takes me about 2 days if that to make one. I love hand made gifts - they really come from the heart!

 

[lea m]

Ooh thanks for the link! Going to have a good look at it now!

Im getting all the parents calanders with pics of the kids this year too!

 

[widowwadman]

I have been knitting messenger style handbags for my family for christmas! They are actually really nice! Only costs a few quid for the wool and takes me about 2 days if that to make one. I love hand made gifts - they really come from the heart!

Do you have a pattern you can share?

 

[Cixes]

I don't use a pattern i just knit one large piece and then fold it in half and sew up the sides (if you want a flap over just knit it bigger and allow for the flap to go over the top) then i knit a long strap and sew that on. I use buttons to dress them up a bit. Really easy to do! I will try get some photos of mine tomorrow to show you

 

[reallyoldmum]

For everyone making calenders I noticed yesterday in Tesco's they are doing buy one get one free in their photo processing bit for calenders.

Jane x

 

[Magic Monkey]

Bounty have a deal with snapfish for photo calendars too, they are half price (can't remember if it is buy one get one free or just half price!)

BUT

it runs out tomorrow!

Code: BTY241CAL

 

[Funkylady]

well Ive just emailed some of my family telling them we are only buying for the kids this year due to my OH being the only one working and having Livvy to look after.. PLUS a big family wedding at new year which is costing us £300, and thats just the hotel! So we have no choice but to go without presents for adults this year.

Havent had any replies from my email though, perhaps they are all in a huffpuff with me?!

onyhoo!!

Hope you have the budget christmas you are looking for!
xxx