Christmas on a tight budget

[Redwinedaze]

Anyone else in a tight spot and want to share ideas?

Due to various expenses and a retraining I’m on a very tight budget.

Im sure I’m not alone so anyone want some support and to share ideas?

I’ve saved money by leaving items in baskets, online which offer prompts a discount email, used cash back sites and buying food on yellow tickets towards Christmas lunch.

How are you doing?

Buy frozen veg, it keeps and you can just get out what you need.

Get an chicken for the meat, you could take a chance and try Christmas eve.

And be as honest as you can to people around you. No one who cares about you wants you struggling trying to spend money you don't have.

If you have children I would direct all available monies to them .
Xmas meal can be anything
Hot chocolate and light walks for non spend activity .

Is it temporary or a continuing tight spot? I think not getting into debt over one day is important but with older kids in particular I think it is perfectly fine to say, Christmas is going to be low key this year because of this unplanned event but we can do a family savings pot and go and have a nice day out at Easter?

Take advantage of all the free stuff to get in the Christmas spirit: light displays in people's gardens, carol services and children's events in churches which always come with freebie refreshments, brass bands playing...

Buy small meaningful gifts: books are great for adults and children who are not your own. Very cheap and you only need one per person.

Don't overbuy or overcook. See what fun things you can make with items already in your cupboard (cookies, pancakes... )

Handmake / get DCs to handmade Christmas cards and gifts for family members. Grandparents are often happy with a framed picture or handprint etc.

Have fun decorating with stuff you already have or make paperchains from flyers and adverts with dc. I used to love that as a child!

Look out of high quality second hand toys on Facebook marketplace. You can often get amazing stuff for a pittance!

Dig out all those unused scented candles and use them to brighten up the house in a Christmassy way!

Ask around if a friend has an unused fake Christmas tree you can borrow. Many people have more than one in the loft.

Watch high quality Christmas tv (like King's choir concert) to feel posh :)

Hope those help.

Go to charity shops to look for presents.

Do you have any supermarket rewards cards you can cash in to help buy Christmas food or even presents?

Also Too Good To Go have packages you can buy for delivery now. One of them recently has been Tony's Chocolate it is past its Best Before date but perfectly suitable to eat and my kids would not even think to look at the Best Before date before scoffing the chocolate

Who are you needing to buy for and what is your budget for each of them? That will give people a starting point for suggestions.

We are cutting down massively on food - we'll have a turkey roast on Christmas Day (bought a frozen turkey joint from Aldi, not a whole turkey) and a buffet tea (pizza, sandwiches, sausage rolls, crisps etc). On all the other days we will eat as we would normally. This year I am not buying dips, fancy cheeses, big tub of crackers, brandy butter, pouring cream, Christmas cake, tubs of chocolates, nuts etc. They get never get eaten anyway, end up sitting about until the end of January. Anyone that wants to visit can come for the afternoon so I don't have to provide a meal and dessert. Will have wine with Christmas dinner and that’s it alcohol wise.

This might not help much for this year, but might help for next year. I will start shopping for next Christmas in January - I buy cards, crackers and wrapping paper (if I'm running out) in the sales, can't remember last time I bought those things at full price.

If you want things like Christmas Pj's, Jumpers then Vinted or charity shops will have loads in January IME.

Be honest - it's perfectly okay to say this Christmas will be a little different, DH and I don't buy each other presents, and we buy little bits and bobs for DD's stocking throughout the year, a bath bomb, new hairbrush etc. Stop buying for adults, or if you feel like you can't, then shortbread/chocolate or a hyacinth bulb set is a token gift.

I do surveys, buy through topcashback, switch bank accounts etc and every penny I earn through those is withdrawn as cash and put into an physical piggy bank - definitely helped towards Christmas this year.

I hope I don't offend, but last year there was a van in our Tesco Carpark distributing Christmas Dinner in a box for free, to anyone who wanted one, it was advertised on Facebook and I think it was from a local church, they gave out about 200 hundred boxes.

Do a really complete, honest budget, from now until January paydays. And then start cutting.

I always let myself not stick to a budget for stockings; don't do that.

Ask for wine, food or vouchers for your own gifts, if anyone gives you things.

Do you have many people to buy for, if so could you not buy them anything? Or give a photo gift or an offer of babysitting or something else that is free or very cheap.

One of my favourite things to do is watch Christmas movies with a hot chocolate, this is nearly free.

Keep is simple.
Do a standard roast - Bulk it out with lots of cheap veg
Cut back who you buy for
Stay away from social media. You don’t need to do December boxes, Christmas Eve boxes, endless events and piles of presents.

Personally I can’t be arsed hunting around or leaving things in my basket. If you can’t afford it full price then switch to something cheaper.

Don’t bother with a roast.

We haven’t done one on Christmas Day for years. We have a pizza buffet and watch movies. It’s so much fun.

You don't say if you have family or young children so this advice is a bit general.
Work out what parts are most important to you all and what things you just do because 'you always do' or 'think you should'.
Food is an easy place to start. Does anyone actually enjoy the Christmas cake? Do you want to be eating turkey for 3 days after or would a smaller one do?
Do the kids want to stop opening presents for a fancy breakfast or would they be just as happy tucking into their selection box? Can you really taste the difference between the bog standard cranberry sauce and the extra special?
When it comes to crackers, unless you plan on harrods the prizes tend to go in the bin regardless if they were the cheapest or you spent £20 on them.
With presents focus on who you wish to treat not those you feel you should. School teachers prefer a heartfelt message in a card over another mug, grandparents love a framed photo of the kids. I'm paying my hair dresser £150 for 2 hours work - does she really need a Christmas tip?

Don't bother with Xmas cards. Seriously, they just get thrown in the bin.
If you think there's 1 or 2 people who'd be upset you don't send, then just get some cheap ones for them.

Consider not wrapping any larger gifts (e.g. play kitchen or bicycle).

Certain kids gifts can be bought 2nd hand from FB marketplace, vinted or charity shops. Younger kids don't realise if a gift is new or not.

Don't get sucked in to "needing" a new Xmas outfit or Xmas PJs.

If you're buying a gift online, put it in your basket, then come back the next day.
Sometimes, the retailer emails you a code for e.g. 10% off.
But also, you may re think the gift and decide it's not needed. I had out 4 or 5 things in my Amazon basket the other day for one of the kids stocking and the next day I realised it was excessive, so only bought 3.

Opt for baking and arts and crafts at home, rather than expensive trips to see Santa.