How do peoplle afford sales as well as lavish xmas

[griff31]

Read a few mummies saying they spent hundred in next and boden sales.
They all seem to be households where only one parent works and have 4-5kids wonder whats their secret?

Do people have savings account for sales maybe?

I wont be looking at any clothes/non food sales apart from cards and wrap for next year and some reduced food.

[bishboschone]

Depends what job dh has surely ? I know many people who have tonnes on credit cards so maybe that's what they do .

[katspaw]

Often wonder this myself. Must be credit cards a lot of the population are not that well paid.

Read a couple of months ago that a lot of people will be entering this Christmas period still paying for the last one!

[bishboschone]

I think that is true .. Can't imagine anything worse . If I haven't got the money you we don't buy it simples !

[griff31]

I used to think that too but news says easy credit and cards harder to get these days.

Always used credit card for emergancies or car sadly no treats.
Couldent imagine putting hundred on at one time just on clothes.
I mainly buy 2nd hand brand named cloithes these days rare I buy new.

The people I mention seem to have more kids than me, rent and on less gross income thinking maybe they get more in tax credits?
We get lowest amount£10 a week which think goes in april if income over 25k. Im sahm and hubbyss work looks good on paper but we only just get by net after all bills paid , car and food purchased.

Last few xmases cut back and read on mums forums some kids getting 20-30presents per child and people spend £100+on each child!even some with 4/5kids thats £500 before xmas decorations, xmas related days out, xmas food costs and presents for anyone else must be spending least £1000 on xmas!

I console mysellf with im sensible but do get baffled and wonder where im going wrong?

My freinds hubby is self employed and she said they seem better off.

[bishboschone]

You are better off living within your means .. Don worry and enjoy not bring in debt !

[ReduceRecycleRegift]

priorites! some people are tight with everyone but themselves!

I wont be getting anything in the sales that I didn't need anyway, but by the time I've tipped the postman, bought gifts for DHs nursery nurses and playgroup organisers, put thought into the IL's presents, donated to christmassy charities, prepared really nice food for visitors etc.. I couldn't anyway

Some people don't tip anyone or give their nannies and cleaners etc insultingly stingy amts/gifts, give the cheap wine and crap food to guests, have no shame about giving shitty gifts. Put away the nice handwash when they have guests, then splash out on themselves.

I know a few people like that! They'd tip a cleaner who's been with them for years and also halfraised babysat their kids when they were younger etc a tiny box of the cheapest chocolates they could find!

I couldn't do that so I'll never go mad in the sales! I love that at christmas you can make an extra point of showing your appreciation for the people who help you out all year round

[bishboschone]

Why do you tip the postman out of interest? He is paid to do that Job and it's hardly a herd ship or a badly paid job . I worked in retail until recently and was actually offended if anyone tried to tip me !

[ReduceRecycleRegift]

because last year our postman braved our road when we were housebound due to snow and ice and noone else was comming or going.. and its NICE!

this year I know my current one goes to work at 5.15 in the morning in all weathers (I know this because he's my neighbour). It's someone we interract with weekly.

Yes he's paid to do it, but I don't see why we still can't say thank you for the pleasant service he provides us every working day

[bishboschone]

Hmmmm I Spose , I am nice and I do appreciate people . I just am of the school of thought that it's their job to do that . He chose to be a postman after all .

[ReduceRecycleRegift]

Still nice to say thank you. I've had rubbish postmen in the past. In one rural area I lived in interesting looking letters were obviously tampered to be snooped in!

they all get paid, but some do it with a smile and without damaging stuff that obviously wont fit in the letter box, or without ticking "undeliverable" when you were IN SO KNOW THEY DIDN'T RING THE BELL OR KNOCK so you have to treck to the delivery office all the time, or without chucking your letters into boxes marked for other random flats in the building since its "all the same building so why does it matter?". of course NONE of them SHOULD do any of the above, but no harm in thanking the good/nice ones eh?

[bishboschone]

True , I have never experienced bad postman , I just figured bad postman get sacked . Ours always deliver with a smile .ucky I guess

[daenerysstormborn]

it's because most people get paid early in dec, makes you feel unrealistically flush. console yourself in the knowledge that by mid jan, everyone will be skint, but still pleased with their sale bargains.

[ReduceRecycleRegift]

nah if you complain about them you get a standarised letter back and a packet of stamps as compensation (for your 'signed for" original university degree being posted through a neighbours letterbox! )

and then they keep being rubbish!

[EtInTerraPax]

'Where are you going wrong?'

Well, if you're only just 'getting by' on one salary, wouldn't it be sensible for you to work too? That's how most people I know manage it.

Re your friend- people who are self-employed work incredibly long hours to be successful- maybe they have more money because they work 18+ hours a day, 7 days a week? (IME people who work for themselves do not take days off ever regularly). My income would be a lot more if I was paid for that many hours!

[serin]

Maybe they were given money rather than gifts for Christmas and they are spending that?

[LadyLapsang]

Work I imagine, either they or their DH / DP have a very good job or they both work (and may both have good jobs). Otherwise they have a devil may care attitude and put it on plastic and pay the minimum each month....

[upahill]

Well I make sure that I have enough money left over for the sales.
I have now got most of the birthday presents and Christmas present for my friends for next year including wrapping paper!!

I make sure I have enough cash to pay. I pay on my Tesco club card, get the pooints and then ring up and pay the balance off.

[HexagonalQueenOfTheSummer]

I was actually thinking today whilst loads of photos appeared on my FB newsfeed, how the heck do some people afford to spend so much on Christmas itself, let alone in the sales too.

One friend of mine spent thousands this year; piles and piles of presents for her 3 children. New tree. New Decorations. New hand-sewn gorgeous stockings made to order for her children. New tableware for Christmas dinner and the biggest turkey ever seen. Panto visits. Ice Skating visits. And she posted a status the other day saying she'd spent £400 online in the Next sale.

They have a similar income to us, I guess we are more careful with our money than them as I would rather save than spend thousands just for the benefit of one day in the year, but it just seems like some people have money on tap.

Another friend of mine is a single mum and has a part time job but seems to have unlimited income too. She has had 2 foreign holidays plus a trip to (expensive) Center Parcs already this year, with another holiday and another CP trip booked for next year. Her kids are kitted out beautifully and had stacks of presents. She has told me though that she has a lot of debt, over 20k worth, on credit cards. I would rather spend sensibly than be saddled with that amount of debt.

[SmileItsSeasonal]

Not such a lavish Christmas, and buying gifts all thru the year, then getting money/vouchers as presents to spend in the sales.

Not hundreds though, maybe 50 at most.

[johnworf]

We've had a moderate Xmas. Not paid for by CCs but picked up bits and pieces throughout the year. Xmas cards/wrap in jan sales. Nowhere near spent £100 on each child (we have 5). No presents for adults. No Xmas days out and nothing lavish for Xmas lunch.

Many of those giving the illusion of a 'magical' Xmas with every trimming possible thrown in, will be starting 2012 with a lot of debt methinks.

[oreocrumbs]

I know in previous years when I had more time to take an interest in clothes before I had DD I would set aside an amount of money for the sales as my christmas present from DP if there wasn't something I wanted for a gift.

Also I just bought a new laptop in the sales, I needed one before christmas but I waited untill the sales to save money, so maybe others are doing that?

We are self employed and sometimes we are quite flush, this year we are not, it can be a very uncertain way of life. But its worth bearing in mind when you are self employed if you don't work you don't get paid. Holidays are rare because there is no holiday pay, and we have to pay someone to do our job, and there are no duvet days or sick days, and if your DP snaps his achilles tendon just before christmas and is unable to work for 4/5 months without any sick pay etc you can get really screwed!! That was 5years ago and I'm still annoyed about it! Poor DP

[oreocrumbs]

I think as well people with the same income can have very different disposable incomes depending on factors like debt, mortgage, savings, inherited money etc

[upahill]

I worked it out that we spent about £2,400 on Christmas (see other thread for a breakdown)
However not in debt and had plenty of money for the sales.
The only thing was there was nothing in the sales that I wanted. I've jusst got some giftsets for January birthdays and that was my lot!!

[muddywindydales]

We had a good Christmas. DCs got what they wanted. We only have a small mortgage and no other debt.
The DCs had alot of money gifts for Christmas, so DD has been using some of this to buy clothes in the sales.
I don't mind, as it saves me money in the long run on full price clothes later in the year. DD has got most of it for half price.
I've got a few presents/cards/wrap for next Christmas/birthdays!

I don't over spend, i like a 50% off and it saves money in the long run!

[AChickenCalledKorma]

People would probably think I've spend a lot of money in the sales. I've bought quite a lots of clothes for DH and the DDs. And I've bought from some shops (Monsoon, Gap) that I wouldn't dare set foot in when it's not sales time.

What they wouldn't realise is that I basically only do clothes shopping twice a year - in the Jan sales and in the summer sales. Over the course of the year, I'm confident that I spend way less than average on clothes. It just suits me to have a big wardrobe clear-out and blitz during the holidays.

Also we didn't spend a huge amount on Christmas - small but carefully chosen presents all round.