Christmas does anyone start saving now ?

[starohbright]

Or do you buy and pay later?.
I know its very early to be discussing this but times are hard for some familys Im just interested how everyone copes.

I've usually save £50 per month in a Christmas club, but I forgot to start it this year, so it'll be a wing and a prayer. OR sending DH to do more overtime!

I've already got loads of presents started in January already got most of ds's so i'm pleased I am however a really organised person.
I dont particualy save for xmas just get things whenever i see them usually have it all done mostly by november.

I save £120 a month all year in a Christmas club.
Also buy presents all year if I see something I think someone will like.

We have jut started our christmas fund. Sold a few bits on e-bay to kick it off. Dh will put aside £100 -£200 a month from now until dec. Invariably a few few bits will end up on credit card which we try very hard to avoid each year but always ends up happening. Won't start shopping until november though.

yep unfortunately i am serious , Dh has lots of nieces & nephews aged 4yrs -25yrs & we are expected to buy for all of them . Last year i tried to come to an agreement with their mums that we only buy for the under 16yrs ones & was met with silence then told that it would hurt the older DN's feelings if we left them out . Then they started dropping hints that we should be buying for their girlfriends/boyfriends also . Their hints have been ignored Have to budget ?20 per person & start in July/august .

yes - today is ds birthday so as from now saving and buying stocking bits for xmas

I generally start picking bits up about July time as and when I've got spare cash. Hate shopping.

Yes. DD, DS and DH have birthdays in the summer then it's school uniform buying and as soon as my anniversary present / dinner is out of the way in August we start saving.

Wow, you?re all so organised. I generally start thinking about Christmas in November, and then sorting it out at that point. I really enjoy doing it all around Christmas time, though - and actively enjoy wrapping etc in December. But then, I only have one DC, so it?s not so much for me!

I took a leaf out of my Ma's book and startd in January sales...paper,cards etc.Pick things up during the year and hide them away so it does'nt hurt so much at christmas...saddo?.. thats me..

Isnt it a bit late to start saving now?

We start putting away £100 from July and will continue until December and I'll generally buy a few presents each month and with December's £100 we buy all the gift vouchers/easy stuff. I don't like last minute shopping and this works well for us. I usually make a list and try have a good idea of what to get for each child (within family we only buy for children, no adults apart from parents) and for our 2 DCs.

So that's £600 to spend on xmas this year which will do;
2 sets of parents
15 children
1 Aunty
2 friends
DH and I £40 each
Our 2 DCs £120 each

I think maybe one or two years I have winged it and not really put much aside but I had to start buying very early to afford everything.

I save all year, I stash money into accounts for christmas and holidays and I stash for a rainy day, dh forgets I do it then is pleasantly surprised when I produce it.

While interest rates are so low I think I'm going to whittle away some cash every month.

I tend not to start buying things until November, but if I see something great in the sales or stumble upon something online I think would be perfect for someone I'll buy it and put it away safely.

Very safely. I once found things I put 'somewhere safe' until Christmas when hiding the next year's Easter eggs.

I transfer a set amount from a savings account at the beginning of November and any spare from buying presents is extra for the Christmas food shop.

We have a standing order going into a separate account every month which we transfer back at the beginning of November to cover all presents, tree, food etc.

I did try buying through the year once, but found I spent far far more because I kept forgetting about things and thinking 'ooh I'll get that'.

Started saving £60 a month from January and probably start buying in Oct. The money saved will also be used for Christmas food, stamps etc..

I also keep a Christmas spreadsheet that also has the end of the year Birthday's on it. It has everybody on it that we buy for, and all the presents I've bought and how much they cost.

I got sick of duplicating presents, so now I'm more organised

Just starting to save big time now.

I pick up little bits throughout the year, as I see them. Mostly Father Christmas bargains, but from now on, I'll try and pop one thing into the shopping basket each week between now and Christmas. (This is because the girls get a lot of 'basics' given to them for Christmas - vests, pants etc).

The rest I'll buy and put on the credit card, and then pay it off in January when I've done my exam marking.

But before then, I've got my two DDs birthdays to pay for and DHs birthday too!