To ask do you put Christmas on a credit card or use a loan?honestly??

[jalepenopopper]

Just that really, having a discussion with my dh after watching a programme where the family take out a loan each Christmas and pay it off all year. He thought it was crazy, I said it's more common than he thinks! I think more people do than they admit. So...do you?

No, I just don't think it is worth spending too much on.

No but I can see why you might need to.

I've spent £300 on kids/husband, £250 on wider relatives then £400 on food and drink for 12 people on the big day.

I still need to get the dog a present!

Next year I'm going to save up £100/month towards Xmas!

We do it the other way round. We put a bit away each month into a Christmas fund then that takes the pressure off in December 👍🏻

This thread is a big smug. ‘Shock, horror, look at what the plebs have to do for Christmas’

@Meatshake - no - you really don't need to a get a present for the dog.

I got my first ever credit card last month at the grand age of 47! It's a Sainsbury's zero interest for 14months. So sick of scrimping and saving and I wanted a nice Christmas for me and my dd9. I don't intend to use it for anything other than Christmas and will cut it up once the 14months is up.

I’ve pawned my jewellery and got provident loans in the past, when I was on benefits. Luckily I’m in a better place now but you do what you have to do.

I've spent on both CC and overdraft but I'll pay it off next month

We have a 'money box' option at work to save an amount directly from net pay each month which is then paid to us at the end of November. This pays for Christmas.

@anotherbrewplease

This thread is a big smug. ‘Shock, horror, look at what the plebs have to do for Christmas’

@Meatshake - no - you really don't need to a get a present for the dog.

I kind of do, he's a 1 year old pup and he's killed all his toys so going to get him a couple of tough toys. But thanks 👍

I havn't this year but I'm earning.

madness - spend what you can afford.

We have, but that's because we use an AmEx card with cashback so we put all our expenditure every month on credit card and pay the balance every in full so at the end of the year we get a decent chunk of casback :)

no but i have in the past

People getting into debt for Christmas is not bonkers if they have no other choice.. Its a funny old mn bubble.....where people are poor as " they dont work hard enough marry well..if people are hard up they may use a card to make it nice for their kids.

i am not allowed a credit card any more

I put lots on my credit card one year without realising how much it was growing and got into a financial mess for a few months. It was awful and not a good start to the New Year.

I now use an app to keep track of presents and spending and it is brilliant. Still lots of presents but I feel in control.

When we were broker I put some things on credit card but only if I could pay off in full in Jan, even if it meant Jan was tight. Now I use Sept, Oct and Nov pay checks to buy things and spread the cost out.

Why get into debt spending money on a hyper exercise in unadulterated materialism? Double the foolishness surely?

No way would I go into debt for Christmas.

Was the stable where Jesus was born turned into a palace?

*13malificent7

People getting into debt for Christmas is not bonkers if they have no other choice.. Its a funny old mn bubble.....where people are poor as " they dont work hard enoughmarry well..if people are hard up they may use a card to make it nice for their kids.*

But you ALWAYS have a choice. You could go to Poundland or B&M and get a decent few presents for a child for £5. If someone is suckered in by social pressure to spend more then more fool them.

@ByTheSea

We have a 'money box' option at work to save an amount directly from net pay each month which is then paid to us at the end of November. This pays for Christmas.

What a brilliant idea, what you don't have you don't miss do you. I buy throughout the year for DGCs only, I look at the sales on line starting in January making sure I order the next size up for them so they fit by the time the next xmas arrives.This year DGD is getting a Next padded winter coat reduced from £42 to £12 and 2 x skirts & tops reduced from £35 to £15 so every month I can add to my xmas purchases.

No I’ve been skint while bringing up the dc so I’m careful. I budget I save up all year and I look out for offers early on . I don’t spend a fortune on gifts say £20-£30 on adults more on the dc .

If you have interest free loan/card then there's not much difference between putting money away each month and borrowing - same amount of money going away each month, one in advance, one in arrears. Obviously in arrears might become problematic if circumstances change.

I've been a dirt poor single parent and back then there certainly was peer pressure to have the latest trainers and so on. Id save all year and do extra bank nursing shifts to make sure DS didn't miss out but I never got into debt because I was just too poor to pay it off. No tech to buy back then but there is always something. Ninja turtles
Trainers.

Nope. I save with a standing order all year to a separate account. I usually get "the twitch" and buy more once the budget is gone but that's always from either my bank account, or savings elsewhere if its expensive. I realise I'm fortunate to be able to do so.