Hristmas debt

[Sillyme1]

How many of you put yourself in debt because of Christmas.not nosy, just wondering. In case you are wondering I am a lower than average paid pensioner.

Nope. Nearly a pensioner. Never have.

I didn't. Never have done. Not even when I was an impoverished single parent.

Christmas is a ridiculous reason to get into debt tbh.

I'm retired too. I went in the building society just before christmas, many years ago abd there was a sign on the counter which went something along the lines of "have a great christmas, get a loan". I asked the cashier how getting into debt would help me have a great christmas. She was dumbstruck and couldn't answer me. Needless to say, I didn't get the loan.
Very annoying though, the pressure to get in debt ... needlessly.

Not for Christmas. I do put holiday flights on credit cards though, but I pay off asap.

I save up all year for Christmas, otherwise I would be in debt. Been there before.

I love Christmas. For me it starts the first week of Advent when the candle arches go in the windows (live in Scandinavia). It's the tree, the decorations, the plants - hyacinth bulbs in crystal bowls, I poinsettias, Amaryllis and I make a wreath for the front door. I love the Christmas baking and food planning. It's a month long event for me but I would never go into debt for it.

I usually buy a present a month (not a huge number to buy for under 10). I have picked up some stocking filler bargain (60 & 70% off) in the sales. I put a bit away each month for the teenagers bigger gifts nearer the time.

I don't go into debt for anything, let alone for the festival of a religion I don't adhere to.

I'm often in overdraft anyway due to 1 month od unemplyment 3 years ago but I expect lots of people go into debt for it . There is lots of pressure.

I have never got into debt for Christmas. Pensioner here too on very limited income.

I did but before Christmas...I put the kids "main" presents on Klarna at the end of October. Its paid off now.

I used klarna for things to spread it out, does that count? It will be paid off by the end of this month.
I could have used savings but it knocks the interest so did it this way.
Talking hundreds not thousands and the usual amount of savings went into my saver.

We are a family of 7 me n DH 30s and never go I to debt with normal bills never mind put ourselves deliberately into debt over holidays. If we can't afford it we can't afford it. Bringing our kids up to see that when they do get something it's because they've earned it or simply because we can afford it and they deserve a gift

No never, even when I earned a lot less I never did that.

No. On limited income but don't spend what I haven't got. Had a great Christmas too.

I did. About £1100 on a credit card due to poor budgeting and a slew of high expenses all at once. It’ll be paid off by March but we used credit, had a great Christmas and I’m not losing sleep over it

I save up throughout the year. In the past that may have been £10 a month, now it’s more.
We also cut back. We don’t go overboard (hard when it comes to my dgc).

Do the people that you are buying for realise that you are struggling? I would feel really guilty if I knew that my family member was getting into debt over Christmas.

This judgy thread will make those who got into debt feel shitty. It's easy done what with all the commercial and social pressure (and expense of everything). If you're struggling, know that it's not a reflection of you and it won't always be this hard 💐

I put aside a certain amount every fortnight in a Christmas club account so I can splurge a little at Christmas

No, I put money away each month for Christmas and Birthdays starting in January

No, never

Never.

As far as I am aware neither has my mother, and there were some extremely lean times in my childhood (she was a single mother with a lot of DC). Christmas was still always magical. She would start bargain hunting in January.

Even before my parents divorced there wasn't always lots of money. I remember a gift we got for all of us once - a big pedal go kart that my father got for free somewhere (because of it's state) and painstakingly restored. We loved that thing.

No I’ve never been in debt over Christmas. I budget and stick to it. When we went down to one income, I had a cheaper Christmas as in less treats/alcohol and fewer gifts. We only bought for our children and stopped buying gifts for everyone else including ourselves.

Years ago a friend said she wanted to spoil her kids for their first Christmas since she separated from their dad. She obsessed with building a big pile of presents that meant she ran out of money to do a grocery shop the week after Christmas. I remember thinking why would you prioritise presents over actual food?! I told her to send some presents back (as many were untouched) to buy food and to use the local food bank. The mind boggles. No one is going to die from fewer presents! Most presents we don’t need anyway.

if you’re struggling with Christmas then say no gifts for anyone apart from children. You can put £10 to one side each month. That should cover some Christmas treats and £10 with a selection box for each child. If it’s still too much then a chocolate Santa for all the children would still be lovely. Don’t get into debt for plastic tat. Kids appreciate food and love over presents.

We don't celebrate christmas,so can't understand why people get into debt because of it. 🤔I save up or wait a few weeks to see if I still want /need something. The two are very different and when the truth be known, the thing I wanted two weeks ago is still in the shop and I'm meh when I see it again.

No but I budget for it all year so by December I have a pot with a big lump sum in it ready to go.

I agree that it’s a societal problem. Christmas can be done on a budget if you spend on the important stuff and just totally cut out the societal expectation stuff. Personally my tree and decs live in the cupboard and have done for nearly 20 years. So they are used for free each year. We don’t do turkey, we do a chicken with the Christmas dinner as a fake turkey so food should not be more expensive than normal. We also don’t drink. We don’t buy for adults or for eachother. Our major expense is our teenagers and since we don’t spend elsewhere, we do splurge on stuff they need and want. We do buy for 2x young nieces as well, but that’s less. And I consider us well off. We could spend more, but I don’t think it is worth it.

I have had the classic mumsnet emergency spend (boiler break down) in January though. Although it was not a replacement, it was a £100 bill “only”.