To start buying Christmas presents now?

[NeedingASafeSpace]

If you think about how many pay days you have before Christmas time, it isn’t a lot, honestly. Well, not when you have small children and birthdays to plan for, too.

I am planing to start extra early this year, so that I am not stressing about presents come the Christmas period. Does anyone else do this?

previously, I have tried to save but it doesn’t really work out for me. Only issue is, my children will almost definitely go off the characters they are into, currently. What would some good suggestions be, please?

Have a look on the Christmas board, there's a Christmas bargain thread.

Best thing you can do is save money in a separate account and/or buy vouchers for shops. This way you can buy the things they like nearer the time, it's way too early to buy as they might not want it by Christmas.

I think it's too early to buy for Christmas now but I would start buying around September. If money is an issue then put some money aside as PP said. It
also depends what else you have going on. My DC's birthdays are in the summer and we have weddings in the summer. I will probably start buying gifts for the summer birthdays next month (a couple of months before).

If you want to save money consider Vinted for toys and games. You can get brand new things for a discount.

I used to do park when I had less money and saving cash was an issue. Used to do spend anywhere Mastercards , primark, smyths and pay it off from Jan-oct. Now I’m better financially I start saving in Jan £100pm.

I put money aside every month from January, then at least I have a lump sum to put towards Christmas, definitely helps as the months fly by so quickly.
This year, I have made a holiday pot aswell, taking the money out as soon as I get paid so I don't miss it.

I used to start in the Boxing Day sales! But only odd things if I saw stocking fillers or some clothes that I thought would be good gifts. Or presents for adults. Like you say with kids, their tastes change too often!

These days I start either on Prime Day in June/July, after my eldest sons birthday (end of July) or hang on for Black Friday but with an idea of what I’m after.

So, just start saving the money.

How do you know what someone will want or need in eight month's time?

I put a set amount into a separate bank account every month, to cover kids clothes, birthdays and Xmas.

I add things to my amazon list year round, but don't start buying until September, unless I get an alert about a huge price drop.

I start saving in January every year and then start buying from August. Though my youngest is 11 now so I’m not sure I will start quite so early this year. I also put £20 on Tesco Christmas savers every month for my Christmas food shop.

When my older kids were very smal I worked in a department store. I always started my Christmas shopping on Boxing Day as I was usually working that day and the sales/reductions were really good. Take into consideration staff discount ontop there was no way I wasn’t going to buy stuff as I saw it. Also shopped for birthdays and stocked up on clothes for the year ahead.

I put away little things I find in sales, Rex London do great sales of things that can be stocking fillers and small gifts. But I find my kids tastes change so much I could never start proper gifts now. They usually change what they want throughout December even!!

I save £200 with park every month, my preloaded Mastercards come in early November and I do all my shopping online then.

I wouldn't start buying now, kids have a habit of changing their minds about stuff.

I think I'd be tempted to open a seperate savings account with the bank and set up a Standing Order so money transfers every month.
I'd be vary of buying shop vouchers as it ties you to that shop and theirs always risk they go bust or the items you want are cheaper elsewhere

Instead of presents, can you start buying all the non-perishables? Wrapping paper, stocking presents, etc.

With children, it’s a very bad idea as they change so quickly (still reeling from the year DD announced she hated Barbie in December after I already bought the bloody camper van in September 😂)
Adult gifts is a good idea I think, also possibly things like onesies or books you know for sure you’ll give them.

Absolutely not - I already have a couple of bits - in fact one of them I ordered before Christmas this year, with the thought of it being for eldest's birthday or Christmas this year.

It's only sensible to prepare through the year.

Then, a couple of months before Christmas or birthdays, I pull out what I have a and see where the gaps are.

This only works if you have children who won't go looking of course

My neighbours buys vouchers all year round, from Tesco, Xbox, smyths, and Primark. She also stocks up on all their little bits, hats winter accessories in sales, underwear and p.j's. Shes also brought a trampoline in sales. If she buys a big item she puts it in our garage. My kids are alot older but if I saw a bargain I would grab it

Why wouldn’t you just start saving for Christmas now? I save throughout the year so I have the funds available when I’m ready to think about it, I don’t want to be buying presents now!

Pick things up as you go, saving money has the risk of being needed for emergencies. Best advice for that is send yourself a message/diary reminder to start of December with lists of presents, full price not actual price you paid and most importantly where you hid them! Have a limit in mind and stick to it.

@Needspaceforlego @Starlight40

This ⬆️ I do similar...👍🏼

Just save some money each month. Why doesn't that work?

Buying now means people don't get to drop hints on what they would like and as you said the kids will grow and change so much. Who knows what they would like by then.
For me it's important that I give what people would like to receive rather than a box ticking exercise. Doing it this way doesn't take that into account. So I voted YABU.

Working out why you can't quite manage to save will help you more in the long run. There's a high chance of waste if you buy presents for children now as they may change in the coming months. If you must buy something, buy supermarket gift cards and keep them somewhere safe.

Tastes change so much over the course of a year when they are tiny. I'd maybe look for a high yield small savings account and just put money aside.

I wouldn't do vouchers as if the shop goes bust you might be stuck and some have 6 months expiry. There is also the chance for them to go missing too.

I use park too they’re really good, been doing it for years!

Would vouchers work as you go along.... provided they stay in date up to Christmas you could exchange them for gifts then.