Skint beyond belief with two young DC

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Hey folks, not posted on this topic before but quite desperate now. Will try to keep this short.

I've been out of work this year due to having a mental breakdown. Previous Christmases with my now dd 4 years (5 on new years eve) and 3yo DS have always been amazing. Had enough money to give them lovely magical Christmases.

On benefits now and literally don't have two pennies to rub together until mid November so in desperate need of ideas on cheep but good Christmas gifts/birthday gifts too since DD will be five soon afterwards.

Our local charity shops don't sell much in the way of toys, it's mostly just clothes. Hopefully be working again after the new year but I don't want this Christmas to come around and there only be one or two gifts for them, they've both had a hard couple years and things are finally getting better, they're settled and happy and I want them to have a good Christmas this year.

So any ideas on cheep but good gifts for them would be extremely appreciated, thanks!

hiya, i am sorry you have had such a crap year, i empathise with the health problem you have suffered.

I think this is the perfect time age wise to re-do xmas and expectations. I am only taking with hindsight, as a mum of a 12 yr old. She is never grabby or selfish but there is an expectation at xmas of what FC brings, what mum provides ( i am single parent now since she was 3).

What sort of things do they like?

I know you want ideas, but i do know things cost, and boy do the bits and bobs add up. I do think the magic is in the traditions.

My dd loves (still!) making reindeer food, cheap glitter and porridge oats mixed together scattered outside on xmas eve before bed.

Books from Poundland, in fact anything stocking wise from poundland, pens, crafty stuff etc...
I always do sweeties, don't care it's xmas! Can you afford a couple quid a week up till xmas when you do a shop for those big tubes of smarties, buttons etc??
I'd still check the charity shops, alot of people are clearing stuff out this time of year.
Local selling pages on Facebook, can you join a few? I have done this and made requests for things, you just never know what people have in their cupboards?

Anything you could sell on that type of page, it saves on sellers fees and postage? I had a clear out last year and made about £60 over a month.

hth?

Check the moneysavingexpert site. They have a section on their forum for freebies, and sometimes there are things that are little fun things for kids that might be nice stocking stuffers. Sign up for any and all trial things and competitions on MN. You never know, you might win. Never hurts!

If you're good at sewing (or even not so good but passable and willing to give it a go), you could use material that's nice from an old shirt or sheet or curtains and find an online pattern for a small teddy or doll that you could stitch together for your 3yo (or even your 5yo if she likes stuffed toys). Or look at any of the hundreds+ of patterns online to make any number of different things they might like.

Any money you can knock down on other expenses (maybe going to basics/smart price items to cut the cost wherever you can) might give you a few pounds here and there to save up towards gifts as well.

Disney DVDs - buy one get one free at the moment from Tesco/Zavvi's
check out the add-ons from Amazon - great for stocking fillers if you are ordering something for over £10
Chad Valley from Argos - do a search on 'under £5', they have dolls and things all very reasonably priced
Cute cartoon watches from Amazon for only £2, free delivery.

deep breaths, remember that they are only diddy and won't remember this as a bad year. Selection boxes from the pound shop and colouring things from there to bulk things out. Christmas isn't about stuff. Thankfully your kids are young enough that brands don't matter

I'm also making my 5yo a stationery kit for Christmas. He really needs practice with his handwriting, so I'm going to put together a kit that has paper (stamped/decorated by me), envelopes (again stamped/decorated), a couple pencils, rubbers, and a little "address book" that I will make for him that has the addresses of a few family members that he can write a short note to here and there. He LOVES getting post and loves sending it, so he'll really enjoy it. And all the items are things I have in the house already, except for a container for it, which I will look for at Poundland or I will stitch one together with pockets and a tie to hold it together.

Oh bless you I know how hard this is. We know that it's not about the money but we still want to treat them and make it special.

But your children are at that wonderful age where it really truly doesn't matter how much you spend. It's honestly all about creating the magic.

I would make the very most of free or very inexpensive Christmas traditions. Especially if they are a daily thing, as that means quality magical time with mum every single day and a treasure trove of cosiness and happy times to look back on.

As far as gifts go, have you got any idea of what the budget will be? Are you able to put a few pounds per week by from now till mid December? There are lots of bargains on the Christmas bargains thread.

Heya, thanks :) They like anything atm, they're not really fussy. Play doh, colouring stuff, anything sparkly or princess like or fairy related is DDs favorite atm, and DS doesn't care so long as he gets something. Should have started Christmas shopping ages ago but didn't realise it was so close!

Pound shop here has a small selection of toys if I remember right, I'll definitely take a look in there. Completely forgot about that until now so thanks

Not on Facebook but it might be worth making an account for those groups too, but I don't have anything I could sell atm. We've gone from homeless accommodation to a flat a few months ago after our living situation became dangerous in our previous place, a lot of stuff wasn't able to be put into storage and ended up being left behind so we're still gradually trying to build up the things we've lost.

Thanks for the ideas, I'll definitely take a look about

Oh wow, thread moved on, I'll reply to everyone in a minute :)

I've been hunting through the cheaper more fun gifts on amazon and eBay, making sure I check the postage cost, my ds is six and is desperate for pens and art things, and my dd's are nearly 3 and nearly 1, they just want to open presents, so I've been in all the pound shops and places like The Works (cheap book shop)for them, I also started as early as possible to spread it out. B&m is also great for picking up toys and childrens DVDs, hope this helps

That's hard. I agree with the other posters who say it will matter much more to you than to them though.

Can you join any local buying and selling sites on facebook. There are some fab bargains on there. You could also sell any old toys/clothes etc to raise some funds

Also, not all other children will be getting loads of stuff. I'm a mean mummy and quite often ask people to buy clothes for my DC and just a small toy (particularly grandparents who go mental). We also don't buy them very much either. They are only 9 months and 22 months but I think already it hopefully makes my 22month old appreciate getting a new toy.

Boots and M&S do a 'three for two' on gifts. Can you save to get a few things from there, some clothes and lots of things from the pound shop? Sparkly pens, sweets, chocolates, small games etc. Can you get some flour, butter, pastry cutters and sprinkles, wrap them up in a pretty box and you have a cookie making kit? A DVD with a bag of popcorn kernels (popcorn is cheap as anything to make and so easy), fluffy socks and bobbles for their hair from the market, things from eBay. To be honest, you really don't need to go overboard. They are young and they won't care.

It's fab that things are getting better for you

Are they going to be getting gifts from other family members as well? That helps. My mum gives me money every year for gifts for myself and the dcs, but I use it all for the dcs but save a couple pounds out for me to pick up some silly nice things like a book, candle, socks from Poundland, so the dcs see me opening something for myself on Christmas morning as well. (and to be fair, I like candles - can never have enough! so I'm happy with that).

This year I'm trying to make more things for them. I'm knitting a Harry Potter scarf for ds2 right now (wondering if it will EVER get done!). Making them each a quilted cushion cover for their bed. (was going to do a quilt but my sewing machine has finally kicked the bucket and hand sewing an entire quilt is not on my to do list!!)

Oh and case in point - I won some John Lewis vouchers here on MN a few months ago from a trial thing and used some of them to purchase their birthday presents as well as a few Christmas presents which are put aside. So definitely check out the product testing/trials and competitions board on MN.

You're not local are you? I need to do a cull of outgrown toys which are in extremely good condition. I'm not really sure what to do with them and keep dithering.

I'll check out the moneysavingexpert forum when ds is at nursery this afternoon. I'm good at sewing/stitching too so that's a good idea, thanks :) Already mostly buying smart price/reduced price atm, it's been a big saver and I think something I would continue even when back in work.

Will definitely check out argos Chad Valley, didn't realise they done an under £5 section. Dvds aren't watched much atm, they don't sit still long enough but my dd might like a couple for her birthday so thanks :) Amazon is a good idea too.

Stationary sets! Definitely something my dd loves, and there's no shortage of envelopes/paper in this house. Would a decorated shoe box be ok as something to keep them in? Still got the box dds school shoes were in.

I think the budget would be at least £50 per child, if I can stretch that far. Still paying off bills and some debt from when I was in work. Apart from tivo and my contact I've cut out all other expenses, didn't even bother to get a land line put in, gas and electric are payg so no large unexpected bills coming off there.

I get overly anxious when things aren't sorted out long before they need to be but I think this year I'll just have to deal with that and keep reminding myself that it matters more to me than it does to them

Would you like some Peppa pig stuff? I just cleared a bag of stuff out and I would be happy to post it to you, my treat. Helicopter, car, train, playground stuff, house and figures.

A decorated shoebox would be great. I would put stamps in ds2's as well, but he is so nuts about stickers that he'd just stick them everywhere, which kind of wouldn't be helpful. I have some sticker sheets that I'll probably put in there as well, that he can use to decorate the letters and envelopes.

matchbox cars always went down well with my ds at that age. They'd rather have had 2/3/4 match box cars to open and play with than big presents. they are about £1 each.

does your dd like being like mummy? Primark have handbags and little shopping bags for £3 or so. Likewise they often have smaller pocket money type gifts for boys and girls in at this time of the year.

try all of the poundland type shops that are near you, even things like character bubble bath, good stocking fillers and I agree its Christmas so tube of smarties and a selection box. its not going to do any harm. selection boxes can be quite cheap and are big wrapped . its worth checking out places like the range, b&m bargains, home bargains, family bargains, even Matalan, wilkinsons. I bet you could get a decent looking pile for not much more than £10 each and they will be over the moon. both young enough to not put any value on things yet, so id say more smaller presents than one big one.

don't forget yourself either. even I its give the dc £1 each to buy you a present in the pound shop.

Heres toa better new year for you all.

There's a B&M here, not been in before as I don't normally go into town but will take a look :)

No other family about me, they've moved to opposite ends of the country/world and apart from my dsis I don't have much contact with the rest of them (complicated history that I'll not get into much) but my dsis has her own money problems and it's normally just me buying dc gifts.

Will check out the competition boards here too :) I'm in north lanarkshire, Scotland gamer been here not that long so don't really know anyone. I'm a bit socially awkward and tend to hide inside a lot

LIDL have got match box cars and barbies at the moment. I don't know the price of the box of four or five little cars but the barbies were six or seven pounds each. But your DD might be a bit young for barbies, I guess.

Tesco is always good for my little pony toys and other bits and bobs.

Amazon will have lots of bargains over the next month or two.

Yes there were lots of good toys in B & M last time I was in there.

Drowned that's really kind of you to offer but I'd hate to put you at any expense, but thank you so much for the offer

I boycott stickers, they end up everywhere

Ds loves cars, I think they still do those little ones in packs in the pound shop so he'll be over the moon with that lol. Sorry gotta make lunch for ds but I'll be back soon, thank you all for the great ideas

How about a box of craft stuff

www.redtedart.com/2013/09/14/alternative-gift-ideas-craft-box/

You could do it very cheaply - get them collecting pine cones, conkers etc too. Empty toilet rolls. Asda and tesco both do cheap paint and brushes etc. Bit of glitter. You can recycle Christmas paper and cards into the box too.

What they will remember is the time with you. They won't care about how much presents cost, really.

Please let me send you the Peppa pig stuff. I won't get round to taking it to the charity shop and I really would like to send it to you, though I appreciate you might not want to give out your address. Think about it at least, please!

Well its not a short drive

I would be happy to pop some stuff in the post if you were willing.. I remember long years of being skint and remember the Christmas blues because of it.

Wilkos have got a great "pocket money" section in of things like yoyos, animal figurines, little soft animals in matchboxes etx. A lot of their stuff is 3-4-2 too. Theyve alsp got great memory games etc in and their own brand Guess Who, Ludo, etc. for cheap.

theimaginationtree.com/2012/06/pinkalicious-pink-cloud-dough-cup-cakes.html