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!

theimaginationtree.com/2013/01/the-z-of-play-dough-recipes-and.html

Check out freecycle and preloved regularly, even post a wanted notice. Lots of people give away 'big ticket' presents like bikes, train sets, dolls houses, kitchens etc when their children outgrow them and your children are young enough not to notice or care if something has been used or isn't in its original box.

I've found some decent things in Poundland recently that DS is going to love - superhero Top Trumps and a Star Wars calendar. They have a fab range of craft stuff.

But please don't get too hung up on how many presents they will have. Let's be honest, how many parents every year look at all the stuff their children got and thought 'they really don't need all this stuff, every year I try not to overdo it but I just get carried away!'

It's the free little traditions that make the most abiding memories - go out for a walk and pick holly and pinecones to use as decorations, snuggle up at bedtime and tell them a special Christmas Eve story (pinch it from a book or a film if you think you're not a natural storyteller), go to a children's carol service, make paper snowflakes and angels out of the free local newspaper. Let them post their letters to Father Christmas, the Royal Mail sends them a reply back.

You can have a lovely Christmas without spending much money and create some lovely memories for your family. I hope you are feeling better and things pick up for you

There is a free video you can do online where you input some of their details and Santa sends them a message - he tells them what their favourite teddy is called, that sort of thing, so the little ones think he knows all about them. Have you seen that? You could have a Xmassy night with snowman soup etc and then log on to 'their' message. Don't forget the NASA Santa Tracker on Xmas Eve too .

Young children do not usually have fixed expectations of something that happens just once a year so do it differently. If you want something particular put an add on Freecycle or Freeloved and someone will probably come up trumps - we waste so much these days it is scandalous and it is sad to trash something that another child would enjoy! My DH has been unemployed this summer and we are in debt so I speak from experience...

At 3 and 4yo children really don't notice or expect much. For DS's 5th birthday this year we only got him a superman costume, which is what he had asked for, and a superman lunchbox because it was reduced in Sainsburys. He was absolutely over the moon and the costume is still being worn regularly months later.

And I think giving your children £1 each to buy you a present from Poundland is a great idea. Maybe they could buy each other one too. There's as much fun in giving presents as receiving, even for little children.

If you buy a pack of those little brown money envelopes from a pound shop you can make a really simple but effective activity calendar. Just mark each envelope with a decoration (paper cut-out or drawing) and a number. String them up on a bit of string ( the little tiny clothes pegs are nice for this but paper clips would work too). Every evening slip in a piece of paper with an activity or game to do the next day. Then in the morning they can take turns opening it and seeing what that day's activity will be. The activities don't all need to cost money although you might need to spend a little on some of them.

Didn't just want to disappear, needing to do the nursery run but I'll be back asap, thank you for all the brilliant ideas and I'll reply when I'm home

id love to send you something too... i buy lots in the sales and hand into our local newspaper who work with local charities at christmas so I'll have a couple of small things suitable to post out.

Theres no shame in having a difficult year and we've all been there in one way or another x

B&M and Wilko's have some really nice toys in at the moment at great prices. I picked up some lovely Thomas the Tank & Frozen slipper socks & choccies at the weekend, all under 1 each.
Also if you have a Home Bargains nearby they do some good books / DVD's.
Maybe freecycle / Gumtree also for pre-loved decorations etc.
I am sure you and your DC's will have a lovely Christmas, it is the time spent together that they will cherish & remember xx

Gumtree? eBay? Fb selling?

Last week I got a trike for £20 off gumtree and a happyland bundle for £15. They will be getting a good clean and wrapped up!

Right, home again. I'm not sure there's a Wilkos here, we live in a fairly small town and apart from the train no transport to bigger places, might be worth a look one weekend though.

I love the royal mail/santa video idea, think my dd would love to do something like that (she's already been asking to write a letter to santa, normally it's me writing it for her and hiding it, didn't realise there was somewhere to actually send it!)

No big shops like primark etc here either, but plenty of smaller shops that sell odds and ends so will definitely be hunting around there. I'm already signed up to freecycle but most folk require you to pick up and I've no transport of my own, though I don't mind a walk if the kids aren't with me to complain of sore legs/being tired.

Love those play doh recipes Drowned could definitely make those with DD, she would go bananas for it

I honestly never meant to come on here to get people to send me things, just to try and figure out how to do Christmas this year. You are all so incredibly kind, I'm feeling rather emotional now

I know how you feel! DH unexpectedly got made redundant 8 weeks ago, we are massively struggling with 4 DC between us and everything in the sodding house falling apart. £10 to last us the last 2 days...tax credits in tomorrow and will be sent on needed stuff in about 2 days, yippee. Things have never been this bad.

All I can say to comfort you, OP, is I think there are a lot of us going through this...the economy just isn't great. And your DC's are young enough that one tight Christmas won't be the one they remember out of all the lovely ones you will give. Luckily we have the Elf on the Shelf we bought last year so he will make a return this year, and just going to concentrate on the memories this year, rather than the stuff. for you, and wishes for a better year.

There's a home bargains here too, had forgotten they sell toys. They've lots of small things if I remember correct

spent*

what Alice said - you can get some great patterns for toys/dolls. Don't be scared to go to charity shops too.

My mum when I was a child after a divorce from my dad had to make my clothes, or jumble sales and for a Christmas or two I got handmade rag dolls (with woollen plaited hair) I don't think I really understood the no money around. I did get proper new toys from other relatives.

Now though, years later I look fondly back (and have kept) all the toys including the handmade ones. When something is made with love be it a jumper etc it'll be appreciated far more than a throwaway M&S one.

My DC's have all enjoyed home made doctors kits - with real medical stuff.

All you need is a box that you can put a coloured cross on, cut up and rolled strips of fabric as bandages (or cut up real bandages), cheap colourful plasters, plastic medicine spoon, a home made doctor badge (ideally with their photo on), some nurofen bottles used to come with a plastic syringe and that was also a great addition (the syringe not the medicine), a small torch, wet wipes, tissues.

Home Bargains is great for craft stuff and named toys at reduced prices.

Sorry just seen you've mentioned Hone Bargains
They deliver as well.

Like everyone else I'd recommend pound shop toys. Lots to be had. At that age quality doesn't seem to mean much to them. Lots of little thing will feel like a lot

For larger items have a look on free cycle. You'd be surprised what people give away.

Also your parents do they have similarly aged friends whose Grand DC are gotten to too old for some toys that they may want to get rid of and donate to you for very little?

I've recently given away baby toys. Rather than sell them. I gave some to a neighbour who has just had a baby and the rest divided between free cycle and charity shops

You should manage to make it special for almost nothing

And have a look at the Christmas dinner/food too. Don't bothered with expensive Turkey. Get chicken instead. My DC prefer it. That will save tons.
And lots of the pound shop selection boxes for treats.

Any friends with similar age DC who can lend you DVDs to watch? That would be a free treat too.

Sorry things are so difficult for you atm wanta :( really hope they get better asap

Art box is a good idea, couple probably do it as a shared present for them as they both love stuff like that

Home bargains and b&m had baby doll sets with some accessories in for around £5. The kind of thing a 5year old would love. elc/Tesco etc sell dolls strollers for about £5 too, so could make a good gift for either of your dc. direct.asda.com/My-Sweet-Baby-Doll-Stroller/000738173,default,pd.html?dual=0

£50 can be a good budget with some creativity for your dc ages.

Doctors box is also a great idea, thanks!

Parents not really about, they moved away a few years ago and we don't have a lot of contact.

I quite like charity shops, it's where I get my clothes from mostly as the dc tend to cover me with unremovable stains was in desperate need of new jeans and a jumper last week so I had a nosey about in the British heart foundation and got a pair of really lovely jeans from there.

There's been lots of fantastic ideas on here, thank you all so much. I was quite panicked when I posted this morning, think things are going to be fine after all

Have you applied for cash for kids money op? If not you should ask your health visitor or housing officer about that. It's usually 25 per child to buy them a xmas gift. If you have recently come out of a homeless unit you might be

entitled to a xmas hamper too, your housing officer should be able to advise.

Not heard of that before nippy but I'll ask about it, thanks :)