Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

How do I stop buying 'bargain' presents for DCs?

73 replies

cowssheephens · 14/08/2015 19:02

Haven't bought anything yet but once I start I just can't stop!! Blush

Ever year I say that I'm cutting down only to spend and buy more. It's a norm now for them to have 30-40 gifts each under the tree.

As a lot of them ar bargain price Wink I feel it doesn't count and then don't bother sticking to the budget.

I have normally started to buy by now, I'm thinking if I leave it until October, I will have less time/funds to buy. Good idea?

Anyone else like this? Any advice?

They do need a new bike each, so that will be their main present. I never spend the same amount on them as DD has SEN and her bike will cost £££ Shock

OP posts:
TheImprobableGirl · 14/08/2015 19:33

Oh Erm.... Every year I promise myself I will not buy huge amounts of presents...And every January I try and wedge the amount of crap into the house.. And every year my kids are happy, so I think fuck it!!

As long as your children are happy (which often has no bearing on the amount or cost of presents) and you are happy with the amount spent and bought then I would just go with the flow :)

Original poster
cowssheephens · 14/08/2015 20:52

girl I need advice not encouragement! Grin I'm also glad that I have a fellow OTT present buyer.

Every summer I'm putting things on eBay that have been played with a handful of times! and making pennies

OP posts:
TheImprobableGirl · 14/08/2015 21:17

Ooooooh me too!! Sorry I am no help.....
Advice:

Save all the money on 'bargains' and put towards a wkend away after Christmas

Only buy one thing they need/want/eat/to read

Stay WELL away from the Christmas demon commonly known as 'reastie' (obviously massively tongue in cheek, I really do love my merry gentleman reastie)

Stick to a firm list

Do not visit town after
...... November 25th in order to be not tempted

Stay off all xmas threads

TheImprobableGirl · 14/08/2015 21:18

NB. I will know to follow and also simultaneously not follow all given advice see you in the sainsbury's toy sale circa early December

0x530x610x750x630x79 · 14/08/2015 21:25

My problem is eBay, i buy stuff on there, but you have to buy early in case you don't get it. But then christmas comes and i like shopping at christmas so buy more stuff, and the tree ends up looking grossly overstocked.
Half of it doesn't even get touched as there is too much.

Original poster
cowssheephens · 14/08/2015 21:32

Stay off all xmas threads I think this is my biggest problem, I love anything to do with Christmas... Reading, buying, making lists, homemade gifts. Any idea that I read I just want to buy, do etc. Christmas is my favourite time of year, I even got married at Christmas. Smile

I hardly visit any shops because DD hates crowds, but buying online is just sooooo easy! Smile

only buy one thing they need/want/eat/to read could you honestly stick to that? Grin Grin Grin I wish I could!

Weekend away is a lovely idea, I need to keep that in mind and hopefully it will help.

OP posts:
Original poster
cowssheephens · 14/08/2015 21:35

0x yes, totally agree. I'm spending half my life on there at the moment. DD loves the old Littlest Pet Shop animals and that the only place I can get them from.

OP posts:
SideOrderofChips · 14/08/2015 21:36

i cured this by not caring lol

YouCantBeSadHoldingACupcake · 14/08/2015 21:37

I have a list, on it I have written down everything I want to buy for my dcs Christmas and birthdays (birthdays in December and January) I have already gone off the list Blush I swore they would only be getting a few presents each but it's already piling up with months to go. Guess this will be another year I can't see the living room floor.

sleepyhead · 14/08/2015 21:41

Dcs write a Christmas list. They know they won't get everything on the list. I don't go off list except for stocking fillers and an annual).

They're always so excited by their presents even though they don't get as much as some of their friends so I don't feel like they're missing out at all.

Original poster
cowssheephens · 14/08/2015 22:03

chips I think you might be right there, DCs are only small once and maybe not caring will cure my problem.

cupcake Grin hahaha sounds like a perfect Christmas/Birthdays to me.

sleepy sounds like a lovely Christmas. That's the thing, my DCs never expect a huge amount of presents, it's me that buys them as the offer on X,Y,Z is amazing!

OP posts:
SideOrderofChips · 14/08/2015 22:33

Honestly what i dont use at christmas i use for birthday parties during the year, my kids birthdays etc

Vatersay · 14/08/2015 22:37

40 presents each? To me that seems excessive. How much do you spend per child?

We have a very good household income but last time one of the DC got a bike that was literally all they got.

Original poster
cowssheephens · 14/08/2015 22:49

It is excessive, there is no denying that.

Presents can range from £1-£££ not all of them are expensive.

DDs bike will cost a large amount this year more than our second car so hoping that will help me stay within budget a bit better.

I think the best thing I can do is not start to early, as once I'm in the Christmas mode of buying it doesn't stop until the 24th! Blush

OP posts:
Original poster
cowssheephens · 14/08/2015 22:52

side I do that too, especially with gifts they been given from family and they have outgrown, duplicate etc. saves my a fortune

OP posts:
TheImprobableGirl · 14/08/2015 23:19

Hahahahahahahaha could I stick to it?! Could I boot...

Something they want, something they don't wantx something they don't know they want but they will want, something they Want but Is essentially crap, something they don't want but I really want to buy them, something they should want for their age range but aren't necessarily into, something they want almost primarily to anger their sibling..... Does this cover the first category? Blush

TheImprobableGirl · 14/08/2015 23:21

But, and I do mean this, probably the Christmas thread in August isn't the best place to find vairy frugal Christmaseers..... I'm 82% elf Wink

My birthday is a week before xmas....

Original poster
cowssheephens · 14/08/2015 23:32

Oh girl that made me laugh out loud, but so true!

I'm going to try and keep off the Christmas thread...pinkie promise!

I also think you are 100% elf also a bit jealous you have a Christmas birthday Grin

OP posts:
Hellionandfriends · 14/08/2015 23:40

Get the kids to write wish list of 10 items, get them to tweak it over the next few months. Allow them only 10 items

Set a budget and stuck to it. It's a case of changing your mindset.

Buy quality experiences with extra cash - theatre, zoos, museum visits.

Aim to be minimalist rather then materialistic. Less is more

mathanxiety · 14/08/2015 23:43

What sort of Christmases did you have as a child, Cowssheephens?

Original poster
cowssheephens · 14/08/2015 23:50

friends 10 items seems doable, I'm going to try and change this year. We already have yearly passes to various places but the thought of having a weekend away after Christmas is appealing.

Christmases at home with my parents was very OTT. Within reason whatever we wanted we got.

OP posts:
CharleyDavidson · 15/08/2015 00:02

I have a spreadsheet, have done for YEARS (want to know what my kids were into in '09 I can tell you...) and I have a page for the DDs. There are 14 lines. I aim for 10 gifts then always sometimes spill over onto the other 4. That's main gifts but can include things like books/cds that some people might put in stockings.

Then I have another 10 lines for little bits and bobs for the stockings.

They get plenty of other things from family, including about 15 gifts from MIL a few days after Christmas.

What also keeps me in line is the things like today - DD is sorting out her room as it is being redecorated for her birthday. THere are PILES of books and 3 bin bags of toys that she no longer fits/wants/uses for the charity shop tomorrow. It's not all this year's stuff admittedly, but when I think of the money that was spent on what she is passing on I could weep!

OvO · 15/08/2015 00:09

"something they want almost primarily to anger their sibling"

I love this! Proper belly laughed. It's such a true statement in the OvO household. Xmas Grin

SideOrderofChips · 15/08/2015 00:11

I have a spreadsheet.

There is 20 lines per child to include their stocking stuff (for now)

i have been known to remove stocking item, make a new column before now.

But i am inherently lazy and i set this spread sheet up to add it up as i went along...

mathanxiety · 15/08/2015 03:01

Did your parents give a lot of stuff instead of attention or time together?