A Super Scrimping Happy Christmas

[Margaritte]

I thought It might be a good idea to have a thread with hints & tips for those of us that are on a real tight budget.

Our budget for Christmas is practically nothing, in fact is actually £0 at the minute until I've sold more things and I'm sure I'm not the only one. It's a struggle, though I'm determined to make sure my family have a lovely Christmas regardless.

So come and share ideas, or things you have done yourself previously when in this situation. If you're in it now, then any plans yet?

Obviously, free or super low cost ideas are best here. Anything; making memories, free days out, gift ideas, Christmas Dinner, stocking fillers, how to see family on no budget, or anything else you may think of.

I meant that DH & I don't tend to buy for each other, as it adds to expensive

Look for any pine cones now, it may already be a bit late. They tend to drop in September. If you are anywhere near north Herts you could have some of the holly from my garden. There's always a lot of ivy around.

I'll take the DC out on Saturday morning for this then girlywhirly. We have a couple of pine cones at home already, as DS2 likes to bring these and other random bits (feathers, odd shapes stone, sticks etc) home as 'treasure'

Thank you for that lovely offer - not anywhere near you though (South East)

A little bit more expensive - but if you want a real tree, IKEA do them for about €30 and you get a €20 voucher with them. So if you are planning to spend anything in IKEA in January, that is quite handy.
(real trees usually start at about €50 here so on it's own a tree for €30 is good value anyway!)

Margaritte Yes Yes free samples

Horneydilemma That's a good tip - Ikea is too far from me, and that's even out our budget this year. Great for those nearer to an Ikea though

MTWTFSS I will also be going there for those then Do I just go in and ask?

If your kids are on the younger side, I find our local NCT Nearly New Sale really good for cheaper presents/stocking fillers. We have two locally in November, and you don't have to be a member.

Margaritte Thank you for starting this thread. We got into debt paying for last Christmas and have only just paid it off stupid so we are determined not to do that again this year. Will probably do chicken instead of turkey and scale down the food shop with just a few treats instead of mountains of food that no one can possibly eat it all. Also scale back on the present mountain for the DCs to more useful presents, clothes etc.
But still want to make it that magical sparkly Christmas that everyone loves just a lot cheaper. Some great ideas on here, will be trying to search for pine cones this weekend too. DD will love getting the glue and glitter out, me not so much

We do have a local NCT, I haven't been yet though. Will find out when ours is on, and have a look.

CathFizz You're welcome Seriously though, that's why I started it. Let me know how you get on with the decoration hunting! Not quite sure how to jazz them up, though will find a way or pinch your ideas!

Every year we go on a Christmas lights drive where we look at the outdoor lights people put up on houses and go through a local village that does a nice display. We all have a good natter in the car too.

If you want ideas for decorating pinecones then pinterest is your friend. I love the mini pom poms to make little Christmas trees! In fact pinterest is brilliant for lots of easy and cheap christmas projects.

marking place

We have chicken instead Turkey although aldi do huge frozen turkeys for £10 n if you buy biggest one in the weight range to get money worth you could make many meals from it.

Our stocking rule is no more than £2 per item n includes things like funky toothbrushes, fun socks deodorant, nice food treats (husband gets jar pickled eggs) and we get random stuff off eBay /Amazon from China like curly teaspoon, iron man cufflinks, stickers.

Check out Sainsbury at mo lots cheap craft bits like mini making kits for keyrings etc n crayons, pencils colouring books n stickers all under£1

Sainsburys toy sale should be on in the next fortnight, great for a half price or less gift.

Stringing popcorn is a lovely decoration and fun. Tesco do microwave popcorn for 30p.

Look out for www.babyandchildrensmarket.co.uk/

I find them better than NCT as you get each seller like at car boot and often they will reduce on spot or make you an offer which you don't get at NCT as all pre priced and placed on table.

Margaritte They just have an empty sample roll next to the closed rolls and I just help myself. Have never asked.

Stringing popcorn and cranberries is nice, although you need a decent needle, which means the dcs need to be old enough to handle the needle carefully.

We watch a lot of Christmas films, eat a lot of popcorn, and do home baking when we can.

We just cooked one of those frozen turkey packs from Iceland (cost £4.50?) on Sunday, and it fed 3 of us for Sunday plus extra for another meal on Monday. I am thinking about that again for Christmas, as the dcs aren't fussed about a big roast bird sitting on the table to be "carved." They just want it on the plate.

Sainsburys toy sale should be on in the next fortnight, great for a half price or less gift.

Stringing popcorn is a lovely decoration and fun. Tesco do microwave popcorn for 30p.

Stocking fillers and things Ebay. China sellers.
Last year I managed to get dd (was 2 then) loads of peppa pig hair clips and bands and different stickers and things. Most I paid was 32p. For some hair clips I paid something ridiculous like 6p!!

Have been doing the same this year and so far have a 13p frozen purse and a frozen jumper for £1.80 even if it's poor quality, they make her happy.

Last year I spray painted white some branches that my mum had cut down from a bush/tree. I fixed them to a base board, strung lights and hung some decorations. It looked fab. Everyone who visited commented on it. It cost very little (just the paint) and looked like something out of a magazine. I will definitely do it again.

In the stockings I always put things that the person would be getting anyway - new underwear, toothbrush, shower gel, razor blades (DH) etc as well as silly stuff and chocolate.

Not that it'll help this year, but I always buy the reduced wrapping paper in January - I got it all for 25p a roll from Wilkinsons this January and have enough for the next 3 Christmases!

The DC are making cards this year. I'm doing reindeer ones with one child's footprint in paint for the head, the other child's handprints for antlers, a red thumbprint for a nose, add some eyes (either goggly stick on ones or drawn on) and some glitter and you're done.

I'm making decorations this year. Had a look on Pinterest for snowflakes and found loads of tutorials showing how to make origami ones that you hang from string to make bunting. DS1 will make some paper chains, and I'm making a wreath with twigs, ivy, pine cones and holly all from the local wood :)

I've ordered turkey crown for Christmas dinner, which is much cheaper than the whole bird, and still plenty for Boxing Day leftovers. Previous years I've done chicken, pork, or whatever worked out cheapest. I've started buying bit of Christmas food - just an item or two with each weekly shop starting with crackers, crisps, etc. I plan what we're eating so I don't end up going overboard with food that won't get eaten, and keep a note of what went down well last year and what didn't so I buy accordingly.

I've got an app that I use to record all present purchases, what I spent (and where I hid them!)

These are all such clever ideas - it's really going to help us to do these

Will be doing the cards I expect - will be fun the DC too. Also the popcorn / walking to see the lights / pinterest & chicken or crown (which ever is cheaper)

SlatternIsNotSure Hope you don't mind me asking for more details on how to do your tree idea?

Love all these ideas

op check out junkaholic blog for au natural look tree decs. also pin interest.

Margaritte, just pm'd you.