Those of you who start early...how do you stop?

[lornathewizzard]

Ok so I bought a Christmas present yesterday! I'm excited to start shopping but I also don't want to be spending money from now til Christmas! I'm worried I'll get it all done, then as Christmas gets closer I'll end up buying more.

Any tips to rein in it a bit? I've got a strict budget this year as I'm determined not to rack up any more credit card debt.

Don't go near shops!

My laptop is probably the problem haha

Don't look on websites before December

Well I've started but only the children I buy for (friends children/cousins) not my own yet. I've just been buying things when I see them reduced. I'm not planning on buying them more to make up the difference as after a discussion with a friend I see it as my saving now. Whereas before I would have bought more to make it up to what I would have originally spent? Hope that makes sense and gives you an idea.

One year I started early and kept buying bargains. There was loads of stuff and most of it never really got used properly. Since then I buy one present from me, one from Santa and some bits and bobs for a stocking. If I get tempted to buy more I remind myself it will just get wasted.

I too have been guilty of this - I've been using an app called Santas Bag for a few years now and it's helped me keep track of what I've spent and how I'm doing. It's become a challenge now to look for bargains and I never make it up now to what I would have originally spent. Once someone is ticked off they disappear to the bottom of my list so I am not tempted to spend more!

You start on meal planning, decoration making, tradition setting (or continuing) browsing Pinterest for days on end ideas etc.
Searching for festive markets nearby, booking pantos, Santa's, knitting new hats!! It never has to end 🤶🏻🤶🏻🤶🏻🤶🏻🤶🏻🤶🏻🤶🏻🤶🏻🤶🏻🤶🏻🤶🏻🤶🏻🤶🏻🤶🏻🤶🏻🤶🏻

Keep a list or photograph things as you buy them, i went overboard last year and ended up saving some presents for my sons birthday. The most popular things have definitely been lego and he has a love of the tacky £1 toys which he keeps in his "treasure" box. We have a spending limit with extended family so only buy for husband and son really, I tend to think big and then reduce it down a bit!

I usually start early November....but this year I completed all my purchases as of today!! Over excited as it's our first Christmas with our adopted DS who turns 2 just before.

Both our boys have birthdays within days of Christmas so we've decided to do one main present for birthdays, with a couple of small ones to open and then a day out each for their birthdays. Then Christmas will be more presents.

I'm using the spare bedroom at MILs as storage so I've made a pile of what we've got DSS (not much but all Harry Potter lego so comes to about £250!!) and a pile of what I've got DS, then taken a photo of it. Then when I get the urge to buy more I'm hoping the photo will be a reminder that they have enough. Any spare pennies from now until then can go towards their big birthday days out

Good ideas guys thanks. I just need to keep a lid on it, will likely throw myself into decorations!

I have strict budgets and lists of presents and I don't exceed them. The main thing I am doing at the moment is making decorations so nice and Christmassy but not expensive

I've only budgeted £30 for my two each, but I know if I buy theirs early then I'll end up spending more. So I guess I should hold off getting there's and just get everyone else's

It probably helps that I don’t particularly like christmassy gift sets and prefer to buy useful things. I find by December that the shops are full of tat and crowds and I’m happy to avoid them til January. I shop now to take advantage of summer sales and the big toy sales. By mid September I’ll be busy but I have the time to chase bargains now and track price drops.

I know that the dc will take a shine to a few things close to Christmas so I ring fence part of their budget for that.

I also have a list! Literally a masterlist which I obey slavishly. It has been fine tuned over the years and now is basically an itemized budget for all of Christmas. It’s on my phone so I always have it to hand and I refer to it for every purchase. If it isn’t on the list then I don’t buy it.

I keep a running wishlist for myself and the dc, usually by snapping a pic on my phone while we’re out and about in the shops. It takes the edge off the impulse and I have ready suggestions for anyone looking for ideas for gifts.

Make a list and take photos of what you've bought, the only way for me not to buy more (impulse buy later)

I start browsing early, but I only buy things if I happen to come across a good deal. Otherwise, I make a note of it as a potential present. Then closer to Christmas, I decide which of the potential presents I'm going ahead with. I then track down the best deals on those items and do all the purchasing in one go. It means that if I'm getting several things from one website, I can order them all together and usually qualify for free delivery. I also maintain the list of potential presents all year round, so any ideas that I don't go forward with at Christmas can be used for birthdays (or alternatively, I may stumble across something in the middle of the year and file the idea away to give me a head start for Christmas!)

I want all the presents bought by the end of November. Some are wrapped and handed over to people we won't see over christmas before then ie SIL's. By December I am concerntrating on food. Making small cakes to give as thank yous but without getting into gift swapping. Table decoration planning, I have a large twig wreath and I usually spend a day covering it -last year it was pine branches plus red and silver bells. I picked up some cute red berries in the sale so will use them this year. I also go back to UK a week into December to see my mum. I may get a few supermarket decorations if at the right price.

The trick is to stop but arch bargain hunters never really switch off. Some stocking fillers can be put away for next year. I picked some stocking fillers last year and I saved them for this year. Bigger bargains on here can be put away for kids parties/relations birthdays etc. I live miles away from any shops so I currently have 5 girls gap t.shirts (flippy sequin star) bought in the 50% off sale price. Two will be used for parties this week. Same bargain, just resides in a different box.

I usually start in November. I make a list of those to buy for, merge it with DH’s list. We make a list of the food and drinks needed; this is dependent upon how many parties or dinners we’re hosting.

All presents and wrapping paper are bought online by either DH or I. Food and drink is ordered and delivery date selected.

It’s stressfree and neither DH or I have to go into a shop.

I have a spreadsheet, it's basically the same every year but I save a new version so I can look back. Everyone I buy for has a budget, and I don't go over it so I just stop I suppose.

I'll probably be working up to the 23rd or 24th, so a last minute panic isn't going to work.

This is one of my problems. I get so excited by Christmas that I start buying as soon as I see stuff but then the nearer I get I see more stuff I like. I do it every year

Write a list and stuck to it

A secret Pinterest board with pictures of what you’ve bought. It’s much easier to stop yourself going overboard when you have a visual reference rather than just a list.