Cutting costs down this year / ideas?

[Wagamama5]

Hello 🙋‍♀️

I have decided to cut the costs down this Christmas as I have been spending far too much money in previous years. I have quite a large family, couple of friends but most of my friends have 2-3 children each so it does tend to get very expensive buying for each person.

I have no children myself so don't need to worry about that aspect.

I have decided for all adults I will spend £15-£20 each and maybe £10 each on the kids. I thought it might be nicer to buy little gifts instead so they all have a few presents to open rather than just one that would of cost say £20.

I'm thinking along the lines of -

Candles,
Slippers etc but just wondering if anyone has any good suggestions or stocking filler ideas?

I thought for the kids it could be a pair of pyjamas and a small selection box.

Hoping to keep it under £200 this year! (Fingers crossed)

Thanks

See, I would advise the exact opposite - get one nice thing in your budget rather than a load of small bits. Chances are it will be more useful/'desirable', it will be less to wrap, less for them to store and probably, depending on what you buy, better for the environment. I completely understand the thinking behind having a few things to open but I have a friend who does this for me and invariably the small presents are not things I use or want (but they are very gratefully received as they are from a friend I dearly love who has put thought, time, effort and money into them, to be clear).

From a pragmatic point of view, I'd say you also have a better chance of finding the item you wanted to buy for £20 reduced to £15 and saving yourself some money while still getting something lovely, whereas if you go for the small presents I think you'll end up spending up to your budget

Is it possible to buy family presents, or cut out the adults all together???? Buying all those individual presents will quickly add up. If you let the adults know you're only buying kids this year it should be plenty of time for people to understand. Family presents could be something like a board game suitable for all, and some snacks, maybe a movie voucher. I was going to suggest secret santa between the adults but you're already getting the rough deal buying all the kids and adults. We've cut down presents years and years ago. I buy the kids or give money depending on adults instructions. My mum gets some little presents but that's more peer pressure 👀 Christmas is much cheaper and much less stressful 🎅

Try and get the adults, including family, to agree that you won’t exchange any presents this year.
Don’t send Christmas cards, or heavily reduce your list. Try and hand deliver the few that you have left.

I have to say I don’t think you need to worry too much. A gift from a friend is nice whether it’s a few little bits or one bigger one. You’re not these people’s parent, responsible for their whole Christmas experience .

I’d just think about what would suit them best I think.

I would switch to buying a 'family' present. Spend about £20 per family. Board games etc are great.

Do you have a sparks card? M&S have sent me 20% off vouchers for this weekend. They have kids pyjamas from £6-8 a pair and adults from £12.

I would honestly get everyone a pair of pyjamas and selection box or a box of chocolates per family. You could average £10 a head.

I would ditch adult presents and either just get gifts for dc or one present per family.

I like the idea of a family present. Sometimes board games as a little bit too expensive to ask for as a child's present - but giving it to the family makes it affordable - family fortunes went down well last year with my 3 kids (7, 9 and 11).

Thanks so much for all the replies! I like the idea of a family game so will look into that as would definitely be a cheaper option for the friends with the big families.

I do tend to worry far too much about what people think but it's the thought that counts so if they don't like the gift they receive they can bugger off

Unfortunately, adults are all buying for each other (always have done) so will leave it this year but might suggest buying only for kids next year or maybe if adults spend say £5 as a token gift. X

I agree re family presents - we only do kids now (and my DM and DF who are not together) and have cut that right down too but we found food or drink good for a family.

Aside from our parents we don’t tend to buy for adults as it gets so expensive and for the children we do a £5-6 budget each. It doesn’t sound much but books are always lovely presents for children and I’ve just bought a load of bits from Boots that were about £8 each but on 3 for 2 so averaged at about a fiver each. Sometimes we do a secret Santa among the adults and again just a fiver to spend. I have a big family and can’t afford to buy for everyone.

Maybe only buy for the children? I've never expected gifts from anyone when my kids were born. I think it's pretty common for adults to not get gifts once they become parents. If that's not an option then maybe make a family hamper? Put in some tubs of chocolates, a couple of movies, hot chocolate?

Do you really think it's too late to suggest a change. I don't know anyone in real life who has attested Christmas shopping. A secret santa would be perfect. I always bought kids jammies but after a certain age, on asking mum she said no more so I either buy a gift suggested by mum or give cash. Id prefer to buy presents, but only if I know it's something they will love and value. This is why I get ideas from parents. I love the idea of a games night box for the family 😊. I'm sure you could get loads of suggestions on here. Something else to consider is thinking ahead and going to the sales after Christmas to buy reduced cards and paper etc (if you still send cards etc). Things are so heavily discounted after Christmas it could save you a small fortune next year. Paperchase sale is great 😁

Not attested 🙄, started.

In my family, we only for my parents and childless siblings. Once siblings have children, we buy for their children instead. It does mean that I only receive from my mum, my husband and my in-laws, but it works quite nicely.

If you are buying for adults, I’m another who would rather have one £20 gift rather than lots of small ones - a decent pair of glove, nice candle etc.

I personally think a pair pyjamas is a less exiting present.

As a parent I would also prefer a gift which can be used for a while, is ideally not that which breaks soon or a piece of clothing which doesn’t fit. How secure are you with sizing? DD would always need a different one than her age would suggest.

Family presents like games work well if you have children with similar age ranges so it is neither too hard or too babyish.

Not a chance I'd be buying for friends or their kids. Cut that out for a start. As for family, just get a family gift - bottle of wine, tub of sweets and a board game depending on kids ages. Or do kris kindle where you all just end up buying one gift and maybe cap the amount at £50. That way everyone gets a decent gift as opposed to a few bits and pieces worth a fiver.

If you suggest a gift amnesty you might be surprised how eagerly it’s accepted. Lots of people are in the same boat trying to cut back and only buying gifts because they’ve always bought them.

For my friends kids this year I have brought them all a personalised bauble from eBay, fluffy socks from primark and chocolate coins - cost about £8!

Over the years we have agreed on no adult gifts, except parents. We have decided to go out with SIL and BIL for a meal together which we will all enjoy more than choosing gifts that none of us want or need.
However, last year my DM said no more gifts to or from her. I found this sad, but accept that she can no longer cope with the stress of the season and the shopping. Kids are all grown up so I just buy for DS and his girlfriend.
DH and I have a limit of £10, so just a small thing to unwrap.
Christmas has actually become more enjoyable...we love the decorations, the food and the company.

I would cut out buying for the friend's kids, I don't know their ages but that's a long financial commitment to buy for that many every year and I'm sure they have plenty of family members already buying them gifts. Do they get you something?

I do secret Santa with my friends and nobody buys for anyone elses kids. It works really well.

I am only buying food/drink type gifts this year and have cut my list right back. It's more eco conscious and economical and everyone seems happy with the idea.
Also, get yourself over to the bargain thread- you can get really good stuff from anthropologie, Dr botanicals etc using shared bargains.

And the referral thread for bargain gin, beer, coffee etc.

I've done my extended family presents already (they need to go up to the north early) - and I'm going to Resist The Twitch....

DH is for the first time going to have to do his family presents plus his mum. And if she gets a box of petrol station Dairy Milk bought on Christmas Eve that's not my problem

I have bought quite a few small things for DD during the year - she's not getting a "big" present this year, and I'm going to try to resist buying more. Key to this will be trying to avoid looking at all the Christmas magazines, catalogues etc. We have more than enough cards, decorations, leftover wrapping paper etc. so if I can stop myself looking at the Christmas stuff I'm going to try not to buy any more! This year is the year of using up all the old leftover cards and wrap, and if I have any decorations spare I'm going to get DD to gift them to her friends.

I think we may be at my parents' for Christmas, so that helps with cutting down on the food shop. And I'm asking grandparents for theatre tickets for DD rather than toys or gifts.

Oh and I'm reducing Christmas cards dramatically too!