40 quid

[Notsuretodaynope]

5 yr old girl, got 40 quid for Christmas, incl food (Not veg as got healthy start vouchers for that). Don't drink alcohol.
Not getting things for family.
What can I get to make it a good Christmas?

Is there anything she has specifically asked for?

If you can stretch to that is just try get it - Facebook, eBay and/or charity shops may help here.

Food wise you can pick up a turkey breast for about £5 in Asda, potatoes, veg, pigs in blankets, stuffing and gravy + a Christmas pudding shouldn't cost anymore than £15 and you'd have leftovers too.

Baking stuff? Flour, butter, eggs etc and see if you can print some easy recipes off the internet. That way you can both bake on Xmas morning and it’s food to eat too.

She hasn't really asked for anything as we not done Santa letters but she likes painting and we don't have any at the moment.
I think I'll get her paints and paper and pens and look in Poundland for.some other things. I went in B&M earlier to have a look but couldn't see mich. Will have another look at the weekend.
I will do some crafts with her like snowflakes. She will like that. We have a tree and lights that we decorated already. Paperchains will be good too.
Thanks

Craft stuff sounds like a great gift for her - poundstretcher and the works are good for these kind of things too.

Hello everyone

We've had a number of reports from people concerned about this thread so, as we usually do in these circs, we're putting our heads round the door with some important reminders.

Right now we can't see any evidence to indicate that the OP isn't above board – if we did, we'd remove the thread straight away. But the truth is that, sadly, we at MNHQ can't know with 100% certainty that any poster is genuine, no matter who they are or how long they have been here. As frustrating as it is, we're not able to vouch for anyone here.

So we always ask users to remember that not everyone on the internet is who they say they are – and remind folk not to give more to another poster, either financially (in cash or gifts) or emotionally (in time or care and support) than they'd be prepared to lose if things went wrong. We strongly advise against parting with any cash or giving away your personal details, and if you receive a PM which makes you uneasy - report it to us and we’ll take a look.

Sorry to hijack your thread briefly there, OP – we really hope you get it all sorted soon. In the meantime, you might find some useful information on our guide for dealing with financial difficulty

That's ok , I'm not worried financially, just refuse to go into more debt while trying to pay off what I've got left. I'm very close.

To the poster who mentioned salt dough decs, are they easy to do? Daughter would enjoy those too I think. Can you make other things with it?

When i was a kid, we had one very skint Christmas. Basically my Uncle had fed my Dad a sob story and got him to lend out all our savings for Christmas which he then failed to pay back.
Mum and Dad could afford kids presents or food but not both.
Christmas dinner was baked potatos and a "fancy" dip selection from M&S to make it more special.
Us kids had a pile of cheapish toys.
We didn't notice anything was up.

Sorry you’re in this situation but good you aren’t getting into debt. I would make her favourite dinner (within reason) be that a frozen pizza or fish fingers? Do something you wouldn’t do normally - maybe make a fort in the living room and eat dinner in it? Who determines that Christmas has to mean turkey and ham around a table? For about 4 years maybe 7-11 I didn’t eat Christmas dinner - I liked cheese on toast or else super noodles and then maybe a bit of ham - all 17 other guests had the traditional dinner lol.

B&M have loads of cheap toys - as do charity shops - she definitely needs something to open from Santa and maybe a selection box? They are 80p in b&m.

Have you a tv for a few Christmas films?

Yes we have a tv and some films.

Thank you for the help, and for ideas.

Wilko is good for craft and paint supplies too if your b&m has been blitzed

I'd spend the minimum on lunch, buy a couple of fresh chicken breasts or legs now and freeze them. Veg you get so that's great. Make a trifle? fun to do and that's pudding sorted. Make reindeer dust out of anything in your cupboards (we've used the dregs of a box of cereal to crush up and added a few out of date cake sprinkles). Pick ups a stocking in the poundshop. Lots of shops reduce more the week before christmas. Do you have any points you've forgotten about on a nectar card or something you could cash in? Wilkos do some really nice, affordable toys and art materials.

I would do soup with some nice bread for a starter, chicken with the trimmings for the main then a nice pudding. Get some mince pies, pringles, nice juice and chocolate coins and you're set! I'm confident that you could get the stuff for the meal and treats for about £15 as you won't need to buy veg. Then you've got £25 to spend on presents. Argos do two for £15 or two for £20 and there's some really good toys in those deals. Then you could get her some paint, paper, pens and colouring books from poundland/b&m and a selection box to finish off 🙂

Why on earth did people have concerns about this thread? The OP never asked or even hinted at anything other than advice. Nice Christmas spirit from people.

Hae you got facebook?

Have a look at facebook marketplace.

They have clothes / books / toys / dvds on there. Some good deals

Look on facebay.. Lots of people offering toys free. I've seen loads.( I'm in the south.)
Google salt doh ideas. There's loads. Age 5 is a fab age for all that..
I'm sure you'll have a fab day.. Its what you make it. And we'll. Done for sticking to budget and not snowballing the debt.

What about making gingerbread men - you could get her a gingerbread cookie cutter (Wilkos ro B&M type places good for these. ) if you can stretch a pinny for her - if you are good at crafty things this is easy to make from a t towel can be hand sewn too with just a bit of ribbon on the top for neck loop and ties, fold corners down and sew to make the chest area smaller, but sometimes you can find these inexpensively in poundland type shps.

Paints wise try the Works - they do good painting paper and brushes as well

Yet another begging thread.

Please do NOT give away money to strangers on the internet!!!

The OP hasnt asked for any money

She's taking the ideas on board that people are suggesting

If it's just the two of your for Christmas day I would do

Pancakes with ice cream for breakky

A few small presents (or if she is anything like my daughter a lovely new dress to wear for the day).

Book some movie tickets on Christmas day as one of her gifts (sneak in some lollies and a bottle if water instead of buying over priced movie snacks)

Park with picnic for dinner (Sandwiches, pack of chips, juice etc) or if the weather's no good build a doona fort and eat the picnic in there

So much fun to be had on the day on your budget.

@StoppinBy

The cinema isnt open Christmas day and its expensive, easily £15 for an adult and child ticket. And the cinemas dont allow you to sneak anything in....

Weather is likely to be freezing here...

Are you somewhere warm?
Please can i come there :)

Look at when your local churches do their Xmas fayres
I am lucky to live near three - they are a Godsend no pun intended as you can pick up toys and books for a steal: for example, I got That's not my snowman for 50p, big plastic iron man, capt america and bumblebee for a pound each, reindeer food for 25p, board games for a pound each and sweets wrapped nicely in a cone for 50p.

The cinema isnt open Christmas day and its expensive, easily £15 for an adult and child ticket. And the cinemas don't allow you to sneak anything in....

Potentially useful for anyone else struggling - if you save Tesco clubcard points - mine were redeemed 30th November - and cash them in at cineworld you get TRIPLE the value, just in case you didn't know (so five pounds worth of vouchers, you'd get 15 quid at cinema)

Also, if you go to the Kids' Club sessions, it is something like 2.50.
Finally, no-one has ever ever told me off/seen me/caught me giving my kids pre-bought maltesers. As long as you are discreet who would know?

Lastly, going onto Money Saving Expert is always a decent idea as you may see offers to help eg McDonalds were sending out free book last month. Also there are some comps with decent prizes eg Oxford Owl, worth a punt.

@GruffaIoChrimbo

At my local cinema, they actually check bags.

I think its awful... But they do it

Bake cookies on Christmas Eve for Santa.

Look through the reduced items in the supermarket and freeze them - a couple of chicken breasts, Yorkshire’s are cheap to do, what’s her favourite breakfast? Or have pancakes as exactly the same ingredients as Yorkshire’s if you’re making them from scratch. Get some snacks/goodies for watching films but you can also wrap them too.

I’ve just had a huge clear out and put things on Facebook as I’ve been through the lift/people staying in the spare room. You can always get practical gifts for Xmas too. Maybe secondhand pjs/clothes and you can put them on her favourite teddies to distract that they haven’t got labels. You could always get secondhand games that have been opened and set up a little scene that your daughter wakes up to find her teddies playing with them (won’t notice that they’re not in plastic). Poundland have a lot of paint sets. Just get three big bottles of the primary colours and maybe white/black and she can paint whatever she wants.

Is she into anything? Like lol dolls? Maybe spend £15-20 on a big gift that she really wants and then stocking fillers.

Dinner doesn’t have to be expensive. It only really gets expensive with alcohol/hosting the 10,000