Budget vs bargains

[Cherryrainbow]

Just curious as the bargain threads are always active :)

When you buy stuff throughout the year do you take the amount off from an overall xmas budget or do u buy stuff then make a budget for things you buy closer to xmas? Do you not focus on budget at all but focus on quantity or just whatever kids are into, like have other things in mind when you consider gift giving?

X

I do a bit of both.

For my children, I don't have a budget as such, I just try and get as much as I can for my money. Stockings are a mixture of consumables (sweets, bubble bath etc), books and useful items like water bottles. Main present is decided closer to the time.

For everyone else, I shop through the year to get items cheaper. For example, I bought MIL a charm for her Pandora bracelet for £20 (reduced from £50) but I'm not going to spend another £30 on her present.

I think the key is to make sure that presents 'look' of equal value. So if spend £25 each on two presents, but one was reduced down from £60, it will probably look unbalanced.

Shopping throughout the year not only saves me money but it means I can have a relatively stress free December as most of the hard work is done in advance.

From an overall budget. We are saving now for Christmas 2021, with the Christmas 2020 budget in a separate bank account.

I have a budget for each person, but if I get something reduced/in a sale I don't top it up. Eg: nephews and nieces have £30 each. Have bought one a train set for £16.00, normally 27.99. I won't buy them anything else. However the 'saving' will be left in the Christmas account.

They will all be wrapped first weekend in December (I enjoy wrapping!) and posted if needed.

For me - shopping though the year means I save on the stress of it in December and can spend December doing family things.

It can be annoying when I see something 'better'. Sometimes I will buy that gift and re-purpose the original if possible.

Our family just buy for the kids and grandparents get a token gift.
Kids have £20 and I will buy to that budget more or less. Could be a pound or two under or over.

Grandparents get a gift from the kids and never on a set budget. Depending what comes up during the year. Some years it's slippers or chocolates, the next something more.

My kids I don't really set a budget for, I'll buy bargains and things they've asked for or I know they'll like. I will add in a couple of bits nearer xmas. This has worked ok for me while they are small. I'm sure it'll change as they go to school and find out about other toys coming out.

I stick to my budget that is set so if I get bargains, I can get more for my money. I dont massively have a budget for DS or DH but a strict one for everyone else.

To be honest, my family and in laws refuse to give gift ideas much before Oct/Nov so I tend to use the bargain threads throughout the year for myself or DS!

My Christmas budget is for things bought close to Xmas - I will buy stuff each month out of my monthly "fun stuff" budget, mainly for my dc.

I have a budget for extended family and friends, but for dp and dc I just get what I think they would like that i can afford.

For the dc I don't count the money but I do keep track of how many big presents, how many medium presents and how many small presents so that the dc's piles are fair (and not totally over the top).

I do a bit of both because I want to spend roughly the same on each child.

I have a price budget for dds and try and get the best i can for them - dd1 likes collectible figures and lego, dd2 loves lol dolls, barbie and dressing up. All quite expensive new but I can get them more or better quality second hand or reduced. Eg a disney store costume instead of tesco for same price or a bigger harry potter lego set instead of a smaller one at the same price.

The same last year for my mum I bought an ollie and nic handbag and purse for same price as a primark one. Would have spent around £25 usually but shopping early she got a better version.

The key is to think about what you want to buy and only get that, don't get carried away. The first few years I did and I bought some v random things that didn't really get used and the piles on Christmas day were ridiculous. Theres sales all the time theres no need to buy for years in advance.

I don't really budget for my ds I just buy things that i know he will like as and when I see them. I will however set a budget on his main gift. I like to buy throughout the year as it means I'm not stressing closer to the time. I like to buy quality things not cheap tat and buying it when its on sale helps me to do this.

I don't set a budget as such. We spend roughly the same on all parents and then smaller amounts on brothers/sisters/nieces/nephews. If something was £10 down from £20 I wouldn't then top up with another gift.
We have a large family between myself and DH and including our own 3 DC we have a list of about 40 people to buy for. I shop all year round in the sales to make the money go further and make sure everyone gets something. Some people on the list are just small token gifts so won't cost a lot of money.
For the DC we normally set a budget for them but it's loosely stuck to depending on what they want. Sometimes more is spent and sometimes less is spent

I'm trying to be a lot more thoughtful with the gifts we get this year. Luckily the boys are at an age where they have more specific interests, hobbies, personalities etc. But it can mean individual items are more expensive but pile looks smaller lol - they're into gaming so it can be pricey for a single game. I've told myself it's better to have 1 item that costs more than buy 3 items for same price they won't play with or use and not worry about how big the pile looks.

Having spoke with the OH earlier this year we decided on £130 each on my son and his son (£100 for own then £30 to the other and combine) and £50 total on his nephew (going halves). Our baby girl will be 3m by xmas, I've subscribed to the sassybloom boxes so I plan to put some of the items aside for xmas for her as I dont think she will be too interested lol. We spend £50 on each other as well. OHs birthday is on 28th December so I have some leeway on going uh oh I overspent I'll put that as a birthday gift lol.

I feel like we are going against the grain a bit as I go by the price I paid for item not the rrp so if i paid £10 and it was £20 I take £10 off the budget. I've planned some of the bigger items towards the smyths £10 off every £50 which I assume they will do again this year. The stuff I have bought so far this year I have taken off the overall budget. I also plan to use my boots points on 3 for 2 stuff for mum sister etc.