Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

Family gifts on a tight budget.

39 replies

Karlee30 · 31/08/2021 19:00

Ideas? Writing a list on who I need to get gifts for 😱

We are on a extremely tight budget this year. Can't afford to spend much at all on family.

This includes my parents, my grandma, my siblings, my uncle and aunt. My husbands mum and his siblings. But a few others like my children's godmother, my godchildren, my daughters best friend who lives next door (they are 6).

We literally don't have much spare right now!

I know this is a bit vague but I don't want to spend much nor do I want to look tight. To add, they don't spend much on us either... my parents don't really buy me or dh anhthing but do get a couple bits for the kids.

My two are the only kids in my immediate family.

My grandma is very generous though. I don't mind spending a little extra on her, she deserves the world but unfortunately I can't afford much.

OP posts:
Mynamegone · 31/08/2021 19:03

Can you do something that shows a lot of thought but isn’t expensive that they’d find special? For me I’d be thrilled if someone for example printed some family photos and put them in a collage to put in our kitchen or something. Or you can get quite lovely personalised presents on Etsy that show thought but not over expensive. I made my friend a personalised poster that she then framed (I felt bad I didn’t frame it in fact but I didn’t want to presume anything in case she didn’t want it on her wall! But she did !)

AluckyEllie · 31/08/2021 19:03

Can you not agree with siblings to not do presents and maybe just do them for each other’s kids? Most people would understand times are a bit tight- if hate anyone that buys me presents to be worrying about affording them, I’d much rather skip them for a year or maybe do a family day out somewhere cheap together.

Ragwort · 31/08/2021 19:03

I know it's not what you are asking but why not have an honest chat and suggest that you limit presents to under 18s only, my family long gave up exchanging gifts as adults and it's a huge relief all round, we still enjoy each other's company, share a nice festive meal etc ... but no angst about gifts.

DGFB · 31/08/2021 19:05

I agree that you should tell your family
Money is tight and can you just for the kids. Or do secret Santa at a tenner or under per person?

Mynamegone · 31/08/2021 19:06

The other option is to talk to your family who might be delighted to agree to low key or edible presents ? My family do this as we are all tired of ‘stuff’ unless it’s edible or useful . But it doesn’t work for everyone as I’ve realised some people really value getting presents so I still need to make a bigger effort for those who need that!

Original poster
Karlee30 · 31/08/2021 19:13

Thank you. My two are the only kids in mine and husbands family. So no nieces and nephews yet! I actually can't wait until we do have them to spoil them. But me and dh are both oldest of 4 where our siblings are considerably younger than us (18-24 kinda age range whereas we are 30's/40's) so we've always bought them gifts as they were growing up but thinking of cutting down what we spend considerably. Of course if they have dc themselves, then we'd buy for them.

I'm just stressing big time about affording it all! Only 3 more pay days before Christmas and two car mots due, need our heating system looked at before the winter amongst other things! Eek!

Thankfully I've been buying odd bits here and there for our own dc in sales etc.

OP posts:
TomDaleysCardigan · 31/08/2021 19:17

Could you do Secret Santa for immediate family adultwls? 1 present then, say £20/30 limit? Then you have a total spend of 40-60 on adults and you aren't buying for the sake of it. My family have done charity shop £5 challenges before too.

ClosedAuraOpenMind · 31/08/2021 19:23

look on the Christmas bargain threads here - lots of people post gift ideas with money off, discount codes etc

fuzzymoomin · 31/08/2021 19:26

Me and my family all agreed to stop getting each other presents and it was honestly such a relief! We all agreed that what we most wanted was to spend time with each other so we either go out and do something or have a gathering at home. We all chip in to the cost and choose something that fits all budgets.
There was a mutual agreement to only buy presents for the children in the family. Last year I was overwhelmed with pride with 14 yr old nephew announced that instead of presents for him we should donate to food banks.
If you can change the way you see Christmas, instead of a festival of gift-giving, to a festival of sharing your time, love, attention, your bank balance will thank you, you'll enjoy it a lot more, and the planet will be spared a bit more unnecessary waste that often goes with piles of presents.

Mooloolabababy · 31/08/2021 19:31

I put a hamper together for my grandad every year. You can start to pick things up for it in your weekly shop so that you don't really notice the cost so much. The baskets are a fiver from Aldi at Christmas.

IWasBornInAThunderstorm · 31/08/2021 19:32

ÃŒd suggest a secret santa for the adults. It makes the whole present opening a bit quicker too so tou can get on with the day!

SeoultoSeoul · 31/08/2021 19:32

I like the secret santa idea.
However if you decide to get individual presents I'd just get each person a cheerful gift bag and put their fav things in it. So for a gardener things like a Holly plant (plant one up yourself if you can get into the countryside!) Or a houseplant or seeds. For your Gran, an eco wick crackle candle (£5 in Asda), bar of nice chocolate, mini bottle of wine. Asda also have some gorgeous mugs with initials on, for £2 each.
For the kids, books? Or baking mixes.
Just tell people now that you are having to cut back this year to manage expectations and set a budget if you can.

MrsMiddleMother · 31/08/2021 19:37

I would do secret santa, if not I'd just say we're not doing gifts this year as we're all adults.

Walkingthedog46 · 31/08/2021 19:40

We do a Secret Santa for the adults now. Each adult receives just one thoughtful gift meaning you can spend a little more as you buy just only one present. Then you aren’t buying just for the sake of it. Suits everyone.

pleasekeeptotheright · 31/08/2021 20:09

Speak to them and follow the threads on here for bargains.

Cherryrainbow · 31/08/2021 22:37

Loads of active bargain threads on here.

Do you save up things like boots points? I usually save mine to use in the 3 for 2 gifts to cover my parents and sis and her husband. Gifts start from low prices as well.

There's loads of ideas on places like pinterest of how to make various themed hampers with items from like poundstores, home bargains etc which look great.

As others have said its good to discuss with family if they are happy to do a secret santa event and set a budget

Notstandinguptoday · 01/09/2021 06:42

So what can you afford to spend on adults and dc. If you give us a price range it would be easier to make suggestions.

SushiGo · 01/09/2021 08:07

Look on the bargain threads. It's absolutely possible to buy cheap gifts for adults it just requires a lot of careful planning.

Firstly work out what your total budget is and therefore what you can afford per person- say £5 each and £10 for grandma.

Then think about what each person might like or find fun at that price range. You might be able to group some of your relatives together and get them the same thing Eg one year we bought all our 18ish relatives very small one shot nerf guns on sale and they had a great time with them on the day.

For older relatives start at rex of London, they have loads of gifts that work for adults at very low prices in their sales.

Charmtaste · 01/09/2021 08:19

My SIL is very well off. Last year she gave everyone jars of homemade jam and boxes of homemade mince pies. It made a lovely change to the usual gifts. Thoughtful is better than expensive.

CommanderBurnham · 01/09/2021 08:23

Get on the Christmas bargains thread! It's brilliant.

Shop early.

Get on places like hotukdeals.

Also just consider telling your family that things are going to be simple this year. I'd never want a member of my family worrying about what to get me for Christmas due to financial worries.

PermanentTemporary · 01/09/2021 08:25

We stopped giving presents to adults when we were really broke. Relief all round.

CarolinaWeeper · 01/09/2021 11:07

For siblings that have children, we have an agreement just to buy for the kids and not for each other. For siblings that don't have children I usually do a hamper which looks nice but can be done cheaply.... last year I didn't do wicker hampers and instead got nice Christmas gift boxes and some tissue paper from Card Factory and filled with things like mini bottle of wine, candle, chocolates, biscuits, hand cream, nuts etc. They cost about £20 each including the price of the box/tissue paper and I figured the actual box is useful too if they wanted to pass on for another gift.

Twilightstarbright · 01/09/2021 11:33

I’d stop buying for your parents if they don’t buy for you and get your DC to make them something- salt dough decoration, handprint on a mug etc.

AuntieMarys · 01/09/2021 11:37

Just agree not to buy for so many people!!! Ridiculous if you're short of money. I bet everyone will be relieved.

Lockdownbear · 01/09/2021 11:47

Auntie & Uncle I'd suggest cutting them out or box of shortbread between them.

Your siblings, I'd suggest a secret Santa, with them, which will set the precedent going forward with any partners, future kids. I'd suggest since you have kids your kids go in the Secret Santa instead of you.

I think buying nieces and nephews could get really out of hand when you already have so many siblings.