Family gifts on a very tight budget! Ideas?

[Karleeb30]

Extremely tight on money this year.

We have my mum and stepdad.

Dp's mum and stepdad.

My grandmother.

We both have 3 siblings each so 6 gifts and most are quite a bit younger than us apart from dp's sister who is 30. Siblings range from late teens, early twenties to 30! We are the only ones with dc.

I have uncles who have no children. They tend to spoil mine so I like to buy something nice for them.

Budget gift ideas please?

Finding it hard whilst budgeting to buy dc stuff too. Likely that me and dp will not buy each other anything this year.

What about getting a £3 frame from wilkos, and getting your kids to decorate it? You can then print a photo (for free from freeprints, its an app), and pop it inside. if you wanted to make it more 'substantial', you could add a bar of chocolate

I would say a throw isn’t exciting but it’s something I would use, I would rather have a throw then some tat that I couldn’t make use of or smellies that I can’t use (sensitive skin).

I don’t look forward to receiving gifts at Christmas, my mum often buys me things that are cheap and tacky, like a jumper from primark, cheap chocolates from Poundland and some bubble bath that will irritate my eczema, I would much rather she gave me nothing as I hate wasting things. I’m pretty fussy with clothes and find primark jumpers itchy 😬, I would rather have the £10 towards something I can wear. I now sound really ungrateful, I’m not, I just don’t like the fact so much ends up not being used.

I would be happy with..
Socks
Slippers
Throw/blanket
A voucher
A box of Turkish delight 😋

@Lovemusic33

I would say a throw isn’t exciting but it’s something I would use, I would rather have a throw then some tat that I couldn’t make use of or smellies that I can’t use (sensitive skin).

I don’t look forward to receiving gifts at Christmas, my mum often buys me things that are cheap and tacky, like a jumper from primark, cheap chocolates from Poundland and some bubble bath that will irritate my eczema, I would much rather she gave me nothing as I hate wasting things. I’m pretty fussy with clothes and find primark jumpers itchy 😬, I would rather have the £10 towards something I can wear. I now sound really ungrateful, I’m not, I just don’t like the fact so much ends up not being used.

I would be happy with..
Socks
Slippers
Throw/blanket
A voucher
A box of Turkish delight 😋

Totally. I can relate on the eczema. My family know about my eczema yet they still buy me toiletry sets every single year just for the hell of it that I can't use! Even my mil knows not yet my family just seem to buy stuff for buying sale - even if it gets donated because I can't use it!

Secret Santa can definitely work if you’re not in the same place. We do it for adult siblings. Someone (for us it’s a grandparent or someone’s friend) draws who’s buying for who & sends the messages out & we post the presents directly if not seeing them. We have a £20 limit.
Everyone happy/relieved for the time & money saving.

Yes, the eczema thing drives me nuts, not like my mum spent years dragging me to the doctors and applying creams to my sore body 😬, yet she thinks it’s ok to gift me Baylis and Harding gift sets.

@Karleeb30

Extremely tight on money this year.

We have my mum and stepdad.

Dp's mum and stepdad.

My grandmother.

We both have 3 siblings each so 6 gifts and most are quite a bit younger than us apart from dp's sister who is 30. Siblings range from late teens, early twenties to 30! We are the only ones with dc.

I have uncles who have no children. They tend to spoil mine so I like to buy something nice for them.

Budget gift ideas please?

Finding it hard whilst budgeting to buy dc stuff too. Likely that me and dp will not buy each other anything this year.

How old are your DCs? Many years ago a Mumnsnet suggestion was vouchers for your children. We have done it now every year for the last six (not for financial reasons but to try and mitigate against the insanity of Christmas). It has turned into their favourite gift by far - the one they look forward to! The vouchers can include - a week free of their jobs; choose the film and snack; friends over for a sleepover, etc. They also give them to each other, and over they years they have become quite sophistaced and funny. Nice/witty presentation has become part of the drama. With regards to family gifts - when we were growing up each of my mothers sisters gave each family a "good" bottle or two of something, and a "good" box of chocolates/biscuits etc. My siblings and I continue the tradition. It works brilliantly.

*sophisticated

@LaBellina

Throws are lovely.

Some other budget ideas

Lovely bar soap (TK Maxx has really nice Italian ones that come in beautiful boxes)
Socks
Chocolates (Aldi)
Gluhwein with a mug
Christmas bauble
Scarf (Primark has lovely ones)
A cheap photo frame with a picture of them with a family member or DC
Coasters (TK Maxx)
Scented candle (TK Maxx)
Handkerchief (I know it’s old fashioned, but I love them)
Costume jewelry brooch that matches with winter coat for the ladies
Handcream
Biscuits in tin
Helleborus in a lovely white or red pot
Small handbag mirror
Jigsaw puzzle

I think you really have to know a person well to choose a good gift for them and maybe especially do when you are at the budget end. These ideas are great for the right person but I'd only want the soap bar, candle or handcream and would re-gift/ charity shop the rest. A throw is great for some and a fridge magnet picture of the kids also great for the right person - and clutter for others. I guess all I'm saying is don't choose one gift and get it for all. Personalise even when you are buying budget.

I'm another one who'd be happy with a throw. About 4 years ago my husband's best friend and his husband bought me a heavy knitted blanket (festive fairisle design) and I still use it. I'm in my 30s for context

For cheaper gifts that have a higher value, check Boots every Tuesday Morning for "tenner Tuesday". As it sounds - a selection of things reduced to £10. I bought a make up bundle for a friend that was worth over £100 if bought separately and was impressed.

Try Philip Jones for jewellery. Currently they have 50% off marked prices and they arrive with a nice little presentation bag. Pairs of earrings from £5 and free delivery. I ordered last week and everything arrived the next day. website

Check the Next clearance tab on their website. I've bought things like a scarf for £5 or proper heavy duty winter gloves for £7 (both mens in my case but they had ladies too). Store collection is free.

The Entertainer has toys on sale, and £10 off a £60 spend (appreciate you may not be able to spend that). I bought £147 value for £50.96 by only shopping in the reduced bit.

I hope some of that has helped! Good luck

Keep an eye on the bargain threads, I bought my younger grandsons ' present at a huge discount thanks to that thread , and my granddaughter 's wasn't such a bargain but still has a decent discount.

I've bought presents for DD , DDiL and DSis from brand alley they had L'Occitane on offer so bought them a gift box each .

I definitely recommend the secret Santa. I do this with my siblings and their partners, we all have one person to buy for and as we are only buying for one person and not 7 people we can afford a reasonable budget - usually do £30-40. It means everyone gets one decent present instead of 7 presents under £5 each, which we did try but it just didn’t work out well as it was really stressful trying to find something reasonable for that price!

We buy for each other’s kids separately as well

The OP asked for budget ideas @Whatiswrongwithmyknee and I did my best to help her by making a list of budget gifts.
Unless you’re the OP’s family member I don’t see how your comment that you would regift / donate to the charity shop nearly everything I mentioned is relevant here .

I wasn't meaning to be critical @LaBellina. I've just seen people bulk buy something they think others will like before and it invariably is not what 50+ percent of people want. The problem with ideas on a thread like this, and more budget ideas, is that they are not tailored to the person at all. The OP may not have been thinking of that but I was just sharing that thought in case. Personally I think a secret santa is usually a better idea but the OP will decide what best fits her circumstance.

I don’t want anyone spending money on me this year, there is nothing I want or need that others should be spending on and I don’t want a gift ‘for the sake of it’.

So I am asking for bulbs and cuttings from gardens, which I really will appreciate.

I do agree with secret Santa @Whatiswrongwithmyknee. It’s more fun and relaxed and it avoids the social pressure of having to buy gifts in the same price category as those that are gifted to you.

I only know of 2 families that tried secret santa and both said they hated it and would never do it again. It means you're only buying for one person in your whole family and in both cases people got upset that they hadn't been able to get a gift for their mum or their daughter. They thought it would save time and money but on the day it just didn't work. I think its a good idea for work presents but I would hate to do this with my family

Both myself and DH are from big families. We make treat boxes up for the adults and only buy presents for the kids. They get truffles, cake pops, fudge, and any other treats we can be arsed making. It is now a lovely Christmas tradition that my DD can get involved with. Although I think her favourite bit is eating the treats while we make them

@sausagepastapot

I love candle making, it is so easy and very very cheap. A sack of wax, 12 tins, some fragrance oil and wicks would cost about £20.

12 gorgeous home made candles, Bob's your uncle.

Where is this from please? Saves me googling. Thanks

Lottery tickets

An IOU that you never fulfill?

This was last year and I just decided to get everyone a second hand book. We are on universal credit and didn't have loads of money
All family have lost things they want
Books are easy to store
Went to a charity book shop
Spent £20 job done

For the older rellies they usually (well in my family) lover home made gifts so the best received presents ever were small Santa sacks (about 8 inches by 12) made out of red felt. A circle and a rectangle tacked around bottom then up the side and tied with a bit of ribbon. Then filled with home made biscuits and mince pies and little finds from tk maxx. Probably cost around £10 - £12 each per couple and they all loved them. Nit sure about the uncles and siblings craft beers are usually a good bet for uncles in my family.

Perhaps not one for this year but we have a spider plant that’s constantly having babies. The little plants make excellent gifts, you could get your DCs to decorate a super cheap pot to add that personal touch. Cuttings are still pretty cheap to buy.

Sorry haven't RTFT but I have, in total, 10 step/half/full siblings and we all agreed years ago to do secret santa. We use an online generator and have a £25 limit. Could you do that with your siblings? Bet everyone would be pleased