How do people afford Christmas?

[Poppets14]

Just been out Christmas shopping and have had to use my credit card and store cards.

We are remortgaging the house in February and paying off our debts so we are back at square 1.
We are in about 4K worth of debt so not a massive amount.

My question is how do people afford Christmas? Everything is just so expensive.

Do you save all year?
Buy throughout the year?

We are getting are finances in order next year and I do not want to fall into the debt hole again!

[BasiliskStare]

@LifeIsWhat - what a lovely idea - when my great friend was between jobs and was worried about what she could get for her parents' significant anniversary on her budget I painted a picture for her ( acrylic not oils - I am not that talented ) They loved it and is in their dining room to this day. ( I did make sure she thought they would like it before I started ) That is a present I would love . I have a little oil painting from a neighbour who did a little exhibition to contribute to a local charity - it's fantastic .

[LifeIsWhat]

I am going to paint an oil painting for most my friends, on a subject they each will like. The money saved from not buying gifts will pay for my 2022 painting material.

[Goldenphoenix]

I buy presents as I see them for the kids throughout the year. I buy them from charity shops where I can. I do buy for my husband but no other adults, we all agreed years ago to just buy the kids and everyone has a £20 limit for nephews, nieces etc

To keep food costs down we buy a turkey joint instead of a big crown and do our own veg rather than buying all the prepared veg in trays. Potatoes in some goose fat is lovely and a fraction of the cost of prepared roasties. I buy snacks and chocolates in the months running up to Christmas. We don't drink much so don't spend money on booze.

[Invasionofthegutsnatchers]

I would save through the year for shopping but hate going in shops in December, so busy and online shopping delivery times are really long at the moment. So although I have to store stuff through the year it works for me.

[Invasionofthegutsnatchers]

£400 on two tracksuits for growing children is insane. DD likes Nike and Adidas but I shop online at Sports Direct through the year using codes and sales and get hoodie for £12 and t shirts for a fiver.

I buy all presents throughout the year actually. If I see something I buy it and put it away. Just need to wrap now. Cash to go in Christmas cards for nieces and nephews gets saved through the year in a tin. I've got special food in the freezer and cupboards, my parents are bringing the turkey so I've finished spending now.

[lillylemons]

Most years I buy throughout the year but this year we decided to do things differently. we saved the child benefit from January til November we won't be using all the money saved has I never realised we would have saved 1600ish. Think we will do the same next year I found it better than buying all year round cause I don't have to hide stuff all year round.

[repottingthescabious]

We had 3 big garage bills this year. and a burst tank in the loft. fab...

Christmas will still be Christmas but without turkey and overspending.

Aldi have a gift card this year. I will be loading money onto that to save for January as i find that harder than Christmas.

[Thesechipsdontlie]

We couldn't afford much this year, the pandemic was quite tough going. I got a few bits using loyalty points but the meal will just be a roast with tablewear from the poundshop, and decorations we have already. It's a bit sad because there's so many lovely things, but my DC are just babies so had to focus on the budget rather than the pressure for perfect. We had saved £10 a month into the Christmas fund to cover everything

[Dolphin5005]

Hi to all,

I buy xmas Presants throughout the Year as we have lots of g children so i start in the January Sales first and buy a Presant 1 am month so i dont have to buy everything at Christmas.

Dolphin500

[repottingthescabious]

the other thing that was useful was saving the Tesco stamps so at the end of the year you can use the full card towards your big food shop.

[BasiliskStare]

But to the point - I buy things earlier and take advantage of sales etc . So save money but where I go wrong is hiding presents & then I cannot find them I have a very small house - presents are put in a safe place
& then I am running to and fro to find them

[BasiliskStare]

@Poppets14b - DS is a bit older here and quite happy to have a couple of presents better ones more than more.

DMIL & DFIL - when we went to see them on boxing day had bought DS a sackful of presents - we took a couple away and asked Grandparents to keep the other stuff in their house - they did it - so toys at Grandma's
So we ask him what he would like and that is his Main Present. Others are just things he can unwrap. Now he is older - the fewer but better things he actually wants works out quite well

Does anyone else have the concept of a main present - I got a bicycle once - Got me to school and back for 6 years - I suspect it was 2nd hand but it did the job

[repottingthescabious]

Cut your cloth OP.

As a teenager i used to ask for things and sulk when i didn't get hundreds spent on me like my friends but my mum brought us up alone after dad died when we were young and we were told ''No i can't afford it'' and ''its not what Christmas is about anyway''.

So tough, thats life. We still got stockings and presents saved over the course of a year. stuff was bought in the sales and our teenage expectations were firmly managed. i think £30max for main gift each for us and our stockings.

Now we are adults we just do £5 gift each max.

[saleorbouy]

It's a known fact that Christmas is coming so we put away something each month to spread the cost. Also pick up things in the sales throughout the year.
When it comes to food we're not extravagant so a few extras and nice things but not mountains of food and pure gluttony like some seem to have.

[Onilove]

I save £110 per month into a credit union Christmas Savings account. That way I can't access it until November. This covers presents for 2 kids, brother, sister, 2 sets of parents, 4 neice/nephews and this also covers spends for my children's birthdays in December.

[Sunset999]

mine arent asking for big gifts i just want to spend 350!

[KeyboardWorriers]

@Sunset999 there isn't a rule book saying it is compulsory to buy teens £300 gifts. I am proud of our teen and pre teens because none of them are making big expensive demands. I certainly can't imagine wanting to get in debt just to buy the latest "must have" for a teen

[Icebreaker99]

I would definitely cut down on presents next year, as she has cousins I assumer aunts/uncles and grandparents also get her gift so no way does she need ten medium presents from FC. You could even put some of those away for next birthday now and save some money later!

It's so strange how we have this idea that there must be "a main present" says who?

[Sunset999]

one present for a teen alone could be £300!

[gersteddybears]

Save up all year but we don't have any money worries. Everyone's situation is obvs different and folk earn different amounts so some ppl can easily afford it even without saving.

[Dailywalk]

@Frederica852

You spend £300 on your DD?! 😲 I spend less than £50

Depends on the age if the child surely? When my kids were babies we hardly spent anything but teens are much more expensive to buy for.

[Sunset999]

@Darbs76

I save £250 per year, that’s for Christmas, birthdays (I have 3 kids and lots of friends kids to buy for) and Car repairs / MOT

Surely you mean £250 a month??

[Darbs76]

I save £250 per year, that’s for Christmas, birthdays (I have 3 kids and lots of friends kids to buy for) and Car repairs / MOT

[Sunset999]

@Welshiefluff

Christmas eve box? Oh good lordy

we always do christmas eve boxes?

[Sunset999]

save up all year, per month, spend £350 on the kids each, then a few hundred on other family and food .