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!

I only buy for my 3 dcs and a token (£10) gift for my best friend. I start buying small things in Aug/sept and then try and get the more expensive stuff on Black friday/discount days.
Ds2 really wanted a Ps5 but as Im currently on benefits its out of the question! I have decluttered my wardrobe and sold stuff on fb pages for extra cash. The money my dad sends us will be spent on xmas dinner/treats etc.
My kids are definately not deprived at all.

She does not get everything on the list!
If she did I’d be spending about £1000!

How does a 7.5 year-old make a £1k Christmas list? Why do you think she needs ten presents plus big present AND stocking? What are you trying to make up for?

I spend £50 on each child (x 2 children.) I buy second-hand, good condition items from eBay. Husband has £50 spent on him.

Christmas dinner - it’s just a glorified roast. I make the potatoes myself, we get a small turkey crown to share. The veg doesn’t cost much at all. I get one nice pud, either a chocolate Yule log with cream or a pudding from Marks & Spencer’s as they look so nice too.

On the day the kids play with their toys, we have a nice quiet staying at home day. We light the fire. It’s very relaxing. We listen to the hymns on Classic FM.

I buy throughout the year. Stress free

At the age of 7 I would have bought either the Sylvanian family house or the My little pony toys, I would not have bought both.

I've always told my children that Santa has billions of children to make presents for, therefore Santa only gives each child 1 wonderful present.

They'd also get a kinder egg, a magazine, and a few other small bits.

@Poppets14

I spend probably about £300 on my dd £50 on my mum £25 for each niece £15 on my friend

and then my husband will spend
£50 on his dad and stepmum
£15 nephew
£15 niece

This is us being as cheap as possible

Me and my husband don’t buy for each other

£300 is a hell of a lot to spend...

I rely on getting my usual bonus from work in November pay. Quite strict on who we buy for and do secret Santa for me and my friend so we're only buying for one person.

I don’t think £300 is a lot to spend on a child if you can afford it and want to. As they get older the things they want are more expensive. We spend that and budget all year for it. They don’t get loads all year round

I think you need to spend less OP.

We are fortunately very comfortable at the moment but I'm not planning on spending anything like as much as you are.

£100 on dc's. One big present from FC around £50 and then a few smaller presents from us. I sometimes bulk up the number of presents to open by picking up books from charity shop.

Mutual agreement with wider family - no adult presents and only approx £10 on nieces and nephews.

Around £50 on DH - he tends to buy himself exactly what he wants anyway so no point in spending more.

There's just no need to spend so much.

I start in august, I have two very small children so we don't go overboard on them. I buy for my parents and sisters and DH and DH buys his side

I probably spend about £300-£400 in total. I don't buy "Christmas clothes" as I don't need to, we do spend a lot on food which this year we've decided to cut back because it's a complete waste.

No one really gets expensive gifts, sometimes DH does but I'm sure what I think is expensive, most people would think is so cheap

I don’t think £300 is a lot to spend on a child if you can afford it

IF you can afford it... but if you're already in debt, why would you spend that much on a child? OP has already done her shopping I believe, but I think it's sad that people feel they need to spend beyond their means

I dont think £300 is a lot to spend on a child either, and speaking to friends seems to be the case aswell. Less than £50? My youngest wants the hotwheels ultimate garage which I got reduced at £65, he will get other bits… books, jigsaw, some cars for the garage and kinetic sand. My eldest wants a Nintendo switch. We are in a lucky position that we can afford it, I have been putting £100 a month away since august plus extras from overtime at work and if I’ve sold any old clothes/toys.
My husband, probably spend a few hundred.. but don’t really put a money allowance on kids/husband/my parents

That’s not Xmas. To me Xmas is about love. Laughter and family. I don’t spend thousands at all
Some people are lucky enough to be able to spend thousands AND have love, laughter and family though. They're not mutually exclusive. I couldn't give a shit what other people spend. If you want to buy second hand presents from Ebay, great. If you have money to splurge and treat people also great.

We save through the year. Usually about £1000, I have 1 DC but 6 younger siblings plus my DH family too. We buy each other but that comes from just our monthly pay. This year we've spent about £500 on DS but that's because he's got an iPad, usually it's less.

I dont think £300 is a lot to spend on a child either
It's not, you're right, its very average. It's just that the people who inhabit these threads on MN are not representative of the norm. Its the same every year.

I don't go crazy. Budget about £100 for food and drink but that probably covers a few days of eating and a fair amount of wine
Then the kids get £100 ish each and we each buy for our own family I only spend about £10/15 per family member (which is six people in my family)
Dh and I don't always buy for each other
It's still a lot for a one off month . I budget so I know I have £500 to spend on Xmas in December (I usually put £400 a month in savings so don't do this in December) and then anything more comes out of usual spending money

@Mummyme87

I dont think £300 is a lot to spend on a child either, and speaking to friends seems to be the case aswell. Less than £50? My youngest wants the hotwheels ultimate garage which I got reduced at £65, he will get other bits… books, jigsaw, some cars for the garage and kinetic sand. My eldest wants a Nintendo switch. We are in a lucky position that we can afford it, I have been putting £100 a month away since august plus extras from overtime at work and if I’ve sold any old clothes/toys. My husband, probably spend a few hundred.. but don’t really put a money allowance on kids/husband/my parents

We could afford it too but we didn't set expectations with our DCs that they would get everything they wanted. Maybe we were a bit harsh, but we were both brought up with poor parents so had different expectations

I think £300 is a lot. I have three kids so that would be nearly £1000. I'd rather put that money towards a holiday or saving for a car
My kids are lucky that they have a lot of family who will all buy them a decent present to
They actually struggle to think of things they want as it is
If they were getting a bike or iPad or something then I would spend more but generally it's about £50 for maibish present(s) and similar on stocking .

We save 50 per month into a credit union account that only pays out in January. Am upping to 75 for next year as kids are getting older and more expensive.

We tend to spend approx £100 per child (3 kids), secret Santa for his side of the family £20, neices and nephews 15 each, then probably 20 for my parents and sister. We do each other separately.

The 600 does most of the presents and food.

I buy throughout the year, with a fair amount bought seocndhand.

The people who keep saying ‘£300 isn’t a lot if you can afford it’… the whole point of the OP is that she can’t afford it!

Just buy what you can afford. Getting in debt for Christmas is ridiculous.

We have a big close extended family but everyone just buys for the children. Not so much because of the cost but because of the stress and pressure of thinking of gifts and then getting stuff just for the sake of it which is bad for the environment.

I start buying presents I august and September lots on sale. Things they actually would like.

Also buy a few bits every weekly shop, stocking fillers, chics, advent calendars etc

Also start cooking in sept /Oct

All I have to do is buy the meat and veg and cheese and booze. If you buy a bit every week it's not such a sting.

Oh and normal stuff like pasta, milk bread, etc

I’m quite careful with money all year and at Christmas we only buy for parents and our own children. I don’t do expensive trips or outings. The amount I spend on my children varies from year to year as I don’t set a budget as such . This is probably the youngest’s most expensive Xmas as he’s asked for a gaming pc.
The amount of money you spend won’t affect the memories your daughter has of Xmas.