What are you cutting back on to save money this Christmas?

[brownwhisker]

We have just had notification that our gas and electricity direct debit is going up to £310 a month 🤯 and just starting to plan ahead to Christmas with our remaining wages....

There's definitely some stuff we will probably cut back on this year - thinking paid days out / pantomine ad maybe try and reduce families budget a bit per person.

Is anyone else cutting back in places?

Ikea do real trees for £30!
And you get a voucher to spend in January!
Your dd sounds old enough to grasp that times are hard this year? * *
And stop with the presents for adults that don't buy for you! You need their "goodwill"? So they won't help you if you don't buy a gift?
Seriously?? Get new friends.

I'll be giving birth imminently after (or even before!) Christmas so we're saving money on presents for other people 😂

DB, DSis and I have agreed just to buy for the children and not each other.

Not booking panto, or we'll go to see an am dram version instead. I love the panto but tickets cost £120 for the four of us last year and that would pay for most if not all of our Christmas food shop so I can't justify it.

Sticking really strictly to a budget per person, plus DDs are getting some practical things for presents. E.g new electric toothbrush, gloves and scarf, PJs (but their favourite character design.)

Consumable gifts for DH and I. We don't need more stuff. It's boring but DH will be delighted with a bottle of brandy and a box of chocolates and it'll actually get used up. Similarly I've asked for a nice candle and a replacement of my favourite perfume.

Aldi had real trees for around £30 last year, will probably be a bit more this year but no where near £120

We have it easier because they are adults, they don't ask for a lot. We are not short of money but I do not waste - we will be sponsoring a family via the food bank this year

We are trying to slice £10 off each persons present budget so it adds up. The kids are going to the panto with the school this year so we will save £130 buying tickets on that. And it's just us for dinner this year so just need to cut back on some of the treats we would maybe usually get

Second hand gifts, won’t bother with a tree (kids grown). Will spend what we have on nice food.

We've been thrifty at Christmas for years so not cutting back much more, although there are always little savings to be made. We haven't had a real tree for ten years, our crackers are homemade, our presents always a mix of new & secondhand.

Our Christmas improved when we cut back ten years ago so we've just stuck with it.

Booze and chocolates/biscuits etc.

Not sending Christmas cards this year. Instead we’re going to dress up in Santa hats and Xmas jumpers and record a personalised video message for each of our family and friends.

Not going for our usual 3 days at Centre Parcs around 16th December as can no longer justify 1K just for accommodation and that's without any activities/food. Instead I've booked a local light trail. Gone for cheaper seats at the pantomime. Probably won't change much about the food but definitely looking to trim down the presents for everyone.

We save all year for Christmas but it feels too extravagant this year. I think for us, it sends the wrong message to our children that we'd be frugal all year but then splurge at Christmas. We're aiming to spend much less and reserve the extra for something we need or a small holiday we wouldn't otherwise afford.

The last few years we've spent so much on food and drink and it feels wrong. Every year we put on loads of weight and we're trying to loose atm. So we're going to cut back on food and drink - a lot.

I'm going to start shopping much sooner. I always start early but I seem to do the bulk between mid November and mid December and end up having mad rush where I over spend because I'm rushing to get it all done. Aiming to do the bulk next week and stick to my budgets.

Get creative with cost free activities instead of going out so much.

Spend more family time together.

It’s not the tree (although I do buy great big bushy ones). It’s the going to the farm and choosing it, digging it up, riding in the trailer and all that jazz. We’ve been doing it for years. I take a tipple and hot chocolate, we feed the reindeer, they give us a baby tree to plant. We have to dress up warmly and put the roof down on the car to get it home. Memories. IKEA is unlikely to hit the same spot, even if the trees were comparable. I can see her point.

@Thatsasmashingblouseyouvegoton Oh, it’s family. But I know they were struggling last year and I wasn’t, so I don’t mind a bit. But this year, we are struggling and I won’t be buying much for them, so I’ll need them to understand. They’ll probably get mince pies instead of my usual nice bottle port.

I am not doing

1. expensive crackers - did it one year and for the 3 mins of enjoyment - not worth it - I will get crackers because I like them on the table but once you have cracked them and got your hat and a crap joke ( possibly - although mine were even cheaper than this - the curling fish so did not get one ) the little moment I don't think is worth the money - I think I got the last ones from Tesco & were cheap as chips )

2. Christmas cake - I made one once years ago when I thought I was going to be a domestic goddess. I loved doing it but Oh my the ingredients etc were expensive. I then used to buy the cheapest littlest one from the supermarket. No one eats it in our family - so that will go by the wayside.

3 ) Stocking - DS is embarrassingly old to get one but I always did & then realised it's just stuff he would probably have had anyway so.I was buying ahead for the stocking - not worth it .

4. wrapping paper - which I rather love but am looking into cupboards to see if we have any left from last year rather than buying new. Also ( which my granny also did - I have an envelope of last year's Christmas cards which I am going to cut up for tags . ) I have been know to but up a sheet of printer paper and draw something on it for tags - you can get a fair few out of it :)

5. Goose. I love goose but really expensive for what you get out of it. During lockdown I bought a duck and it was just as nice with everything else and a fraction of the price. I do think chicken is at least as nice as turkey .

6. I do buy a real tree but not £120 - though I can see some of that goes on the experience. Our experience in this house is bring it inside & the slightly strong words trying to get it upright. - Ah we all have our Christmas traditions.

7 ) I bought a wreath for the front door which I like but can come out year after year - willow and ribbons and I can shove a Christmas bauble or two on. I do envy some of my neighbours' wreaths but I am not buying a new one until I cannot nurse this one through any longer

8. Have spoken to DBIL whose wife loves buying presents and said shall we cut back a bit this year. One little present each . Frankly I would be happy with just cards but she likes doing it - so have suggested a very modest limit. DH has already agreed with his siblings - no presents .

So for better or for worse that is my cutting back - there will be more than that but just off the top of my head.

Booze and branded biscuit tins.

I have beers from last Christmas eek. I've just looked and they are good until next Sunday 23rd. No one here will drink it now and I don't want to throw it out. I'm tempted to offer it to my neighbour who likes the brand I have. WWYD??

Other than that, since it's just us two I'm not doing much else spending wise. Just a few treats of things we wouldn't normally have. Cash gifts for our five nieces and nephews and no one else. Family agreed years ago to call a halt to gift exchanges amongst the adults. Best. Move. Ever.

I'm fortunate enough that I can usually afford the type of Christmas that I like to do and I'm known for my extravagance and I really enjoy it so I really didn't want to make changes if I didn't have to

This year, I anticipated that we'd be feeling it a little bit money wise so in august I took on some extra work to make 2k. I'll have done that next month and this is what I'll use to pay for Christmas

Well this year I’m going to a outlet shopping centre so hopefully will be able to spend less but get better gifts, if I do have any leftover... I will use for DS 14 birthday which is 11 days after Christmas. I saved no matter what, our usual luxuries took a hit so I could save for Christmas, as a family Christmas is really important so kids didn’t seem to mind. It just meant no weekly trips to costa, or not having takeaways as often as we did. I’m fortunate enough to live with my mum, who owns the house, it’s a fairly big house, and with 6 of us putting money in its very helpful bill wise. I also have saving just in case... I’m very careful with money and always will be.

Every year we cut back on cheeses, DH buts too many from our local food festival, but he'll be recovering from a heart op this year so won't be able to go out shopping.

We're also going away for Christmas although well still pay. DFiL died earlier this year and a few months before he died he have us a wodge of money. We'd been saving it for a rainy day but we now know what he left us so we don't need it yet.

A good Christmas for DMiL is definitely a rainy day as she's 92 and has dementia so may be her last, if she lasts until then. If not then we'll do Christmas in her memory.

I tend to make a big deal of Christmas here too but this year there isn’t any more cloth to cut I’m a single mum on a fairly low income so it’s just eaten up in bills. Luckily a lot of our traditions don’t cost anything! I’ve always prided myself on being good with money, even managed to keep up a little savings on UC when made redundant, but this year with rent + energy bills + every bloody other thing there’s just nothing left.

How old are your DC if you don’t mind me asking, how have they taken it in terms of cutting back?

Dd is 10, DS 14 so naturally the presents they ask for for Christmas are slightly more expensive than those of younger children.
they’ve moaned a bit about not having Costa so much but it’s not ridiculous complaining, just a little whinge here or there. Takeaways they are not too fussed, as long as they get fed they generally don’t care.
pits sucks for you being a single mum right now, I can only imagine how hard it is finance everything. Luckily I have a DP and we share the cost of anything to do with the kids.
dc are not spoilt, but I vowed when I was younger that they had a childhood to remember, yes we live with my mum, they have a roof over thier head, good on the table and have memorable trips. It’s not jetting off to different countries left right and centre, but they enjoy it and thats it. It’s hard because DS is autistic and it’s hard to go places at certain times so we have to profusely plan as timing and planning is everything to him. So giving them a good Christmas, birthday, Halloween is usually my main aim and anything in between is a bonus.

Due to covid/restrictions for the last two years we had already cut back by default. We are also a tiny family so that massively helps in keeping costs modest.

1. activities - only planning things which are free or a modest cost/donation
2. food - never really went overboard, but less chocolate this year
3. decorations - nothing new required
4. pot grown tree from last year will hopefully still be alive, otherwise are likely to use the old artificial one as I can’t justify the price of a real tree
5. cutting back on presents to DD as she is the only one where we did spend a lot. Budgets for everyone else have been in place for a long time
6. books/magazines will borrow from the library rather than buy anything new. I am sitting on the fence re Radio Times as its always been traditional to get one and get out the highlighter

For me Christmas is a season, and the cost of living crisis will not stop us doing the things that feel good in midwinter, most of which do not actually need to cost a great deal.

1. decorating the house with what we already have
2. local activities which are free/donation based
3. taking time and pleasure in food regardless of what it is
4. watching Christmas films on tv or DVDs
5. listening to Christmas music
6. light and candles
7. keeping a calmness and hyge feel
8. enjoying just being together after 2 years on our own 🤞

Presents - usually get kids fair bit but we're not stuff throughout year people. Also there always been practical presents in there - but % may go up.

Food - we've usually started getting bits by now - have't so like presents will be less. Often don't do turkey - so will see what there is and try and rein DH in with cheese and cold cuts.

Less baking and in past when tried Christmas cakes and puddings - tend to get add up and it's much cheaper to buy small ones that get eaten. Had wanted to do sherry trifle - old Victorian recipe and new but may depend on prices.

Probably less drink - though they is often not that much any way.

Already been doing fewer days out - but often do a cinema trip - might miss that and stick with TV we've got. Probably won't do any Christmas shopping trips in actual shops with family as too easy to over spend.

No real tree - we alternate between real trees when we stay at home, and a fake when we travel "down home" as we can't keep it watered. We did upgrade the fake 2 years ago from the 5' £25 Primark one we got the year we got our first house and got married, to a Balsam Hill 7' one in their summer sale. So that will come out this year.

I'm also cutting down on presents as we spend a fortune (and are told by others what they want in many cases) but it is not reciprocated. So this is the year I am putting my foot down.

For a few years now, as we had never enjoyed the chocs in the big tubs, I have been spending the same amount on 1 bag of Leonidas Orangettes as our treat. And I don't buy the tins of biscuits - I get a selection of individual packets of biccies for the same price as 1 tin and open 2/3 at a time (I have a decent airtight tub to keep them fresh) but have a much better selection of things we like (and a lot more biscuits as well in reality). And occasionally throw a tray of HM cookies in the oven when I have it on anyway with other things in there (the dough lasts a few weeks in the fridge or longer frozen).

I'll be cutting back on alcohol purely because we are travelling "down home" so will be driving 15 miles between DPs and DMIL's houses frequently over the 3/4 days we are down. And it's not a good idea to have much drink on you in DPs house due to extended family dynamics and potential for dramas/rows, while DMIL is a non-drinker and raises a serious eyebrow if you have more than 1 tiny thimble of wine in an evening.