I've done it again and bought too much!

[JustACountryMusicGirlInCowboyBoots]

I do it every year ffs. I start early to spread out the coast and then end up with far too much. I budget around £150 for My 3dc and my mum with a present for my friend and neighbour and godparents. I had a look in the Christmas cupboard yesterday and was shit, how much Lego?! Then I have to equal things out with the dc so that they've had roughly the same spent. You don't get much Lego for your money and Dd wants horse riding stuff.

My dc all have winter birthdays and it's not until nearer dds that I decide what's for Christmas and what's for birthday. She does one big list for both. Ds and the eldest 3 weeks and 2 months after Christmas, respectively.

I buy things when I see them because usually if I wait I find I can't get hold of them. Or I buy when the price is good forgetting about Black Friday or not being sure there will be a discount on the items I want to buy.

I start buying treat food early but that's ok.

Next year I'm going to start saving money each month instead of buying presents early then just buy in November and December.

I'm my own worst enemy and get myself in a tizz about this every year 🙄 My mum looks at me every Christmas Day and lovingly tells me off for spoiling her but since my dad died I've wanted to do it. She's my rock.

Anyone else relate to I'm being organised but then oh shit I've bought too much and spent more than was wise? It's not on credit cards at least but it takes a lot of sacrifices on my part to do it. I suspect i'm a Christmas idiot 🙈

I used to do this. Now I use Amazon wishlist to record my ideas. My kids are happier with fewer gifts so it works better for us.

This is is our family!
I buy as I go along so end up not keeping track of what I’ve bought and then my DH buys things when he finds amazing bargains and forgets to tell me and we end up with way too much. I get cross with myself every year! 😫

I keep a list on my computer, each child’s side by side (I’ve 4) so I can see the balance across them. As I buy items I mark them green. If I have a genius idea I add it to the list but usually take something off it to keep the fairness. I leave purchasing the big or electronic things till Black Friday.

I used to do this too.

But I've been decluttering this year and have got rid of so many things which I remember buying (particularly stocking fillers) which gave them a small amount of amusement and then they are on the bedroom floor and I feel so guilty.

Am not doing it this year.

I keep wondering why I do it. As a child we had one main present and as I was the youngest by almost a generation I always got a little extra present. My mum still does this. Maybe I'm trying to compensate for being a single/lone parent, not being able to get them much year round or lots of extra curricular activities or just give them what I wished I could have had when I was younger.

I was guilty of this but last year I started using an app called ‘gift list’. You allocate a budget per person then log each present you buy then deducts it from your budget. Absolute game changer for me!

@SugarPlumpFairy3 I've got the gift list app but it's not helping my bad habits.

I always overbuy on stocking fillers. I've probably got enough to fill stockings for this year and next year 🤦‍♀️ And that includes stuff that I held back from last year too!

I sometimes overbuy on main gifts too and end up holding back gifts either for birthday or the following Christmas. Could you do that with any gifts rather than buying more to even things out? One of my 5yo DD's main gifts is something held back from last year so it's made things a bit easier in a way!

Can you sort the gifts into birthday and Christmas piles? Can you return some of the items and put the excess money into savings or premium bonds for them? Or could you donate some of the gifts to a charity gift collection for disadvantaged kids?

Can't you take some of it back?

I've done this for years too. This year I tried to do what you planned for next year. I saved money in a 1 month delay withdrawal savings account on Moneybox (so I wouldn't dip into it early) and wrote ideas lists instead of things I'd bought lists. The money is not due in my account for 3 weeks, but when I ordered the withdrawal last week I started shopping then and have got nearly everything on the DC's lists and I know I won't be able to stop buying until Christmas, so I think I am still going to end up with more than planned again.

My mum does this and I find it incredibly stressful. Gifts aren’t love. I have gone the other way and buy very few, well considered gifts each year.

I've done this too , and want to change my habits for next year.

I've bought bits and bobs over the year and have ended up with too much. I've passed the deadlines for a lot of returns now.
I'm spreading the existing things between Christmas and their next birthday , plus donating a few .

I will divide into Christmas and birthday nearer the time. All the gifts are carefully thought out and there's no tat at all. It's all stuff they will use for years except the chocolate which will be eaten. I don't buy stocking fillers, just items that they have asked for or I know they will like. I will try to do better next year though.