THE ONE WITH CHRISTMAS!

[Reastie]

I'm taking a punt here that we won't need another thread before Christmas, but feel free to prove me wrong!

Greetings and welcome one and all to a friendly and joyful corner of mn - the Christmas bargain thread. Here, we share Christmas present purchases, ideas, links and discount codes, with the aim to spread the Christmas magic and joy and reduce the financial stress.

It's a very busy thread, so see the tips below for helping everything run smoothly and avoiding repetitions of Cookiegate etc al. It's a lovely, friendly bunch and I'm so grateful to each and every one of you for building such a warm, fuzzy and generous spot on mn. I know I've save so much over the years and am so grateful to all of you for sharing.

Pull up a sleigh and relax with a mulled wine and mince pie, for Christmas has nearly arrived!

@ me if you need anything or you want to let me know anything - the thread moves so fast I can't always keep up so this really helps

A few pointers to make everyone’s life easier and the thread be as useful as possible:

• It’s handy to put in bold the bargains so they’re easy to spot
• No affiliate links
• No need to place mark or post messages of hello or thanks at the start of a new thread - use the ‘watch thread’ button
• Be nice or leave

If you have any voucher codes to share (or want to check for any) then have a look https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/christmas/5212144-sharing-voucher-codes

The current referral thread for sharing referral codes here . Please use this rather than this page to share referral links to make the sharing fair.

To make clicks links, you set it up like this only without any spaces apart from between the website and the word(s) you’re writing: www.bargainsahoyeveryonecomehere.co.uk

Thanks @RainbowZebraWarrior for the instructions below.
To make something bold, put this star * either side of the word you want to bold (with no spaces in between)

So starhellostar would look like this.

hello

Obviously use the * not the word star

Some of the below is copied and pasted from previous years, so do @ me if the links don't work

Stock informer is a handy site http://www.stockinformer.co.uk/default.aspx?fullsite=1

Camelcamelcamel is a great amazon price tracking tool http://uk.camelcamelcamel.com

The following links compare price products including postage
www.find-book.co.uk
www.find-cd.co.uk
www.find-dvd.co.uk
www.find-game.co.uk (as in PS4/xbox etc)

@Roundaboot who is delivering your converse?
I ordered on 19th in the morning, got notified it had shipped on 20th but the tracking (with Evri) states they haven’t received it yet.

If anyone has any last minute shopping to do for younger children my local home bargains had lots of branded toys, especially baby Annabel stuff a lot cheaper than I’ve seen elsewhere. Also managed to pick up some yumiland lipgloss dolls for my eldest.
I was really impressed with range and price of toys, I’m guessing will be similar at most HB stores.

Mine is with Evri but tracking not updated for days. Now says 'Delivery taking longer than expected'...I'm not hopeful!

I ordered them on the 19th, and they are coming via patcelforce. Parcelforce are unable to find the tracking number.
I don't think they'll come in time for Christmas.

Mine is the same.

Just wondering if any of you that got the Etsy code to work managed to do so after getting told ‘You are ineligible for that coupon’?
I’m pretty sure that I haven’t used the app before although I have bought some bits of Etsy in the past - when I went to install the app it definitely wanted me to install it rather than update it.
i tried to find a bit that said about shop code as per one of the earlier suggestions on here but couldn’t find it, just the box that says it’s for an Etsy coupon code.

any additional hints would be most welcome! Thanks 😊

Parcelorce apparently but I've also had an email to say it's delayed and there's no tracking info yet.

Your contract is with the selling. Company not DPD so I'd contact them and ask how they intend to resolve it?

Yes. I did as a previous poster suggested and tried it as a shop code (knowing it wouldn’t work) and that then allowed me to use it as an Etsy code

Just finished wrapping. And now panicking 😂 DD19 and DS14. Decided this year I wouldn't fill out, no add on pressies, so DS has a guitar and DD has a phone. Nothing else 😳 It felt like the right thing to do at the time. Now it just feels a bit meh. A bit like they should have a few more things to open. But I'm really struggling. I don't like buying for the sake of it. They don't need clothes, DD has clothes and gazelles coming from grandparents, they don't need books, I've bought a family game. Just no idea what else to buy. Or, whether I just stick to my guns 🤔

@ArthurChristmas22 How about: a few sweets/chocolates, toiletries, (will get used by someone!), cute/cosy socks, (always useful), guitar pick, guitar music, (might just about have time to get these from Amazon if no shop nearby), cute phone accessory, cushion or throw for the beds?

It's not easy to search for directly. In the search bar I suggest putting Ted Baker. Options related to that will come up. Click on Ted Baker body spray. It will bring up images. Ignore the first 2. Click on the 3rd and it will bring up the 2 for 4.

For reasons best known to myself, I went rl shopping in Asda this pm, and it was as frenzied as you could imagine 😹

However, there were of kids/adults Xmas pjs heavily reduced - sadly none in sizes that were any use to me.

The 8p Xmas veg was better quality and in larger bags than the same products I had bought in Aldi the other day.

I also remembered to use my Asda Xmas cash pot, so I was pleased with that. Don’t forget to check/use your Xmas cash pot if you have one as they expire 31/12. I almost missed mine!

Just wanted to say a big thank you and merry Christmas to everyone. I had got myself in a financial mess last year with Christmas so this year I promised myself I was started early and bargin hunting as I wasn't struggling with credit card debt again. This year I'm in budget and finished shopping on black friday with no stress and just enjoyed shopping, exactly how Christmas should be! ❤️🎄

Cookie gate?! What did I miss! (don't post really don't want to start it off again just tell me which thread 😂)

If I don't get online again as its manic here

I hope you all have a lovely Christmas that goes exactly how you want it to go ❤️

See you all in January for the prequel threads!

@ArthurChristmas22 what about the "want, need, wear, read" framework. I find it easier to think of ideas when there's a plan of sorts, plus it stops me going too fast the other way in a panic. Agreed with PP, socks or slippers are always useful. This puzzle book might be fun for the 19 year old.

Thanks, I have also emailed them, but it was late Thursday and they said 48 hours to respond so hoping tomorrow is the day its resolved!!! Will be keeping my fingers crossed 🤞 for a Christmas miracle

Just on way home now from visiting MIL. 2 and a half hours travelling done but still 2 and a half hours to go travelling back 😬

Thought I’d catch up on the thread…. We are already done for Xmas though thinking I need to start picking some things up for Jan birthdays 🎂

We need these threads all year round 😂🙏 they’ve been such a godsend!!

Same for me. Hoping Parcelforce update overnight.

We have the threads all year round. They start straight after Christmas and are called the Christmas bargain prequels. They are run by @Sideorderofchips who will I'm sure put a link on here when she starts the first one after Christmas 2024 😊

Oh yay that’s good to hear! Will look forward to those! ☺️

St.Tropez Express mousse for £12.50

@hugsandpugs the all round threads are amazing for stocking up for bdays. In terms of Christmas presents I find June/July there are the biggest bargains (I buy mainly toys). As long as you have space to store that is!

I am feeling quite organised now. Totted up the totals and came within 5% of budget. Quidco, TCB and Rakuten are starting to cash out, which is going into next years Christmas savings account.

Christmas food order is finalised, and was less than usual due to having stocked up already on various deals including the Amazon wine from back in October.

2/3rds of the wrapping is done, which means I can once again see the floor in the spare bedroom (for the first time since about October).

I already have next years PJs, socks, advent calendars, and a few stocking fillers, along with the Feb/March birthdays.

I do have a few returns to make though, where I bought something which was later usurped by a better bargain. I’ll sort those out after the rest of the wrapping is done.

I’ve had an email from Converse today saying my order is taking longer than expected and they’ll let me know when my order is with Evri. I ordered on 19th.