Panicking about having done christmas on a budget

[Eileen101]

I'm currently paying down debt as a single parent and this year I have done christmas on a huge budget. Most of my children's gifts are second hand from vinted (although that's their general status quo anyway), and gifts for my parents and step parents are token - a book, a candle, a garden ornament etc and I'm really panicking that it's not good enough.

Earlier in the week I was giving myself a metaphorical pat on the back for paying off a big chunk of debt and reaching a milestone, plus ending the month not overdrawn but now I am panicking that I should have bumped that to January and done christmas a bit better. My kids are small and won't notice or care, I guess I'm worried about the adults. Has anyone been in this situation without looking cheap????

Well done on managing your money.Adults don’t need lots of presents you have bought a gift even a little thing is plenty.It is more important to be debt free and you are making inroads into that.There are plenty of ways to treat family at Christmas,being kind , having fun eating together.Who says you must give lots of presents truthfully do we really need more stuff?.You are doing really well.Happy Christmas.

Honestly, let it go and well done for getting your debt down at the most expensive time of the year.
Say nothing to the kids, smile and be happy. As you say, they won’t care.
And personally I think presents for adults is a waste.

this year I have done christmas on a huge budget

Do you mean a tiny budget?

Everything sounds like you’ve got a really good grasp on it. Paying off debt to ensure peace of mind, second hand or token presents is what we should all be aspiring to do, debt or no debt! Be really pleased with yourself, surely no one is going to complain because you bought them a present?!

Focus on your children, give them a lovely Christmas, which is different from ‘give them a lovely Christmas and teach them that without expensive presents, life is shit and it means you don’t love them’.

Congratulations on getting the debt down!

Really well done. It's hard not to get swept up in it and ultimately paying off the debt will be a huge present to all of you going forward as you'll be able to afford holidays and presents rather than wasting money on interest.

I think it’s fine. I have lots of family members on a tight budget, it’s clear from their lifestyle things are tight and I’d much rather have a cheap token gift than something expensive! If someone gifted me above their means I’d feel a bit awkward really x

As for kids, DS‘s biggest hit last year was a second-hand hot-wheels car gifted from a friend, which evidently blew any larger gifts out of the water. It’s still the only one he remembers if anyone asks him what he got last year 😂 I’m sure your kids will be fine xx

You've done really well. With all your hard work, think of how nice you can make Christmas for your DC next year, without the worry of debt. Merry Christmas!

Good for you, you should be proud of yourself and feeling happy, not panicked. Just think how much worse you’d feel if you had spent more and hadn’t achieved paying off that bit of debt. I’m sure the adults know your financial situation and will be more than happy with a token gift. Children hardly ever remember what gifts they’ve got, they remember the atmosphere and feeling of Christmas more IMO. I hope you have a lovely Christmas x

Any family member who thinks a relashould go into debt to get them a Christmas present isn't worthy of being family in my opinion.

Well done you. Your priorities are straight. You can have a lovely day. As you say, the kids won’t notice

Well done you. The kids are more important than the adults and you say that they won’t notice. The adults probably don’t need more than a token gift anyway, most adults have more than enough. But the bottom line is that you can afford what you can afford - no-one should be getting themselves into debt to have an amazing Christmas.

Well done for sticking to your goals.

Don't worry about the adults presents you have put some thought into it and bought what you can afford.

Your gifts sound lovely. We have done exactly the same with adult gifts this year and we’re not on a budget. Small gifts that are thoughtful for the adults and also bought some from Vinted for DCs.

It's a lot better than worrying you've over spent!

Sounds good to me OP, and massive congratulations.

Christmas is mainly about getting together, chances are your relatives will appreciate that, if they don't - never mind, it's more important that for you and your kids you get free of debt.

Well done.
Presents are overrated. It's being good company that matters.
I'd rather have no gift and a warm welcome than an expensive gift and a cool welcome.

We don’t even do adult Christmas presents, haven’t for years. Nobody minds. I agree with pp you have your priorities absolutely right.

I'm sure your family members would much rather you get rid of the debt, I certainly would. Well done you for paying off a large chunk at an expensive time of year.

I would actually loathe getting an expensive present from somebody struggling with debt.

Working on getting your debt down, even over Christmas, is a great achievement. It's so easy to be sucked into the... "Oh, I can sort it out in January... February.. Mar..." way of thinking.

Happy Christmas.

Well done you.

Really, really well done.

And keep the poster in mind who said anyone who thinks you should go into debt / stay in debt for their Christmas present really doesn’t deserve one.

Good job OP!

Think how much better you'll feel next Christmas when you aren't having to try and juggle all those things. Absolutely the right thing to do!

OP, this is excellent and you should feel proud of yourself.

I would rather receive no presents than to see someone go into debt, so well done.

Having just dond a clear out because we are moving house. I have dumped or charity shopped so many clothes, books and toys that are redundant, many from last christmas.
People don't need that much stuff really, we did my sons birthday on a budget this year too as its close to xmas and we didnt want to add to the moving pile. He was just as happy with a few small things than the usualy pile of filler presents to make it look like a lot. After the day was done he was interested really in the couple of things he got that he loved and even the other couple of small things he got he wasnt really bothered about.
We used to buy our first child loads and loads of stuff at christmas. Hes actually really spoiled and ungrateful compared to our second child who got the handmedowns and less new stuff overall as we already had things from the older one that he would have wanted. It all gets given away or dumped or broken anyway in the end. Just more landfill.
I am team budget christmas now. Its better for the environment, for not having spoiled kids, for your home environment, for your purse.

well done! Your loved ones will much prefer you made off the debt over more gifts. If you have time today, bake biscuits as an extra perhaps (£10 of ingredients makes loads) or I’m making truffles, spent £10 on ingredients again for about 4 dozen. They will taste better than multiple packs of shop ones for £££

I would be really upset if someone bought me a present they can’t afford. Well done sticking to your budget.