Money saving advice for Christmas

[johnworf]

Some fab advice from Martin Lewis on budgeting for Xmas

www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/christmas-savings#ban

Thanks for the links, some great ideas.

In my family we have a no present pact among the adults, we only buy for the children. It saves so much money and means I don't get loads of tat that goes straight in the charity shop bag.

We don't buy for adults either and when children in the family leave uni and start work, we just send them a card otherwise there would be no end to present buying.

Poundland Xmas stuff looks good too, spesh for stocking fillers. www.poundland.co.uk/product-range/special-occasions/christmas/

Our children will get 1 main present and a few small ones this year. Far too many toys in the house already! I'm also ebaying clothes, shoes, books, toys that haven't been used for a while.

Good shopping today.

I have just been to Poundland and the presents there are really excellent this year. I bought 4 sets of beaded things, such as purse/pen/notebook/trinket box, for a total of £2-£3 a set, as well as a glitter tea light burner and matching glitter tea lights for DD's stocking (£1 each), I bought some cheap but classy matching gift boxes in the shop next door for £1.49 each, with some shredded white stuff to go underneath, and I now have four presents for about £20 altogether that look amazing.

Best trinket box

Matching pen and notebook set

I also bought lots of wrapping paper and sellotape, cellophane bags for home made goodies, and birthday cards at 4 for £1. Very good levels of stock, but a lot of the Christmas stuff isn't in yet.

Other Poundland bargains included a lovely yellow kaleidescope with a clown motif for DS3, some Spiderman inflatable armbands also for DS3, and a snowflake travel mug for DD.

Travel mug

A purple spotted water bottle for DD was another £1 bargain - looks like a SIGGI one.

Online I have found some really amazing things at Muddy Puddles, such as pretty pink knitted hats for 10-13 year old girls for a grand total of 30p! Less 15% if you use the code 15OFFWKD! There are also fleece gloves for babies and toddlers for 30p, and swim suits for little girls for £3.

Here

We have an account in a local building society with a passbook. One withdrawal a year and you have to put money in every month. All small change goes there.

We have that water bottle. It's great!

marking place

Saved a small fortune buying books online with the book people and got cash back too. Do not pay high street prices for books!

That artists' cover all from Muddy Puddles that Boffinmum posted, together with a full set of bristle brushes and a big canvas from 99p stores would be a really brilliant gift for a child who loves painting -all for £7!

If you go onto the Money Saving expert website, it links to a £2 voucher for Poundland via this week's MSE newsletter. You have to spend £12 but you could basically get a lot of stuff for that.

Bit late for this Xmas, but the best thing we did to save up this year was putting all our £2 coins in a money box. So every time we changed up a tenner or whatever, any £2 went straight in. I got a lot as I used to pay cash on the bus (I don't now we have an electronic card so not getting as many now!). We got £110 in 6 months which we used to buy amazon vouchers so the money didn't just get frittered away. We've started it again and will open on October 31st, so another 4 months worth :)

Good Amazon link to cheap jewellery. Cute owl pendant for a stocking filler, only £1.39 and lots of disco ball shambala bracelets for young teens at £3 mark.

here

If you're not having loads of people round, get chicken not turkey. A big chicken is £6-8. A tiny turkey is about £14-30! Kids don't know the difference and it tastes nicer and juicier anyway.

I'm making these bath toys for ds:

sandersonsmithstory.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/inspired-by-you-guys-bath-time-toys.html

Capon is a neutered cockerill, it's really nice. They dont cost loads either.

I got some One Direction stuff from poundland and nice little football based things for Ds.

My oh is alos looking into some (very decent looking) ipad type tablets for ds that only cost about £35 but will (hopefully) look very impressive to him on crimbo morning. When he has decided the 'best' one (he's a techno geek) I'll share it with you all.

If you have an M&S outlet near you I got some leather gloves there for £2! Great for grandmas.

oo, tablets, sound good for DS2 and DS3

I buy diring the year during saleS only and i dont buy for adults

And for any one with more than one chikd massive box of sweets between them all

I save all year with Park Hampers. I buy M&S vouchers, Amaon vouchers and Love 2 Shop vouchers (these can be sent in LOADS of places). I put £100.00 a month away and my last payment will be less due to comission i earn.

I have £1300.00 coming

I plan on doing this every year

Would be really interested in your oh's verdict on the tablets Wiggy29. Was thinking of buying one for DH

sod the crackers, just put a hat out.