Want Xmas 2013 to run smooth

[daisydee43]

I know it's way off but I felt so unorganised this year. Basically waited until dec mortgage came out and spent what I had left but had to get 2 overdrafts and still only got small gifts.
I can't store presents as in a flat but I know next year will be big deal for dd so want to make it good,

What's your best money saving Xmas tips?

Put money back each week (either into an acount or in a money box, not one of these christmas saving clubs), this was the first year we did not put money back so my bank was hit hard. I will be saving for 2013 but wont be spending as much as this year (spent a fortune and the dd's have hardly played with anything).

Have just taken all my christmas cards down and made them into gift tags for next year (wont save me a fortune but every little helps).

get a sense of proportion. Your child needs a roof, food, shelter, education and love, not presents. You should NEVER get a loan for retailmas.

teach your child proper values and to appreciate what a billion people do not have.

happy new year.

I agree with ss. Little children are as happy with old cardboard boxes as anything. We have money but hardly bought a single present this year and everyone was perfectly happy. What are all these things that people think children need and it is because they see other children getting a lot? You could just take them to church if you're Christian or visit old people and buy a few things in a charity shop. Why all the fuss and worry over stuff they may never play with?

How old will your DD be next year?

My mum said she did this when we were younger. She listed all that she bought and food she made (I guess size of turkey and number to feed etc) to help plan Christmas in future. Presumably it makes you think what you need and what got binned, plus avoiding last minute rush etc.

I might use January's bank and credit card statement to see what we spent and what we could avoid for next year. I'm thinking of the stuff we wouldn't miss. Problem I find is Christmas comes and I've forgotten what I did the last time. We did a basic morrisons turkey not a chuffed up Hugh FW bird and we didn't notice the difference, so a saving there. I'd have a veggie roast if it was just me!

I would agree with putting money away each month and if you shop with tesco use the Christmas saver scheme, where you save all club card points and are issued them in November, then can double them up for different departments.

Add a Christmas food item to every shop from October onwards, I did this last year and didn't feel a huge difference in cost of the Christmas week shop.

Also, this year I am going to just be buying for children only, 10 to buy for so I'm going to pick a child each month and buy a present for under £10, bought lovely pyjamas for £3.50 yesterday in the ASDA sale. One down, nine to go :)

Particularly with stocking presents I pick up stuff through the year that looks a lot but cots a little.

I like to look in craft fairs through the year for other things.

But for Christmas 2013 I am determined to manage my time better more than anything else.It's the last minute things where you can't access the cheaper shops in the time left that break the bank the most.

Milk- 20 months

park savings club for amazon and high st vouchers to cover main presents,
supermarket saver stamps for food,
buy small stocking fillers and generic presents throughout the year.

I put money aside each month.

I started doing it when DH and I earned very little and we really couldn't fund even a very low key Christmas from just spare money in November/December.

I still do it now even though strictly speaking it isn't necessary.

For me this works better than buying stuff through the year, because I would forget what I had bought and get too much - or with kids their interests and where they are developmentally changes so quickly that you might buy something in June and it be nothing like what they actually want by the time it is Christmas.

The best thing I did was putting all £2 coins straight in a money box. In 10 months we saved £170.

Part of my plan for this year is to write down everything I will definitely need to get, and perhaps get them earlier. For example we have a tradition of giving character undies/socks/vests in stockings (as opposed to the usual cheap-as-possible plain ones they get throughout the year) - so why did I wait until really close to Xmas and end up getting overpriced 'gift' type ones when actually you can get decent ones cheaper in supermarkets throughout the year?

We put a fixed amount aside each month with a direct debit to a savings account so that it's there to spend in December.

We also have a list of approximately how much we're going to spend on each person and how much on food, postage etc. I totally blew it this year but never mind! Will do better next year.

We put away half of the child benefit (every 4 weeks) into a saving account by direct debit so its gone before I even notice it iuswim. This covers christmas and birthday presents for 2 children. We also save £3 a week on tesco saving stamps to give us £150 for xmas shopping. This will be our 3rd year saving like thisI. ts so much easier saving a small amount all year than trying to find it all in 1 month.

From the beginning of October, I always pick up one 'Christmas food thing' with each week's normal shop, be it the Christmas pud, wine or the cranberry sauce, obviously making sure that all will be well I'm date for the big day. Then when it comes to the 'Christmas shop' I literally have to buy the turkey and veg to complete our food feast. Quite often,meat is on offer a couple of months before Christmas, so I buy and freeze all my joints ready for the festivities. I find by doing this I not only save money, but also am not scrabbling around to get what we really like.

Whoops should read 'well in date'

I have set up a savings account this year. did think about Park for vouchers but decided that at least if I have the savings account I will get a small amount of interest and can get hold of the money if all goes pear shaped. also I looked at the tesco clubcard and if you can top up by about 10 a month and make sure you have 100 topped up before the deadline they will give you 6 more pounds. far better than any interest rate. whilst Christmas is still fresh in my mind I have written a list of all the little treats we like and buy them in advance when possible I have also bought all my cards, wrapping paper and crackers in the sale. my ds3 only get one present from us and a book plus 'basics' and cheap fun stuff in their stocking. they are always very excited and this year had less generally and have enjoyed what they got far more.

I buy presents throughout the year, especially stocking fillers. I have a list of who I have to buy for and tick them off after I have bought their present.

I try and get bargains where I can, for example, I got my mum a make up bag from accessorize which was half price in the summer sale. Doing it this way does save me money and means I can buy better presents as they are cheaper.

We save odd bits of change in a wooden box all year, generally about £100 in it when we open it up. If I add my M&S and Tesco vochers to it the food side of Christmas is covered with no pain at all.

Nearly new sales for clothes and toys for the kids.

Save a bit into a savings account each month, we have loads of birthdays around then also so it hits really hard.

I save all the Tesco vouchers and then do clubcard exchange to double up the value of the gifts.

We didn't have a turkey this year, had a leg of lamb, half price and freeze it, plus a chicken.

I also use on line shopping through the year, get savings on presents in sales, or discount websites, it also means I don't have a huge rush at the end of the year and spend over the budget just to get something.

DH and I get something in the sales in January.

If I get wine in advance, I just drink it.

I'm a bit mean on children's presents as well. Often if you ask them their needs are quite modest. Mine got a few fun things from Poundland in their stockings, and some things I had bought with loyalty vouchers and so on,but also new hiking boots (they are into Scouts and things) and waterproof over trousers, and a bit hit were the £2.99 gloves with touch screen fingers. My Xmas cards were free from a printing company, we made a few extra decorations in the run up to Xmas, and I bought all the food from Sainsbos apart from one or two special things.

I'm doing surveys this year and challanging myself to see what i can bring in.I've just earned my frist £15 amazon voucher. Surveys won't make me rich but they will offset the cost of Christmas a bit - or that's the plan at least

am going to try saving £2 coins as suggested above seems a good idea

If your supermarket does any kind of card for savings stamps, put aside a few quid each week (the change in your purse, for example) and fill up a card or 2 to spend on the dinner, treats etc and hopefully (depending on whether your SM stocks them) toys and other gifts, or even clothes.

The ones I am aware of generally give you an extra stamp free for a completed card (so by saving £98 you can actually spend £100). Some weeks I don't have spare to get any, but weeks that there aren't offers I am getting or that I have a particularly small shop, it's handy to get a few extra stamps towards Christmas (or other large events).

Yep doing surveys and other online tasks are definitely a great way of earning some extar cash and then if you want to avoid spending it, leave it on the site until you need/want it - i.e. Christmas. Some sites like GetPaidTo.com will also offer ways to save money in the next few months :)