Credit-crunching Christmas - please may we have your survival tips?

[AbbyMumsnet]

What with the end of the world being nigh and all, it's struck us that what the cosmos needs right now is a selection of your finely-honed tips on surviving Christmas during a financial meltdown. Obviously, we don't mean we want your tips on how to save the banking system- although Gordon might - but we are after ideas on how to make the most expensive month of the year slightly less painful.

(Don't worry about suggesting swapping Krug for Prosecco. We've already got that one covered.)

Cheers all.

I am ebaying all dd's old stuff to raise funds for her xmas present

Do not go mad with food!! I used to spend loads on all sorts of special food and then find that we threw loads of it out and ended up eating Christmas boxes of things (chocolate, cheese biscuits, etc..) for weeks on end.

Last year, I did my usual shop and just added a ham and a beef roast from the local butcher, as well as a box of mince pies and a stilton in a pot. We got a present of a Christmas pudding from my work.

In total, we spent about 1/2 of what we used to spend on Christmas food. It was just as good as always and we had fun. Result!!

I always used to get pants as a child, one year it got silly when I got about 6 m&s multi-packs of 5 pants, so 30 pairs all in!!! I think I was about 13. Haven't had any (except lacey ones from dh) since!

I agree about the food. It makes me laugh to see people with their trolleys piled high with enough food to feed an army. The shops are closed for a couple of days at most. I dont buy any extra food for christmas.

we are doing a secret santa for the adults with a price limit.

last year we started just having leftovers on boxing day - it was really nice- there is no point having 2 really big meals imo. we are doing the same this year.

we are making teacher's gifts (although have done this before too)

Take advantage of offers you see now.
Reduce the £ per head you intend to spend and stick to it.
Homemade food gifts
Homemade cards for rellies with dc handywork.
Buy a smaller turkey and I use all of it - even down to boiling the bones for stock.
Rechargable batteries
Limit the amount of cr*p bought food and otherwise.

bumping - thanks for all advice so far.

bump

bump

Oh come on people, we can't just send out a newsletter that reads

BUY PANTS

then again...

I use my M&S credit card for everything during the year (pay off every month so no interest) save all teh &more points vouchers and use them for treats from M&S for Xmas which I can;t ususally afford.

Same with Tesco clubcard points though have been buying Aldi this year so fewer points this year.

Erm...spend less..??? Sort of obvious really. I love xmas and all that, but do people really get themselves into massive debt for just one day???

Don't buy loads of overpriced throw away tat that you neither or any recipient would want or need.

Both your purse and your planet will thank you.

Remember that Christmas is about more than how much should I, could I, will I spend.

Enjoy some good food, good company and well earned rest.

It's a holiday people, Christmas not Christress.

More than that, and apologies to those of a religious bent.

Rant over, as you were.

Check out the latest offers with 0% credit card transfers before you get your existing cards out to spend with. Watch put for Balance transfer fees with different lenders, but you could save paying high interest if you swap now before you start to spend.

compareandsave dot com

Buy multi pack pants (different patterns) and split them up and individually wrap to make it look like more pressies. "Oh look more pants, just what I wanted".

Shop using the links at Mumsnet Mall (click on shopping in nav) to get discounts and offers...

my tips...

1. make a soft toy out of theirs/your old clothes. Always a hit whatever age.
2. Get books from discount book stores, always have fab offers.

3.paints and brushes and paper, magic painting books always a big hit, and one of those art and craft books... so you're never stuck on a dull day in 2009

1. recycle.. swap unwanted toys with friends
2. get a big joint present secondhand like pool table/garden swing from adverts locally
3. go to inlaws on xmas day or buy the xmas dinner as far in advance as poss!
4. stick to tradition with stockings; an orange , bag of sweeties, stickers, a £1 coin etc. They love all that.

8.Buy toys in sales in Summer or before. )I always do that even though others might think I am mad I dont get so stressed abou the money in November)

Blimey, sorry. Sound like a right know it all there... its always chaos here in november that was a lie!

We save all our supermarket and boots points for christmas and this year we got 4 lots of spend £60 and get £12 off at sainsburys. So we've spent that £48 on Christmas food and drink.

Do a list of everyone you need to buy for and set limites you will not go over I do £10 for family IE Mum/Dad etc and then £100 my DC (although more this year on DS1 as won the smartbike from here)!

get things from the internet using sites like offer of the day and pop voucher that way even though your spending £10 and under looks like you have spend way more!

Also look out for the deals in places like Boots Argos, WHSmiths, M&S and Woolworths all of which do 3 for 2 deals on things like toys, books and smells as well as xmas wrapping paper and cards!

As my Dad says if you havent got dont spend it

For grandparents I get calendars made up with photos of the children over the past year. You can get them at Jessops or snappy snaps, or online at photobox.co.uk. They usually only cost £20 and are universally loved by all grandparents (and aunts and uncles and great grandparents etc etc etc...)

We use Xmas as an excuse to buy something nice for ourselves / each other that we wouldn't normally splash out on. In the past we've upgraded computers, bought a games console - stuff for both of us quite often.

I do try to buy useful things for relatives, but sometimes they're just too hard to buy for or very very fussy and end up getting gifty stuff or a collection of tat - and they often give the same. Ah I wish they'd just give me monsoon vouchers.

Of course sometimes, its nice to buy things that aren't practical. A couple of times over past years, DH has bought SIL and I a pamper day (She couldn't afford it otherwise, and I wouldn't want to go on my own - and he'd hate it!)

My nieces get things they need, which they think is great. Many of their clothes come from 'Father Christmas' and assorted relatives, and they think that's great.

We (friends and family) have agreed to just buy for the children, not the adults.

Get the Dcs involved in making decs, loads of glitter, cotton wool, glue, all the shit you normally ban the rest of the year round.

As a child, we had some very generous Christmases and others more meagre, depending upon income at the time, but the build up, making decs and shit was really and truly the most memorable and enjoyable part of Xmas for me (and no pants for me, I had a walky-talky doll for chrissakes).

Oh and food, making the mince pies, the Xmas cake and all that cack - magic!

Just re-read and obv what I meant was no pants as a Xmas present, not no pants per se....