Horses and Christmas £

M

mickey

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 November 2005
Messages
5,169
Location
Kent
Visit site
Is it just me or am I the only person who has no budget for Christmas presents this yr?
I am on a squeezing budget each month anyway, and what with the dentist, a vet bill, saddler and farrier in the last couple of weeks I am desparing........
frown.gif
frown.gif
 
We're on a tight budget, only buy for the kids now. And try not to spend more than £10 on each, more on our own child.
All the adult family understand.
Dont stress too much, its only 1 day
smile.gif

I usually stress big time but cant be bothered now
wink.gif


I just look forward to Boxing Day
grin.gif
 
I put money away each month but what little I can put away doesn't stretch far when it's drawn out for xmas. I usually buy for aunt and uncle and cousin and her hubby but think soon I'm going to have to keep it to just Mam, Dad, Bro + his gf and OH.

Then there's OH's family of course, they breed like rabbits so we've cut it down to £5 per child, nothing for their parents (OH's brothers and sisters), then we buy for OH's mam and dad and his little bro. There will be some extreme tightening of belts next year, wish I'd thought of it this year!
 
Don't despair - get inventive.

eg free to you
book of 3 'baby sitting vouchers any Saturday night before the clocks change' is going to be invaluable to any friend of family with babies, costs you nothing but the paper you print it on
book of car wash vouchers for friend/relative with car
book of 'Lie In vouchers - morning turnout and mucking out' to anyone with horses
eg slightly more expensive
buy ingredients + some cellophane and a couple of rolls of ribbon, and make chocolates and sweets.

I'm sure there are lots of people like me who cannot stand gettting total tat eg ornaments, candles that serve no functional purpose other than to be a present. IMO presents should be useful and carefully chosen to suit the person.
So if anyone wants to send me a mini book of 'wash the kitchen floor and stick the dishwasher on' vouchers....be my guest!
blush.gif
 
Dubsie they're probably the best presents I've ever heard of.

I bet most people would love more time to themselves, a very inventive and thoughtful gift I think.

I am doing some of those for OH this year, including washing up etc. Free except the paper as you say.
 
I have literally no money at all. I really wanted to get my friends nice presents this year, as we haven't seen much of each other since they went to uni so I wanted this Christmas to be special - but I can't afford any presents at all. The vouchers are a brilliant idea, but when all my friends are spread out at all over the country it would be hard to find things to do for them.
frown.gif
 
there are some really really great ideas on moneysavingexpert, they have a competition every year for ideas for great presents for under a fiver, last years were:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/festive-fivers
there's a link to past winners etc.
also
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/1132666777,4572
there are also pictures of home-made hampers, etc etc, not expensive but look really nice, and very thoughtful.
i thought of another one for older people... a "lucky farthing" from the year they were born, found 1 for my mum, mint condition, uncirculated, for 99p on ebay... nice teensy present!
i'm broke this year too, it's a nightmare!
 
Ok Charmaine here's one for your friends from afar that's fairly cheap and I;m sure they'll love as they can take with them back to Uni - sort out lots of photos from when you got together, days out with them etc, and either photoshop them into an A4 size or print them out and cut them out and make a collage, buy an old framed print cheaply (market or antiques shop) - you can paint the frame to suit their decor/taste, and frame your picture.

Can you tell I was once too stingy to buy presents?
grin.gif
 
Last year I bought pressie for everybody and ended up being totally broke! This year came up witha much better idea, told friends that we should do secret santa instead, so we all end up getting a pressent and it doesn't break the bank. We have also said that we are not allowed to spend more then £10. Everybody seemed happy with this, we all have one pressie and still have enough money for family
grin.gif
 
I have told people I an not celebrating xmas this year, I can't afford it and am not putting myself in debt for one day that's a big anti climax anyway. Don't feel pressured into anything.
 
Personally I think christmas is all too much thease days. I lost my job a few weeks ago which set me right back financially and allthough I have a new job now I am not going to buy any presents except for my husband and daughter. The rest of the family will get home made fudge or DVD'd with family gatherings etc. Christmas shouldn't be about how much you spend on people . It's all too commercial!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Ok Charmaine here's one for your friends from afar that's fairly cheap and I;m sure they'll love as they can take with them back to Uni - sort out lots of photos from when you got together, days out with them etc, and either photoshop them into an A4 size or print them out and cut them out and make a collage, buy an old framed print cheaply (market or antiques shop) - you can paint the frame to suit their decor/taste, and frame your picture.

Can you tell I was once too stingy to buy presents?
grin.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

I love to get great piccies framed. My OH is always going on about me selecting the picture with the right photographic qualities (wot?!) - I couldn't give a monkey's as long as it is something that brings back a great memory or makes me smile. Good idea.
 
Me and OH don't buy each other Xmas pressies....we usually say Oh well, we bought the sofa/TV/plastered the hallway etc so thats our pressie.....

...obviously we buy for the kids..and probably do go a bit mad, but hey...they're our kids.............but we have put a limit on nephews/neices and we don't buy for grown-ups either.

I personally would rather not bother....ten or twenty quid spent on something you don't want or need is wasted money in my book......
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top