How will I keep the expense of Christmas down?

LegacyUser

Christmas time is a time that I love and cherish and adore. It's my favourite time of year. I think Christmas is so important for a few different reasons.

I was working out a Christmas budget spend of presents and groceries and it is all adding up. Already with presents, the family have cut back and introduced a no present rule. This helps a lot. I like doing the grocery shop at Christmas and filling up on treats for the family to enjoy. That is just the situation within my own family.

There is other family like my nanna and granddad. Some aunt and uncles. I don't buy for them all. Just for nanna and granddad and 4/5 of my aunt and uncles. Usually every year I give something like a candle set as an example and a tin of buiscuits each. All of this is adding up for me in my sums. I don't get paid a lot. I would like to cut back on my spend. I would like to get one present each for them. I saw something already in town for 11 euro and I think that would be great. I could get the lot done for under 50 or 60 quid. My mam would like me to add a tin of biscuits or chocolates for each and it's going to dig into money I don't have. I have an overdraft on my account but I would say by new year I will be digging into that.

I'm being very level headed about Christmas but it's all adding up.

Merkin

What age are you OP? Because I think buying a gift for an Auntie or Uncle is fine when you're little but not as you get older. Your grandparents fine but it seems like you're buying for far too many as it is.

bee06

If your mom wants to given them a tin of biscuits then she should buy it herself. Tell her you just can't afford it. I think when it comes to Christmas presents for adults is just buying things for the sake of it rather than stuff they want or need. A token present for 10 euro will be just as welcome as something more expensive I would say.

suds1984

How about making a donation of say €50 to a charity in lieu of any presents and mention this in cards to the people that you would normally give presents to. then the only additional cost would be a pack or two of cards -I'm sure most people wouldn't mind if you made a donation and didn't give them a present.

lazza14

suds1984 wrote: »

How about making a donation of say €50 to a charity in lieu of any presents and mention this in cards to the people that you would normally give presents to. then the only additional cost would be a pack or two of cards -I'm sure most people wouldn't mind if you made a donation and didn't give them a present.

This.

Too much stuff is bought and wasted over Christmas, and it´s all so materialistic, most people would be delighted with the above (apart from kids of course )

LegacyUser

suds1984 wrote: »

How about making a donation of say €50 to a charity in lieu of any presents and mention this in cards to the people that you would normally give presents to. then the only additional cost would be a pack or two of cards -I'm sure most people wouldn't mind if you made a donation and didn't give them a present.

I see this suggested every now and again for various different things and I think its a terrible idea and very cheeky idea.

If you want to give a present give a present then give one, if you want to donate money to charity then do it yourself. I wouldn't look kindly at all one someone telling me they donated money to a charity in place of a present. I'd prefer to get nothing.

If I want to donate money to charity I'll to it to a charity of my choice and when I want to.

Ellie2008

OP your aunties and uncles probably need a tin of biscuits at Christmas about as much as a bullet in the head. You'd be doing them a favour really not buying it for them, they ll thank you when they can still button their trousers in January!

freshpopcorn

My advice is forget what your mother says and buy what you can afford.
The tubs of Roses, celebrations, Quality Street and Heroes are €4.99 in Tesco at the moment. You'll get ten tubs for €50. Also look in shops like Heatons and Penneys there's lots of nice candles and small little gifts to be picked up there.

orthsquel

There's no logic in going into debt or an expensive overdraft just for the sake of getting everyone a tin of biscuits or box of chocolates to go with a main present. It's excessive and you can't afford it without getting into difficulty financially. And if I were your grandparents or aunts or uncles, I'd rather you didn't get put or pushed into that sort of situation for the sake of a tin of biscuits. I'd actually be horrified if I knew. I'd be happier with something that doesn't break the bank and doesn't leave you broke or in financial difficulty.
I think you should stick to your budget and decide what you want to give yourself. Be upfront with your mum and let her know you just can't afford it. I think in any case you should question really who eats the biscuits? Do they, or is it kept for visitors, only opened when grand kids, nieces and nephews or other guests around?

trixychic

You could go old school and make biscuits at home, wrap them up nice as presents. Save your few squids that way???

dee_mc

As above, why not make a big batch of mince pies and give everyone a dozen, and if you must give another token gift find cheaper candles or Christmas ornaments or whatever, you could save yourself a fortune! People appreciate homemade and quirky gifts more than yet another tin of sweets or biscuits.
I think your biggest issue, though, is needing to find it within yourself to say no to your mother. In all fairness, what you buy people for Christmas is none of her concern. Let her worry about what she is buying for people, and you do your own thing.
One last thing - your budget for Christmas must start with how much you can comfortably afford to spend, not with how much you would ideally like to, or feel you should, spend. Start with what you have and see what you can do.

screamer

I am sure your aunties and uncles would be upset of that knew you were going into debt for presents for them. I know if any of my nieces or nephews were I'd be very upset with them. In our family we have a no adult presents rule. If your mum is so insistent on you giving aunts and uncles stuff how about you go with her and give them something from your house to theirs. My aunt does this every year for her siblings it's usually a bottle of wine a box of biccies and a box of choccies. It's a house gift though from her family to ours. Do not and I repeat to not put yourself in overdraft for Xmas. Tell your mum your situation and give what you can afford. I am a huge believer in its the thought that counts not how much someone spends.