Preparing for the holidays.....
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Preparing for the holidays.....
| Mon, 07-28-2008 - 3:36pm |
In my new budget conscious mode I am trying to gather a list and prepare for the holidays. I know I am going to a wedding for a dear friend in Boston (I am a bridesmaid!) in April so

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You might want to consider a new tree AFTER the holiday.
I got a $100 xmas tree after xmas at Target (pre lit and tall) for $10. I love it.
I start my Christmas shopping the day after Christmas for the next year and then in the weeks following as things drop to 75 percent off. Then I just check clearance aisles for gifts the rest of the year. I have a list on my computer of all the birthdays and people I need Christmas presents for and then as I buy stuff I put it on the list and then it goes in a bin in the garage until its time to wrap it.
I have a friend who has 3 kids that i buy for (I'm single with one foster child, so I tend to spoil the other children around me) and I'm already done with their Christmas presents (she's a single mom). I did tell her this year that this would be the last year they get birthday from me too. There are just too many people to buy for. Of the many kids I'm very attached to, only my nephew (and foster child) will get birthday presents from now on. Anyway, I've been done with her family for two months now and I think I spent less than 50 bucks on all four of them-total! The kids are getting a ton of books, a few toys and a few outfits.
As for everyone else, I'm getting close to done. I still have my parents to buy for, my brother's birthday (I got his Christmas present last week) and some close friends who don't have kids, make way more money than I can imagine and spoil ME rotten every year. Other than that, I'm done.
One other thing I do is keep a present box in my garage. It's full of little things I find on sale that can be used for birthday or wedding presents. When my brother got married two years ago I had enough in the present box to fill a basket (which was also in the box) with kitchen items. I think most everything in the basket I bought for less than $1 over several years.
Ok, I've gone on forever, but this is something that is so important to how my money gets spread out and people totally make fun of me for it, so I got kinda excited when I saw this thread.
One more things, something I did last year for the first time, I went through my present box and took out the things that I had been storing for several years and hadn't given to anyone. Instead of giving them out I posted them on Craigslist for around the price I believed I bought them at (this included some oil lamps, candles and stockings) and managed to sell everything, which helped me with my December expenses and helped some other people with some low cost/new presents for their family members.
Anyway, I'll end now, but probably be back to this forum to see what other wonderful things you guys do to stretch those dollars!
Heidi
Keep an eye out on amazon.com and overstock.com for artificial (pardon me, "everlasting") Christmas trees.
I can understand your frustration.
Ugh - workfromhomemom - I am with you 100%
I am the one who suggested a grab bag amongst the adults this year. Let alone if I suggested it with the kids. I would be killed! LOL. I hate to appear cheap but I refuse to believe I am the only person who struggles to buy gift after gift after gift each year.
There is no easy way around it. You gotta put it out there but as someone else said - do it soon or don't do it this year. Good luck and when you figure out how to do it - let me know! LOL.
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