Now that we're nearing the half way mark to Christmas..

[mi*vida*loca]

I'll start saving after our Disney trip in August.

I don't have a set budget but I think it's around $1500 after you add in the tree, some decorations, wrapping paper, stocking stuffers, new Xmas and NYE clothes, gifts, etc. Of that $1500 it's usually $500 per kid and then the other $500 for everything/everyone else.

I buy for my grandmother's and nephew. My kids and the adults (cousins, aunts, uncles) used to do a pollyana cousins but a lot of my family have have stopped celebrating pagan holiday's so I don't think we will be doing that. My mother has stopped celebrating too so no gifts for her along with my Godchildren and a few other family members. It's cut my list by a LOT. Which is sad because no more big family holiday's but I will be saving a lot of money.

I do not buy year round because I like to get them what I know they'll want and like. I pick a Friday in December, take the day off and usually get everything done that day.

 

[Goofy'slady]

I'm glad to see this thread. Although I thought I did rather well last year with my budget especially since we are a one income family (ME!) I am always up to save money, time and energy to boot. The majority of my gift buying is for my girls who will be 17 & 10 this Christmas but I also buy a few gifts for a few of their friends, one or two neighbors, one or two coworkers and my adult niece who at 32 is just a few years younger than I am, oh and I can't forget the dog! (She'd give me looks of death if she had no stocking next to the girls)

I usually, start shopping in October with a few things here and there and my girls know to make their wish list and give it to me by Oct 31st. Yes, I'm that firm in that regard. I'm single and their gifts are expensive so I like to have an idea what they want earlier rather than just a few weeks before Christmas. It's not always a matter of money sometimes you can have all the money in the world but if you wait til the last minute to look for and buy that popular gift you just might regret it because you'll find out it's been sold out for weeks. My budget usually hovers around 2,200 all said and done.

 

[bcwife76]

We don't really need to budget because we don't spend much. Between our two kids, ourselves and a couple of relatives and some friends we probably spend a total of $750 on gifts each year. Also we stay home and never travel over the holidays.

 

[wdwfan1]

I have my bank transfer $50 per week from our checking account to our Christmas Club account. At the end of November I get a check from the Christmas Club.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

Thanks for this reminder! Last year I said I was going to cut back, so I'm telling everyone outside our immediate family no gifts!

Wanted to do that last year but it was too close to Christmas and people had bought stuff already. I find it's getting stressful trying to do it all. I do all the holiday dinners, etc. as there is no one else to do it in our family. I'd rather focus on doing stuff together than spending my time running around buying gifts people don't really need anyways. I think I will book a sleighride instead for everyone - less stress, less $$.

 

[disneyjes]

I have been buying gifts on clearance since January. We already have quite a bit saved up for our son. Yesterday I found Toy Story sheets for only $6 down from $21 and a Guardians of the Galaxy fleece for $5 down from $15. I figure by October I will be done except for experience gifts such as zoo admission tickets, movie gift cards, museum tickets, etc etc.
No need for us to save for travel as our family is only 3 hours away so it's not a huge deal.

 

[Spyells]

I'm trying to figure out how to save about $3,000-$5,000 before December. The Walt Disney World trip will be paid off. But my family needs the extra money for the plane tickets, Universal Orlando tickets, and souvenirs. Reading this thread gives me some hope we'll make it for our first Disney World vacation.

 

[LovesTimone]

I think that this year I will kinda work in reverse so to speak. Most people fill the stockings last, which last year I am embarrassed to even say what I spent on stocking stuffers stuff... My family has grown this year I have a brand new little DGS so this will add to the mix. We are planning on a big trip to the mountains next June and then DGS 2nd birthday Jan 2017 at WDW so my DD and DSIL will have quite a bit to save for over the next 18 months or so. I really am looking at Christmas and birthdays different this year.

So I have started a stocking stuffer box, and I am picking up things that I know that will put in them. I fill the stocking with items that I know will be used, not a bunch of junkie stuff. There will be a bit of candy, gum, breath mints, those mini throw away toothbrushes, regular size tooth brushes, razor's, nail clipper, batteries, last year I found these mini flash lights that plug into your car which they have used a lot.

As far as budgeting we don't really have a set aside budget, as I pickup items all year. DD and DSIL like amazon GC's and really gift cards in general, so I pick them up as I am out and about, Sam's has some discount GC's so I always check and see what they have, that might work for my family. I am going Christmas shopping for DGS today, to start picking up items for him.

With other family members, I have only 1 sibling so I do buy for my Brothers family, my Brothers health is very poor and they have financial difficulties due to medical bills and the cost of med's for him and my SIL also has health issues and med's. They are drowning in prescription med's cost. So they really have a tight budget, So for Christmas and birthdays, I make basket with bath products, nails kits etc. for the ladies in the house and for my brother he loves to read and watch movies so I look for things that I know he will love, last year I found all the planet of the apes movies, he loved loved those as a kid. He was so happy. My parents are easy to buy for.

With entertaining family, I pretty much stopped it several years ago, I got tired of being expected to do it all, pay for it, cook it, clean up before and after. So we started doing other things for the holidays we would head for Disney or Universal.

So let the shopping begin.

 

[LovesTimone]

I'm trying to figure out how to save about $3,000-$5,000 before December. The Walt Disney World trip will be paid off. But my family needs the extra money for the plane tickets, Universal Orlando tickets, and souvenirs. Reading this thread gives me some hope we'll make it for our first Disney World vacation.

Garage sale is a quick way to make some extra cash fast.

Take your lunch to work, and take what you would have spent on lunch each day in a envelope and buy GC cards that you won't spend. Disney, Starbucks, Landry's ( T-REX and Rain Forest) check the airport to see what food options they have and buy GCs for those so you have spending for travel. Most people spend about 10 dollars a day on lunch depending on were you live and what's available, so that's 50.00 a week times 20 weeks is 1000.00

Meal plan, coupon and use up pantry and freezer items. Pay yourself in the savings.

I would think about maybe nixing Universal this trip, if this is your 1st Disney World vacation you really want to spend your time at WDW there is so much to see and do that you won't even make a scratch the 1st trip. That would be a huge saving, park tickets, food, parking if you have a car, or cab cost if you don't, and if you are renting a car just for universal that is an additional savings, on the rental cost, and gas. Use DME to get to and from the airport.

 

[tink9702]

bought the first christmas gift last week for DS. Skylanders video game on sale for $30 and used a $25 gift card from a health program from DH's work so $5! I too need to start stocking stuffers early and buy as I see deals this year. Last year we used credit card points to get giftcards that we used for Christmas and we are planning on that again this year. We don't do gifts for other family members anymore so that really helps with the budget but everyone does come to my house so food costs are high in december.

 

[Pesky]

Yep! I have some stuff already stashed for the holidays as I try to spread out my spending through the year. Got some Disney board games 50% off last year and been holding them until the kids are old enough. Picked up some stuff for others during our travels. I've been keeping my eye out for deals and wants. We'll see how it goes!

 

[happydisneyfamily101]

I actually took advantage of the Target and Kmart clearance deals. Although I did not get a lot, I was able to buy a few things that they each really want. I enjoy shopping the holiday sales so I'm saving a majority of the budget for then.

 

[gracie1]

I've started Christmas shopping as well. My furbabies are done (toy sale on Drs foster and smith) and I bought my parents a new comforter set (from the furbabies). I also treated myself to a comforter set - hit a big Macy's sale and jc Penney sale - got each set under $40. There is a book I found on Walmart that I plan to order for my dad probably this week and my mom collects angel figurines so I plan on purchasing those very soon - every time I find certain ones they sell out and it takes months before they have more - so since her birthday is October I might as well order one for her birthday and one for Christmas.

Does anyone have ideas on what their buying for their "hard to buy for" parents? Especially fathers!

 

[MomToOne]

Picked up some sweatpants and a sweatshirt for DD yesterday on Abercrombie. They had half off jeans, plus another 30% off if you spent enough, so they were a really good deal for DD for back to school - met my reasonable price demand and DDs desire for a more popular brand (which I hate, but she is a teenager and I get the need to fit in). And since I had hit the 30% off plus free shipping level thanks to the jeans and the sweats were on clearance, I figured what the heck and grabbed them to put away for Christmas.

Does anyone have ideas on what their buying for their "hard to buy for" parents? Especially fathers!

My Dad was a pain in the rear to buy for when he was still alive. But one of the best things I hit on in the later years was wireless headphones so he could watch TV without all the grandkids bothering him with their running around. I also did a wine of the month club.

My Mom has Alzheimer's and most things I buy her will be stuffed into some strange drawer the next day and forgotten forever, so usually I just give a picture of DD in a nice frame or something, or last year I did a throw blanket that had a good picture of all three grandkids on it. Otherwise I tend to get her food gifts, usually something sweet since I know she'll eat those There are some neat desert of the month clubs and such out there. But this year I think it will either be a new robe and slippers (although there is a risk she won't wear them because they are new and different so she won't remember they are there and will just continue to use her old ones), or maybe some new placemats since she insists on using them and is always searching for the ones she has now (because she's stuffed them into a strange drawer - see a pattern here?) I'm going to look for some unique placemats when we are in Hawaii next month.

 

[StitchBuddy]

Picked up some sweatpants and a sweatshirt for DD yesterday on Abercrombie. They had half off jeans, plus another 30% off if you spent enough, so they were a really good deal for DD for back to school - met my reasonable price demand and DDs desire for a more popular brand (which I hate, but she is a teenager and I get the need to fit in). And since I had hit the 30% off plus free shipping level thanks to the jeans and the sweats were on clearance, I figured what the heck and grabbed them to put away for Christmas.



My Dad was a pain in the rear to buy for when he was still alive. But one of the best things I hit on in the later years was wireless headphones so he could watch TV without all the grandkids bothering him with their running around. I also did a wine of the month club.

My Mom has Alzheimer's and most things I buy her will be stuffed into some strange drawer the next day and forgotten forever, so usually I just give a picture of DD in a nice frame or something, or last year I did a throw blanket that had a good picture of all three grandkids on it. Otherwise I tend to get her food gifts, usually something sweet since I know she'll eat those There are some neat desert of the month clubs and such out there. But this year I think it will either be a new robe and slippers (although there is a risk she won't wear them because they are new and different so she won't remember they are there and will just continue to use her old ones), or maybe some new placemats since she insists on using them and is always searching for the ones she has now (because she's stuffed them into a strange drawer - see a pattern here?) I'm going to look for some unique placemats when we are in Hawaii next month.

Bless you, I can only imagine how hard that must be for you. I had a great aunt with dementia, I remember her eating a piece of pie her last Thanksgiving with us. Then, turned to my mom and her sister and saying she would like a piece of pie. They began arguing with her that she had just had one. I just got up and got her another. It is hard to watch a loved one decline weather mentally or physically. I am really not sure which is worse.

 

[leahgoogle]

My Dad was a pain in the rear to buy for when he was still alive. But one of the best things I hit on in the later years was wireless headphones so he could watch TV without all the grandkids bothering him with their running around. I also did a wine of the month club.

Love the wireless headphone idea for my Dad! He is always quieting the grandkids down

 

[gracie1]

Picked up some sweatpants and a sweatshirt for DD yesterday on Abercrombie. They had half off jeans, plus another 30% off if you spent enough, so they were a really good deal for DD for back to school - met my reasonable price demand and DDs desire for a more popular brand (which I hate, but she is a teenager and I get the need to fit in). And since I had hit the 30% off plus free shipping level thanks to the jeans and the sweats were on clearance, I figured what the heck and grabbed them to put away for Christmas.



My Dad was a pain in the rear to buy for when he was still alive. But one of the best things I hit on in the later years was wireless headphones so he could watch TV without all the grandkids bothering him with their running around. I also did a wine of the month club.

My Mom has Alzheimer's and most things I buy her will be stuffed into some strange drawer the next day and forgotten forever, so usually I just give a picture of DD in a nice frame or something, or last year I did a throw blanket that had a good picture of all three grandkids on it. Otherwise I tend to get her food gifts, usually something sweet since I know she'll eat those There are some neat desert of the month clubs and such out there. But this year I think it will either be a new robe and slippers (although there is a risk she won't wear them because they are new and different so she won't remember they are there and will just continue to use her old ones), or maybe some new placemats since she insists on using them and is always searching for the ones she has now (because she's stuffed them into a strange drawer - see a pattern here?) I'm going to look for some unique placemats when we are in Hawaii next month.

Hmm.. Maybe I will look to see the different monthly clubs - he doesn't drink so the wine is out of the question. And anything that has to do with technology is out of the question. He does like fruit and loved some that I had purchased from Harry and David's so maybe I will look into that

 

[Dizlvr]

I bought my first official Christmas gift the other day, I used a coupon on Groupon to get Microsoft Live for $35.
I'm thinking of just doing stocking stuffers this year and instead of filling up under the tree, taking a trip.

 

[gracie1]

I bought my first official Christmas gift the other day, I used a coupon on Groupon to get Microsoft Live for $35.
I'm thinking of just doing stocking stuffers this year and instead of filling up under the tree, taking a trip.

This is what I say every year but end up buying gifts. Since I took a change in jobs last year and cut in pay I don't see trips in the near future - at least for a few years. But it was worth changing jobs and giving up trips!!

 

[gracie1]

Macy's is having a big sale today! 20% off and no minimum free shipping.