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ANYONE ELSE CUTTING BACK THIS CHRISTMAS??

Hi Girls

Just wondered what everyone is planning on doing this Chrsitmas. I am due in Feb and money is sooooo tight! Usually we love Christmas and spend lots on presents and I love giving them to family but this year I feel so upset by the fact that my husband has said we need to tell everyone that we wont be giving any presents this year as we have to buy things for the baby which could really arrive anytime after Chrsitmas and that, that is more important. He has said to tell relatives not to buy us presents, but I know they will as we are a very giving family and I will feel so bad giving nothing back to them! Sorry to rant I just wondered if anyone else is in the same boat this year? I know it makes sense as we cant afford to spend money on others this year. Any advice???
xxxxxxx

[Modified by: guineapig on 23 October 2008 09:10:36 ]

Replies

  • Yes we are cutting back this xmas. My family are also very giving and it does make you feel guilty but we just do not have the money to return the gifts. We have agreed as a family that we will exchange no adult presents, but we will still buy for the children. I know that my sil will still buy us a small pressie "from the kids" as we will be buying her children presents.
    I know its hard but you will need every penny for your lo xxxx
  • Hiya

    Im in same boat, im due Jan and sooo skint with baby coming. My hubby has said the same, that were not buying anyone anything, but its really hard to do that image
    We are also a very giving family, my mum and dad always buy us so much, the livingroom is always full. But we do really need to cut back, hubby's mum is cuttin back too and also my mum and dad are moving house next week, so they are a bit tight for cash too, so hopefully every1 will just buy little things each.
    It's hard as you dont get much for a tenner anymore, but ive set that as a budget for every1 and plan on just getting little bits and wrapping them all individually and putting them in a nice gift bag, so it looks like more lol. My mum does Avon, so for the past 2 months, ive been buying little products-ie- body spray, make up bits etc and going to give them out, and ill prob just get pants, socks, gloves, jammies etc for people. I might go to Primark, and get more for my money.
    I love buying gifts for people, and a bit sad we cant do it as big this year but as hubby says, our baby will nearly one next year so we will have a BIG XMAS! next year, woohoo!
    Dont worry, im sure your family will understand hun x

    Sharon xx
    http://bd.lilypie.com/qxznp1/.png

  • Im sure both family's will understand...as your husband says the baby has to come first...there are lots of things to buy for your baby...which works out expensive when you add everything up.

    This christmas we are just giving for neices & nephews...we have told the adults we cant afford pressies for them.....me & my husband have decided that we both dont want to be trapsing round the shops joining long que's & getting stressed out because we dont know what to buy them...its a bit of a cop out...but the kids are getting money in a card...they get lots of pressies...this way thay can get more for thier money in the sales & actually get what they want.

    I have told hubbie that i dont want anything for christmas...he says the same. I would rather our baby has everything it needs.

    little missie x
    21 wks
  • My baby is due in seven days so for christmas we've wrapped up its bouncing chair, play gym and some other bits and bobs. My nana and grandad are getting us a high chair and my mum and dad are getting us some toys and cothes for baby. As for presents for others i've been saving all my spare change for a while i've got about two hundred pounds, thats to help buy xmas food etc and presents. I've also been looking for bargains and going to the sales for presents. xxx
  • We are also cutting back this year - think everyone is in the same boat.
    Last year we decided to buy for children only but my grown up daughters and I still bought each other, so then we bought for my sis and mam, who had stuck to the rules and were a bit embarrassed. But last year was still buying for the in-laws and couldn't buy for them and not my own parents. This year we all agreed in the summer to only buy for the children - I have 7 grandchildren + nieces. (We also have loads of family birthdays in Oct, Nov and Dec). My grown up son is the only adult I am meant to be buying for as he has no children, but I think i will still get my daughters something tiny. My hubby and I will have our baby by Xmas so I know all the in-laws are just buying for her this year. I bought most of the childrens pressies in the sales in the summer and they are already wrapped in the loft. I am a terrible shopaholic and as money is so tight (I am the main earner and although I usually complain about not getting paid enough it is a lot to lose while on maternity leave) we have to be careful. I have tried avoiding shops cos each time I go I end up with an extra Xmas pressie for our baby - I know I have to stop as I have spent too much already and she won't know anything about it this year. I want to buy my hubby a little something but he keeps saying there is nothing he wants or needs. Good job one of us is sensible with money!!

    Alison 39+3


  • yep me and my oh are cutting back too. We are buying for kids only this year, and ppl are just getting us baby stuff- I think with the current climate everyone is cutting back as ppl will be worried about paying for things with credit cards etc.

    I'm still really looking forward to christmas though, even though its going to be a bit tight

    http://women.evenhealth.com/image/c/p921567.png


  • i'm quite lucky that everyone i'd hav intended to buy a gift for is in the same boat! so we've decided to do a secret santa, everyone gets a gift, but you only buy one, and we've put a price limit of ??10! the children will all obviously get what we can afford to buy them, but i started early this yr to give myself a bit of extra time to prepare. maybe the secret santa is something you could all try, u get to give without the guilt of spending too much!!!
  • We dont do Xmas prezzies in my family anymore except for the kiddies and me and hubby bought each other small prezzies as none of us are particularly flush with the cash ! This year we're even more skint due to the credit crunch so although we'll still get for the kiddies me and hubby arent buying for each other; besides i'm just so happy that hubby is home for Xmas day this year that that is enough of a prezzie for me !
  • Wow what a response! I am so glad that I am not the only one feeling tight this year and I know deep down that my husband is right and we just dont have the money. I like the secret santa idea alot! May have to suggest that one and then that way we only end up buying one gift each!
    xxxx
  • Yeah we have to cut back this year aswell as its Tegans first proper christmas as she was only 8 weeks old last year and we are expecting our next one in april, so have to be a bit tighter. ive got 10 neices and nephews to buy for who will get a ??10 voucher each, if ive got the money that is. ive already bought my friends childrens present, so ive got my parents and oh parents & sister to buy for and thats it. ive still got to get oh's present too.
    for the grandparents and great grandparents we plan to do something similiar to what sb is doing, home made gifts and tegan will help make them, along with a photo of her helping, which they will love more than something bought.

    xx
  • we are cutting down this year i have 15 people to buy for and thats not including oh and my daughter i am due on the 5th of jan and have soooo much stuff left to buy so i am afraid its little things all round!! my dad and is girlfriend are snobs and always turn their noses up if we dont get them a good presant but its tough this year no more designer sox for you 2!!!! lol
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