Holiday Shopping
Posted by Gail | Filed under Smart Shopper
As we round the corner into December, holiday shopping is ramping up and we’re all under the gun to balance a dismal year with a cheerful holiday season. Rumour has it that people are planning to spend less. Shopkeepers have reduced their expectations and are offering incentives like free shipping for online shopping and “gift with purchase” or “save on your next purchase” as a way to keep you coming into stores.
Did you learned your lesson last year and decide to set aside some money every month so you wouldn’t end up putting your holiday on credit? Did you plan ahead, particularly for big purchases, and take advantage of the stuff that went on sale well ahead of the Christmas rush? Good for you.
Before you head out the door, make a list. Even if you’re just running out for eggnog or wrapping paper, without a list you’ll fall victim to a whole bunch of “Geeze, I forgot I also need…” and bring back a receipt you’ll kick yourself for later. Making a list also helps you plan how you’ll use those coupons you’ve been collecting.
Speaking of coupons, they are a terrific way to save money as long as you’re not “saving money” by spending on things you don’t really need. I’ve worked with more that a few people who dug themselves into Debt Hell with all their “savings.” Oy! If you’re a smart coupon shopper you probably check online to see if there are any new offers before you hit the malls. But have you ever thought about setting up a “sale mail” email account for when all those stores ask you for your email so you can get the coupons, but not be inundated with junk in your regular email?
As you grab your keys, grab a sandwich and a drink too. If you’re going to be out shopping for a while, pack a healthy snack and some water. Hunger and thirst have a way of muddling your thinking. Keep your energy up so your brain (and self control) can work properly.
If while you’re out you see something that you want to add to your list, do so, but make sure you wait at least 48 hours before you go back and buy. Impulse shopping is at its peak during the Holiday Rush and it can be a budget killer. Go home, check online for where else the item may be on sale, and make sure you’re making a thoughtful – not a reactive – decision.
Resist the urge to open up all those store credit cards you’ll be offered. It’s tempting to get that 10% or 20% off your purchase for the day, I know, but think for a minute: stores must be making a lot of money on interest and late fees in order to offer you that special deal. And if you’re the sucker who ends up carrying a balance, you’ll spend far more in interest than you saved on purchases. And, yes, opening and closing store cards can mess with your credit score.
Skip the extended warranties. Most are a huge rip off, so if you’re even considering it, calculate the cost as a percentage of the item you are buying. Remember, manufacturers’ warranties protect you, usually for up to a year, against any defect. And if you shop with the right credit card your warranty can be extended to up to two years. Of the dozens and dozens of extended warranties I’ve been offered in my shopping life, there’s only one that I would have made money on!
If you can’t find the perfect gift for someone on your list, consider a gift of cash. While gift cards may be more “holiday friendly” I only choose gift cards over cash when I want to be sure the body buys something I intended, as oppose to just incorporating the money into the cash flow for household bills. Yes, there are still selfless people who don’t want to spend a cent on themselves.
And my big tip of the day: get moving. The holidays will be here in no time flat… do you see how fast 2009 evaporated? … and if you don’t get moving you’ll be running around like a chicken with your head cut off. That’ll lead to desperation, bad decisions and overspending. The way to make the season go smoothly is to have a plan and stick to it.
Don’t forget to check out my previous holiday shopping hints and the holiday spending plan worksheet.
Happy shopping.
December 2, 2009 at 7:45 am
I first heard of Gail about this time last year. I’ve been on her system since and for the first time in my entire life, I’m doing my Xmas shopping this year in a happy, happy mood because I’ve already saved enough by putting some away each week through the year to buy great gifts for everyone I want to without dreading the bills that will show up in January. Thanks so much Gail for pointing out what I realized in the end was just common sense, but where money is concerned, most of us just don’t have much common sense.
December 2, 2009 at 7:50 am
Bang on with the Christmas advice…the planned spending for the holidays is something I try to help my clients incorporate into their budgets…you’d be amazed at how many people are still surprised that Christmas has arrived yet again and they find themselves with no shopping money!…
For my own budget friendly shopping this holiday season I decided to go with consumable gifts only (friendly on the enviroment) gift cards, food, drink etc…so I ordered almost 800.00 in gift cards through my airmiles…not a penny in cost to me…yahoo!!! I only need cash for 2 items…and of course I have that cash saved up…no Christmas debt for me in the New Year…Happy New Year!!!!!!!!
December 2, 2009 at 7:52 am
My Wife and I are finished our Christmas shopping. She and I are making all the gifts we are giving people and we just have some final assembly to do before we are finished and can start the long process of getting this stuff to the people are planning to give them too. We budgetted for Christmas and we came in well under budget by making these gifts. I think we will donate the rest or do something useful and thoughtful with the money.
That was some great advice on holiday shopping Gail.
Regards,
Jason
December 2, 2009 at 8:27 am
Most of my shopping is done. I decided to make a lot of things this year:
- baking will be done on the 23rd
- calendars are done (complete with all family birthdays and anniversaries were made online (for extended family, and my parents) – I’m just waiting for them to be printed and bound (or whatever they do) so I can go pick them up next week
- a photo book was made for my mom (I had a coupon for this, so I only paid for shipping, and got it two weeks ago!)
- My mom (well, dad agreed too) and I also decided to get a theatre subscription for each other (most expensive gift on my list!), but we’re getting to see 6 shows, and it’s both birthday and Christmas gifts for each other (and completely waste-free!)
- I still have to pick up three gifts (gift card, wine, and a belt), but of those, I only need to go into a mall once, and I’ve already priced the belt, so I know I’m going tomorrow before the sale ends.
- If I need any extra supplies for baking, I’m planning on using the credit card points I’ve accumulated to buy them, but I should have everything.
My plan for Christmas shopping was to reduce my “bonus” payment against my student loan. It turns out we get paid three times in December (I was expecting it in January, since we get paid on Fridays, but with the 1st as a holiday, we get paid on the 31st), but that “bonus” pay is already set aside to be divided between savings and the loan payment I reduced this month.
I’m more than happy that I don’t have to completely take away from my bonus payment, and that I don’t have to fight with people in malls. I suppose I’m not much of a shopper!
December 2, 2009 at 9:03 am
I always put aside money during the year for Christmas, and plan what we’re going to be getting everyone, and somehow every year, after Thanksgiving, we end up getting some kind of lump sum payment – either a bonus (not this year), back pay because of union negotiations, or a refund on property tax (this year – bought a house that we can afford and over paid on the property tax). So we use the bonus money to put an extra payment on my student loans (which is a fantastic gift for our budget), and still use our saved money for Christmas. We’ve also cut down on the amount of gifts that we’ll be getting this year. I normally shop before the holidays, get everything done, and then end up getting a “few” extra things. This year, as I shop, I’m wrapping my presents and marking them off my list; that list comes with me when I do any kind of shopping and if something catches my eye for someone, I check my list – if their present is already bought, I mark the idea next to their name and it’s an idea for their birthday (or the next reason to buy a gift). So my Christmas present account is in much better shape than it has been, I’m happy with all of my purchases, and my tree won’t look like Santa’s shop exploded on Christmas morning.
Merry Christmas everyone – may this Christmas season find you happy, healthy, and surrounded by those who love you.
December 2, 2009 at 9:18 am
I am so happy to be unphased by the hoopla. With a baby on the way, everyone is getting cookies, cards and hugs! (The cards were purchased after the holiday last year, the hugs are free and yes, I have $100 for the cookies ingredients and stamps!)
December 2, 2009 at 9:33 am
We set aside money each month over the past year for christmas shopping. I also by stuff throughout the year though. If I see something I know someone on my list will love at a great price I buy it and keep it until christmas or thier bday, whatever comes first. If it’s a xmas gift I just deduct the cost from that months christmas money before transferring it into another account. So far this has worked great. It is a nice feeling to buy the gifts for the people on my list and not worry about where this money is coming from, or what we will have to give up to have it since it is already there =)
I too have a “junk” email account for anything I sign up for and dont wont sent to my real e-mail.
December 2, 2009 at 9:33 am
Having been “Gail’vanized this time last year, I wanted to be forward thinking for NEXT year’s Christmas. I set aside money each month until June and I have to admit it is a very out of body experience to be able to Christmas shop knowing I already have the money to pay for it, just sitting there….right there…in that savings account. I have a list. I have a running tally so I don’t forget what I have bought and I have an almost complete list of what is left to buy. It is a fantastic feeling. Thanks Gail!
December 2, 2009 at 9:34 am
I keep lots of lists, and during the year, write down ideas for people as I go, so come Christmas, I have lots of ideas for people. My husband’s pay after August is clear of CPP and EI payments, so that extra money gets divided up to savings, and Christmas spending. Nice to be able to have money set aside already. My groceries for Christmas dinner and baking will be paid for from points collected during the year. With my husband’s family, we choose a name from a hat, and only buy gifts for that one person ($40 limit), so that really helps in reducing the amount of money spent.
For those wanting to save money and find good deals, go to smartcanucks.ca This website lists great deals, coupons, freebies, etc. for everything. This site also posts lists of items on sale from flyers and what coupons to use with said items to get really great deals. I love websites like this!
Enjoy Christmas this year, everyone! Thanks Gail for another great blog!
December 2, 2009 at 9:43 am
I am pleased to say that we are done our Christmas shopping and it was all paid in cash – as we live far away from all family everything needs to be mailed and because we were early we don’t have to pay for rushed shipping. Most people got gift cards because I hate to pay more postage than the gift inside is worth!
My husband and I never buy each other everything, when we first got together I worked retail management so by the time Christmas came we had forgotten what each other looked like and I was exhausted! So we bought some fancy frozen munchies that we normally wouldn’t try, lovely cheeses and fruits, and rented 4 videos that we thought would be good – and spent the whole day in bed watching movies and eating. We made the phone calls early and just enjoyed each other. We enjoyed it so much that it is our tradition now.
December 2, 2009 at 9:51 am
We are almost finished shopping and will most likely to be done by the end of this weekend. Very happy and proud to say that we have put only 1 gift on the credit card. That gift was purchased 2 months ago (it was an OWL magazine subscription, for my son, that we purchased through a friend’s child’s school fundraiser) and it’s already paid off. Everything else has been cash for the first time in years!
We are also big list fans here…there’s a list for everything. We are saving on gifts for teachers by baking for them, with the kids help. This will go a long way as we have 4 teachers and a TA to purchase a gift for. We also cashed our airmiles for grocery dollars at Metro…our Christmas baking and brunch is completely paid for!
It feels very good not to add to the debt that we’re plugging away at reducing.
Merry Christmas everyone!!
December 2, 2009 at 9:54 am
This will be the LAST year that I scramble for Christmas shopping money!!! In the past I rarely got into credit card messes with Christmas shopping, but I never had the money in hand early in the Christmas season. This year is really no different since I only started on Gail’s budget in August and had a lot of tweaking to do – forgot about Christmas expenses till I was making the November budget, however…. I’ve been a good little girl and got my 4 yr old daughter a “new to us” scooter for FREE. And to even beat that, I got my 7 yr old daughter a “new” pair of roller blades for … you guessed it… FREE. Two big gifts and I didn’t pay a penny thanks to some friends who were ready to unload their outgrown stuff. In all, I will have spent just over $400 for all 4 of our kids. I’m really happy with that! And, my Christmas shopping is almost completely done which is amazing all on its own! Now, to get the Christmas cards sent out…. that’s a work in progress.
December 2, 2009 at 10:08 am
I too have been saving each week for Christmas, but instead of getting the shopping done early (as I tend to forget what I have already bought if I start too early and then I overspend!) I’m taking a few vacation days that I didn’t use in the summer and will go out the few days before Christmas with my list. I find stores start to mark things down just before Christmas in a last ditch attempt at recording high pre-Christmas sales figures. It’s kind of an adrenaline rush to be with the crowds and it really puts me in the Christmas spirit to do it all that week. That way I can devote the early weeks of December to baking, cleaning the house and candy making.
December 2, 2009 at 10:12 am
I started saving for Christmas in Sept this year, for 2010 the gift budget (all occasions) is built in for the entire year. I have only a few things to pick up for hubby, but other than that I am done, and paid completely in cash, it is a great feeling. I always shopped early because if I don’t have the money in Sept/Oct what makes me think I will have it all in Dec? It has always bothered me when people trash talk Christmas (I love Christmas) and the stress, the commercialization, on and on. Christmas is only as stressful and expensive as you let it be..and before anyone jumps on me..I used to work retail over Christmas and I still loved Christmas. Make a plan and stick to it. Once people get over a certain age and have everything they want and are difficult to buy for, choose a charity they like and donate to it. For my sisters this year, I donated a mango tree, bunnies and honey making kits for families in Africa. I know both them and their kids will appreciate that. So please think ahead, budget and enjoy the season for what it was meant to be and don’t get all caught up in the other side which is spend spend spend. Reduce your gift giving list..there is no need to buy for every person you know. Immediate family and perhaps a close friend. Teachers, extended family, etc etc…time to cut the list. It is more wallet friendly and takes a load of stress off from trying to buy another trinket for someone that will likley get tons of “stuff” for which they have no desire or need for.
Merry Christmas everyone and may it be credit card free!!!
December 2, 2009 at 10:35 am
What would I do without my lists? Hubby teases me, but hey, it keeps on schedule and on budget, especialy this time of year. I finished making all the gifts this week, and just have a couple more little things to get-hopefully this weekend. Thankfully, most of my family has agreed not to exchange gifts-we do little stocking stuff for fun, but it’s useful little things (like coffee gift cards, hand cream, note pads, little treats, etc.) that I pick up throughout the year when I see stuff on sale. It really is nice to just enjoy shopping for the few little nieces/nephews and then spend time together rather than everyone stressing about buying, wrapping, etc.
December 2, 2009 at 10:41 am
I gave up on the buying of stuff a few years ago and switched to baking. I put whatever I’ve made in a container from the dollar store so people can either keep it and reuse it or toss it and then no one needs to worry about washing and returning containers.
December 2, 2009 at 10:52 am
I’m doing way more online shopping for gifts this year, and so far, so good. I’m far less likely to impulse buy online, and no trips to the food court either! Thanks to 9 months of following (a modified version of) Gail’s method, we have cash for gifts. When I charge something online, I move the money over to my credit card immediately.
I’m especially happy with my early start on things – I’ve vowed to have no last-minute panic this year!
December 2, 2009 at 10:59 am
[...] Original post: Holiday Shopping « gailvazoxlade.com [...]
December 2, 2009 at 11:04 am
Better yet – why not try to convince your friends and family to let go of consumeritis, and just spend some quality time together instead? Over the past few years I’ve slowly whittled down my shopping list because we have ALL realized that none of us needed any more stuff, and this year I’m finding that my stress levels are pretty low!
Baking sounds like a fantastic idea.
December 2, 2009 at 11:09 am
As usual- we went slightly overboard with Christmas- ( both kids’ birthdays and Christmas in one week) BUT- we did pay cash for everything and I’m done my shopping- Almost everything was bought on sale and the type of presents have changes dramatically from last year. We tried REALLY hard to avoid toys that sit around a lot e.g. stuffed animals, and tried to stick with creative supplies, games etc… They still have a small(er) mountain but I’m hoping it’s a been well-thought out. Honestly- it’s the one time a year we have a”spend with abandon” day but I’m sure our abandon is someone else’s being modest- so I just enjoy.
December 2, 2009 at 11:42 am
I went a little crazy with trying to be organized for the holidays this year. I created a Christmas Spending envelope where I keep all of my holiday spending money, and store all of my receipts for everything I bought (in case of returns!) I track every penny that I’ve spent on Christmas this year from Christmas cards and stamps, to wrapping paper, to actual presents…even if they were just from the dollar store! I made an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of who I need to buy for, and any gift ideas I have for them, with spending limits. Definitely overwhelming to track it all, but it also brought down my stress levels SO much just knowing what I needed to accomplish, and how much money I had to accomplish it all! Now, when Christmas comes next year, I’ll have a good idea of how much I need to putting away to make that magic happen, a little more stress-free than years prior!
December 2, 2009 at 11:59 am
Agree with being anti-extended warranty. My one usual exception is the PITA factor (pain in the ___ factor). For instance, I bought the in-home service extended warranty on my washing machine and dryer, since (a) it was less than 10% of the total cost, my usual threshold for considering it (b) hauling it into a service centre is a huge PITA and (c) getting a repair guy out to just look at it will cost me $75 per visit. 1.5 years later, dryer broken down (burnt wire) and repair guy took 2 visits and a half day to fix it. Worked well since – cross fingers!
December 2, 2009 at 12:12 pm
People at work were talking a month or so back about Christmas shopping, and I mentioned that mine was done, wrapped, listed and in a box, and had been since January, 2009! You should have seen the looks I got, then one manager piped up “Why am I not surprised??’ I just smiled and said ‘thank you’, as I reminisced about the Superstore shopping trip that instigated this miracle. 44 cents, yep, most of EVERYTHING I bought was marked down to 44 cents! This includes Star Wars Collector Action Figures, Model car kits, two storey car wash and monster houses, gorgeous candles, holders, divided serving dishes, and four gold brocade tablecloths, measuring 5 Ft x 7 ft. You can’t buy fabric that cheap!! The brothers/grown nephews will have their fleece scarf/hat/gloves sets monogrammed with their initials, at a cost of 94 cents and my time. I organized my family into another work project for my widowed mother, and we re-roofed her house so rain would not cause more damage to the gyproc, etc. Some of the family also painted the exterior of her house. Mom will get a very nice card to top it off. My two granddaughters will be getting handmade dolls or teddy bears, whatever catches my eye in my personal store. Next year, I will only be buying/making for the great nieces and nephews. It is time to cut back, and truthfully, spending time together playing cards, cooking and eating are much more satisfying than trying to act happy about yet another ugly shirt that you will never wear!! It seems like Christmas stockings are more fun, in our family, than actual presents, but even at the Dollar stores, and with a family that numbers in the 20’s, that is a lot of dollars! Then we have the Christmas birthdays: 2 of my three sons are Xmas babies, my brother and his son, two nieces, a nephew, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, an uncle and one of his sons, a couple wedding anniversaries – you get the picture. I guess it comes down to where does one draw the line? But, in true Gail fashion, deciding in advance how much one is willing to spend, and saving that amount, in advance, makes so much sense that we should all be doing it that way, I know I am – it’s just good common cents! Great idea with the Christmas baking too – we also make Gingerbread houses, which in itself could be considered a present…
December 2, 2009 at 12:32 pm
I have a generous amount set aside for gifts each month – this includes birthday gifts (and parties for the kids) and Christmas. Most of my family members have birthdays in the first half of the year, so I don’t really start saving for Christmas until July. Then I start buying 2 or 3 gifts a month (often online with free shipping)…this year I finished my shopping on Nov 30! I find this way less stressful than hitting the crowded malls in December…all I have to do come Christmas time is wrap everything and relax!
December 2, 2009 at 1:05 pm
For Christmas this year, my family and I are doing the same thing we did last year: baking everyone’s Christmas presents. My husband and I do a lot of cooking and baking, so we can make a variety of cookies, cakes and pies to freeze and send to relatives. We factor the money into our grocery budget, so the only things we have to pay for are shipping, cards, and cute containers ($0.50 – $1.00 a piece at Michael’s) for the food.
The only thing I disagree with on the post is the extended warranty. If you’re buying a laptop, make sure you get the 3 year extended warranty, because the average lifespan of a laptop is 2 – 2.5 years, at which point the cord starts to break, the case has cracks, the DVD drive can fail, and your battery starts to lose life. If an extended warranty for a laptop is only $300, you can pretty much guarantee that it will pay for itself during the laptop’s life. I’ve bought two laptops from future shop (one a PC, and one a Mac) and I’ve used the warranty both times. The first laptop I bought was a non-name brand that had issues, but under the warranty policy I just received a new laptop if they couldn’t fix the old one (which happened twice). The second time with my Mac, the keyboard started having issues, and they essentially refurbished my entire Macbook, which would have cost substantially more than the $300 I paid two and a half years ago.
December 2, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Since I went a little overboard last year, I told my family that Christmas gifts should only be for children. I am buying my nephew and niece a small gift along with a cheque for their education fund. I do the same thing every year for Christmas for them and also for their birthdays. As for my parents and in-laws, instead of buying them something they will never use, we are taking them out to a nice dinner and spending some time with them.
December 2, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Move fast is right! Normally we do our shopping in September or October but this year we did our shopping in early November and the stores were already empty! I thought it was our fault but apparently it wasn’t all our fault. We live in the Yukon and the one thing we learned the first year we lived here is that if you see something that you like or want or need then you must grab it and buy it immediately other wise you will never see it again. Also you must shop early. It is not that we don’t get the stock but we only get the stock once and when it is on the shelves it flies. This is the major center so the whole territory and south eastern Alaska shops here. The day Walmart opened they were bringing in shoppers on tour buses and the Hubster was the only person working in his whole department since everyone else took vacation days or was mysteriously sick.
I spoke to the managers at our three box stores about the empty shelves and they both said that this year they actually did not have the wild discretion to order stock that they had had in previous years. Another result of the world financial situation. They want to sell and make money but don’t want to get stuck with stock. I spoke to my sister (Ottawa) and best friend (Victoria) about this and they both said that they noticed that there was a lot less out there as well. I trust both of them as both could win gold if shopping was an Olympic event. My sister can’t remember her own phone number but can tell you comparative prices for just about anything.
We have been budgeting for gifts for 5 years now and that has made Christmas and birthdays a real pleasure – instead of a real pressure cooker – but we don’t spend and spoil like we used to. A lot of that was for our ego. Another thing changed by living the Gail way. We ask our friends and family not to gift us but to give to their favorite charity instead and the only people who get gifts from us now are the kids. And a lot of them get gift certificates or cheques as it was made pretty clear to us that they think we are too old fashioned and out of it for words.
The Hubster and I don’t buy for each other as we pretty much have everything we need and buy what we don’t have but need all year round. Instead we use the money we would have spent on each other to buy toys for the Christmas toy drive. I can honestly say that buying the Barbie House this year was more thrilling than receiving any Christmas present I have received over the past 30 years. Don’t get me wrong I have received some lovely gifts but buying these toys and thinking about the kids receiving the toys is as close to that feeling of childish Christmas joy that I have been able to get to since I was a child. No more bah humbug for me.
December 2, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Thanks for the reminder to get moving. I’ll admit it, I’m sort of dragging my heels on this one.
December 2, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Hubby and I are both taking a vacation day tomorrow and heading out to the mall to start and finish our kids’ lists. We’ve always had a budget for them, but this year we are spending CASH ONLY. It feels so good to know that we have the money for Christmas in our ING account and there will be no giant credit card bills in January. A first for us and a tradition that we will continue.
December 2, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Wow, I really wish I was as organized as you all. I only have one gift purhcased.
I am just really not looking forward to going out and into the madness of the stores. We do have the cash thankfully to buy the presents but I forgot to budget for food and alcohol. This is our first Christmas hosting so I have asked everyone to bring one dish. That way it won’t be too stressful or too expensive. My fiance and I sometimes don’t get each other presents. Last year we didn’t because we had just bought our house but this year we are going to buy each other a somewhat practical gifts. My cellphone stopped working so thats what I will be asking for and he is asking for new watch since his was stolen.
My 5 yr old nephew (the only child in the family so far) gets absolutely spoiled every year. By the end of Christmas morning he is completely overwhelmed, cranky and is miserable for the rest of the day. So I pleaded with the family to be more realistic and only get him a couple presents and then all the cousins, aunt, uncles, etc that buy for him can buy clothes or outerwear since his mom is a broke unversity student and would probably appreciate that more. I am hoping it works out this way, we will see.
Happy Holidays!
December 2, 2009 at 1:54 pm
I have a big family – I start Christmas shopping during the Boxing Week sales the year before. By the time Dec 1 rolls around, I’ve already beat the Christmas rush. In fact, I just put two boxes of gifts on the bus to Calgary this morning and I’ll have another load headed for northern BC as soon as I finish wrapping.
For friends in the same city as me, I bake gifts or give homemade jams.
Works for me. I hate being in the malls in December.
December 2, 2009 at 2:36 pm
I’m sensing a theme here! Wow! Everyone has learned from Gail to save through the year for Christmas. Count me in your numbers! I have two more gifts to buy this weekend (money in account) and then special groceries (money also in account). My licorice candy is made as are my strawberries and oranges. Two of the 6 gumdrop cakes will be made on Friday. Just have to make and decorate a chocolate house for the staff at my mother-in-law’s nursing home for the 19th.
I learned a very valuable lesson in 1969 re: purchases. Mom and I were in an antique shop. I saw a plain gold band with the date 1869 engraved inside. It was $20.00. I wanted it very badly as I was getting married that year and as I love antiques, I thought it was perfect for me. However, money was very tight. Hubby-to-be was still in university. So, I thought I should talk to him first – we hadn’t decided on our bands yet. Of course, he said ‘you should have bought it’. I went back the next day and it was gone. Since then, if I ever see anything that would be perfect for someone, or something that I had been looking for myself, I don’t even hesitate. I buy it (if I have the $$$$!)
I have spoken with half of our family on my side of the house over the last week and starting next Christmas we will only buy for the children (5 under 4 yrs.). I just enjoy everyone arriving for a visit – many of them I only see that one time a year because of distance.
December 2, 2009 at 2:39 pm
While I am all about watching what I spend especially on Christmas as we have divorces and remarriages abound so our list is LONG.. I have to say that sometimes you can take the “saving” bug a little to far.. I say that because I have a mother in law who loves a bargain.. and she is one of those people who will buy it simply because it is a bargain… year after year we get gifts that we don’t need/want/like but she bought because it was a bargain and she had to give it to someone… . I try not to look a gift horse in the mouth but I think sometimes we get so caught up in the dollar value and whether it fits in our budget that we don’t actually think about whether it is a gift the recipent actually wants or needs. I would rather get a paperback novel that cost $10 or a copy of my favourite magazine than another expensive gift that sits and collects dust…
December 2, 2009 at 3:14 pm
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December 2, 2009 at 3:29 pm
I love the creativity that goes into this time of year. I’ve completed almost all of my Christmas stuff – family is being given a great experience – 5 days worth in fact! Sister has a lovely present that I think she’ll really enjoy. Neice, books all the way. In-laws, constantly complain about having no money so this year they are getting edibles only. I have to find something for my best friend and her husband – who have so kindly opened their home to me during my coarse and feed me that evening too – I’ll be splitting their gift between edible and an experience. That only leaves my wonderful man. Since we have an apartment together now and don’t really need much in terms of items, he is a little tricky. I want to give him something he’s always wanted and will love and be meaningful, I’m just not sure what that is yet – experience, physical item, homemade treats galore…this is the first time I’ve been stuck for ideas. Usually he’s the easiest to find ideas for just not this year.
I think this stems from contentment. I’m totally content now that I have my own place, my own space, and the time with my true love.
December 2, 2009 at 4:31 pm
I love that, Jolie, ““Gail’vanized”!
December 2, 2009 at 4:43 pm
For those who might want an online advantage while shopping, try websites like http://www.retailmenot.com/ (I got an extra 5% off my flights round trip to Toronto from Vancouver) and http://www.keycode.com/ for promotional codes you can use at many online sellers (US and Canadian). They work hard to look up codes so you don’t have to. You can see what’s available and try them out as you shop. They don’t always work, but you can see on RetailMeNot’s website which ones have been effective for people. Good luck with the savings!
December 2, 2009 at 5:12 pm
How are we, two university students, making through the holiday season?
First off, we’re avoiding the trap that most couples fall into: the “the more you spend, the more you care” trap. We’ve decided that right now time is the most precious thing to us, so we’ve made this a handmade Christmas, much to the surprise of everyone we know. No more than $20 allowed, to be spent on materials only. My fiance will be receiving a series of comic book inspired paintings by yours truly (I’m not that artistic, but he asked for it!) and I will be receiving a refurbished 1930s record player that he is currently working on.
For friends and family, I’m crocheting up a storm. 9 scarves down now, and I’m in the middle of a barrage of sushi-shaped ornaments to be packed in tiny Chinese take-away cartons and distributed.
We’re buying a few presents, but they tend to be in the $15-$20 range, and they’re for the kids, mostly.
Some might look at us and call us cheap, but I’d say the look on people’s faces as they pull out a beautiful hand-made scarf is better than any gift! People know we’re poor as church mice, so they appreciate the effort we put into things.
December 2, 2009 at 5:21 pm
I too buy a lot of cards and gifts right after Christmas, and keep everything on one closet shelf, so I can have a look if I forget what is there. While I am happy to hear that some people enjoy the Christmas shopping crowds, keeping out of stores as much as possible in December is my own treat to myself…
December 2, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Great advice, though I’m catching it late for this Christmas. I’ll add these to my New Year’s resolutions;-).
December 2, 2009 at 7:38 pm
Lots of great ideas everyone!
I am a junior high teacher and over the past few years I have requested that students not bring me gifts for Christmas. I explain to them that I have been teaching for a very looong time and have received many lovely things – I really have everything I need. Also, I discuss the environmental impact of gift giving and the fact that their parents already have more than ENOUGH people to buy for. I don’t mention this to the students, but I think it also makes those kids whose parents can’t afford to or don’t want to give a gift feel less out of place when almost everyone else shows up with something. So, instead of giving to me we plan a Christmas class project for a special cause which they get to choose. Last year it was making dog biscuits for the SPCA and this year they will be selling popcorn one recess time to buy something for a family in a developing country. Naturally I had to buy the biscuit supplies and will have to buy the popcorn! I have felt such a sense of lightness over the past few years knowing that my students got to do something meaningful and that on the last day I didn’t have to find a way to carry home several large boxes of “stuff”.
I wish a healthy and peaceful Christmas to everyone. Count your blessings first and then your money!
December 2, 2009 at 8:20 pm
My personal fiscal year ends on the first Saturday in December with the big adding-up of the old year’s cash flow. Sunday after that, spending plans for Christmas and for the upcoming year are made. Christmas always gets the year’s leftovers. I suspect there won’t be much left over this year — I bought new furniture and didn’t get overtime paid out. So there’s a lot of overtime to be spent in December, a lot of cookies to bake, some preserves to make, and maybe some music to write.
Food, drink and music have the added advantage that they do not add to anyone’s clutter.
I’m awfully unorganised when I do things too long before their due date (when I travel, I pack my bags one hour before I have to leave, otherwise I’d forget half of the things I need), so, like Judy, I have set “shopping day” to “last minute”, when I’ll know exactly what, where, and for how much.
December 2, 2009 at 9:42 pm
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December 3, 2009 at 1:32 am
Suzanne…LOVE the 44 cent bin at Superstore. It’s the best place to shop. I found desk clocks after Christmas a couple of years ago and bought all of them. I went to another store because I was one short for my gift giving needs and realized that they had been priced wrong. The store manager said “obviously the manager at the store you got them at doesn’t want to count stock in January”!
We do family gifts to each family instead of individual presents or pulling names. I hated the name pulling thing – limits were always too high and out of our budget and you always felt inadequate if you spent less than the limit.
The family gifts always have a theme – last year it was all around tea only because I found an awesome deal on tea pots after the holidays for almost 90% off. The baskets cost just under $8 each and at 14 families that is plenty! This year the theme is baking and it is costing less than $4 each. I got a super deal on a baking set on Boxing Day last year. I am adding a mini loaf pan I got at Michael’s for 10 cents and I am making a small recipe book of 10 recipes that we like to make around the holidays. I also went a little over board in the after holiday sales frenzy the last couple of years, (but it was only 10 cents or 44 cents or 89 cents!!) so when I made my list of gifts, I realized I had everything I needed stored in my basement! No malls, no stores no nothing! Just have to wrap everything.
Gift giving funds were used to purchase toques, mitts and canned goods to give to a local homeless shelter. That felt better than any present that I have ever received!
Wishing everyone a debt free Merry Christmas!
December 3, 2009 at 3:07 am
While I am busy and so focused paying off my cc, I forgot to set aside some money for this holiday. One thing for sure, no more cc use. If I do so it is to collect the points but I am committed to pay it in full even before the due date not to have interest charged. I am now allergic to cc, believe it or not. This could be my long term goal – to pay off my consumer debts (cc + car loan) in less than 3 years starting this January 2010. My short term goal to meet the long term goal is to pay $1500.00 monthly to my cc, first. Mind you, I am a 33 year old bachelor with a decent job and I just trully absorbed just now the importance of being matured financially. Now, I am more accountable to my own actions. I cannot change the past anymore but can learn from it and move on. I have no relationship right now because I want to be financially ready before committing with someone else.
December 5, 2009 at 7:36 pm
I am so close to being done with shopping. I have done almost all of it online and although I am making all of purchases on my CC I will probably pay it off before I receive the bill. I am taking this year to see exactly how much I spend on Christmas for my budget next year. I don’t generally enjoy shopping so the crowds during the holidays drive me crazy. There is nothing better than the holiday season and gift giving. I actually love to give handmade gifts and on average they are the favorite gifts each year. Due to the time consuming nature of these I generally only do one a year. Merry Christmas!
December 8, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Consider the gift of gold bullion. We bake cookies for gifts as well. Expecting a baby any minute….
December 14, 2009 at 2:25 pm
What wonderful posts!
Mrs. T – How lucky to have been given such finds!
Maureen – that was very insightful about life in the north.
Susan – I think it’s great that you come together as a class and do something nice for the community. It’s an excellent learning opportunity for the students too.
This year, I have been more mindful of the amount of my purchases because I have too. I have always generally stuck to a budget but DH is in school this year and money is more tight.
I’m planning to do a little baking to add to the gifts. I made homemade vanilla for my loved ones who bake – I’m very excited to see their reactions. I’m painting portraits of my brothers dogs- just have to ship them. I gave the parents a night out at the movies certificate – discounted at Costco. Also I used my Optimum points from Shoppers Drugmart for 2 lovely photo frames for my grandparents. I only had to pay for copies of photos to insert.
I have to really go over what I have bought for my 4 yr old. I may put a few items aside for Easter, although I did buy a fair bit of clothing for him which he needed. The bonus is that he is obsessed with Lightening McQueen and anything with that on it is fantastic to him. He doesn’t want to wear anything else.
I bought a big bag of bird seed and I’m planning to teach my son to make bird seed balls. This can be a special gift from him to give to his family. I really want to encourage the idea of giving from the heart and not being wasteful.