Thank you for your positive views. The children draw names from a hat, & then each pick a book from the Library for the recipient. The gifts are wrapped & given on Christmas Day (& of course, returned to the Library in due course). I pick a book to be read aloud with the whole family. The children choose the meal for the day & as it is summertime here, we spend it outdoors. I save $5 per month, from my small income & as a family we decide which charity to donate it to. We feel rich & blessed because we can give to others, despite our minimal income.
Rising costs of my regular monthly bills make it impossible for me to raise my Christmas budget so I've figured out ways to supplement it. I pay with my credit card to earn the rewards and pay it off right away. Property taxes, eye glasses, car tires etc that I saved monthly for. I save the reward points till October and cash out. I've done online surveys for 28 years and most pay in gift cards. I choose the Visa gift cards when I can and I'll purchase my groceries or gas with it and then take that amount cash from my monthly budget and add it to my Christmas fund or other funds. It really helps and works well for me. I call it my creative financing!!
My daughters and grandaughter called me to fix the menu: "momy, this year, no heating lobsters is to expensive". Make us your wonderful Spanish omelet, your Galician cod and French salmon. For dessert a good cup of hot chocolate with chamalows. I will make a cacke or a moelleux with chestnuts cream.and chocolate I bought during the year the ingredients on sale.They made my life easier because despite the budgeting of this Christmas meal, the lobsters were far too expensive, even frozen. We are so happy to see my family again for this sharing that the lobsters will do without us! Your Christmas videos are always good advice, thanks !
In the past, including this year, I would buy small gifts (stocking stuffers) all year round when they were greatly discounted - with a set budget per family member. My youngest is in his late 20's but they all still love the stocking stuffers I find. I also have a cash reserve saved up all year for my children, whom have opted for the money this year (two will use it for dental expenses, one for his house savings account). I am retiring next month and will be reducing the Christmas budget to match my reduced, now fixed, income. My children know the budget and I have asked them whether they wish me to continue with the stocking stuffers and reduced cash; prefer a bigger gift using all/most of the cash; or prefer all cash. All three children have always said gifts were not necessary - but the gifts are for ME - I love giving gifts and helping them out (while making sure my husband and I are completely covered).
No, retirement is in two years, so not considering increasing the Christmas budget, but decreasing it next year. We buy small presents and stocking stuffers throughout the year and then give rather large amounts of money for each of our sons & their wives. This year we scaled back a little, but next Christmas will be leaner in order for us to get ready for retirement.
I have a number of young grandkids in other states. I make jelly, etc. and small gifts grandpa makes to mail to them. Getting harder to drive 2 or 3 day each way to visit as we age. I really appreciate your hint to reuse store jelly jars. It has worked out great for what I mail. (US canning "police" highly frown on the practice) No one returns my $$$ canning jars ane the price for them keeps going up.
Something that I do is I buy some of my presents in the form of food hampers or chocolate/delicacy boxes at my grocery store using the food vouchers that I am given through my work (that are supposed to cover my daily lunch, but can be used for groceries as well). This is helpful for the "generic" presents that I want to give to some people in my extended circle. Of course those vouchers are still money but somehow I don't feel like they come out of my "budget" because they do not come out of my actual bank account. Plus this year I hit some loyalty point threshold at my supermarket so I will have an additional 15% discount on my last round of food presents/christmas food purchases.
There are always some last minute things I buy for our grandchildren so my gift shopping is over when it's over. I save all year round in one of those sealed tins It would not be possible to afford otherwise with 4 grandchildren, 3 daughters and son in laws (grown up but still get presents or money). I sometimes buy little things when I see them throughout the year too. Any extra food is saved for by saving whatever is left in my purse on a Thursday, again into a sealed tin. I haven't spent much of that food money this year as I've made a conscious effort not to over by on food, although I will go to the supermarket on Christmas Eve when they do the reductions and see if there are any good buys I can freeze.
Well I've always put everything on credit card then spend months paying it off...which I hate ! So I shall try put £50 Per month away in different account from January...and commit to morevfrugal lifestyle! Thanks for all your advice Jane
This Christmas, we didn't send out the usual gift (a box of home made cookies & stollen, plus European chocolates) to the grandchildren. It would normally cost over $100 CDN just for shipping. We didn't even send a card with money. We had a postal strike that just ended yesterday after about a month. But I don't feel bad about it, because I give really good gifts to my beloved family and friends throughout the year. Like you, I find that sitting down and thinking about spending is important, if your income doesn't rise, where will you get that extra 20 Euros for Christmas? You juggle of course.
I have a Christmas club account at a supermarket. $15.00 a week is automatically taken out so there is a good amount at the end of the year. Use this for treats, have usually given a gift card with amount on it for my daughter’s family and granddaughter.
Good to see Mike in the mirror reflection. Probably will not up my Christmas budget very much, due to so many rising costs to live. .Thank you, Mary, Dolly, Jane and Mike.
In our family we do Elfster for the adults so we just buy for one, we also have a Christmas Day birthday! The birthday is funded with my Fetch account. We save a bit each month for the grandchildren. We give something small and meaningful and a little cash. My Elfster exchange I dog sit to earn money for. In November the Elfster gift amount was increased 25% because of the price of living increases.
Thank you for your efforts daily. I have a couple of questions regarding your dogs. What breed are they? Also, in the clip of Mike in the snow playing with the dogs, there is a third dog? Is it yours? Enjoy all my f your videos!
Yes, forward planning is a good idea for anyone who has gifts to buy etc. It doesn't apply to me now, as my Christmas is very cheap and consists of just a few extra treats. Otherwise, it's business as usual. 😆🤗🎄🦌
We were saving $20.00 a month for Christmas, which was fine for us for extra food, gifts and activities, but we're increasing it to $30.00 each month for next year.
We reevaluated our Christmas sinking funds at the end of 2023. For the 9 years previous we saved £70 per month into the fund, but changed it to £85 per month at the end of last year. We shall keep it at that for 2025. It gets moved straight into the Christmas account as soon as the money comes in, so much easier by the time Christmas comes than trying to find a huge wad of money from one or two pay dates. It goes in the bank and then straight into a designated Christmas savings account, so not missed as its not counted as part of our regular monthly living budget. At the end of 2025 we will reevaluate again, as we've agreed with certain people not to buy gifts for each other next year, and also lost some family members this year too, so will likely reduce it again.
I've had a Christmas envelope for years. We save $50 a month for it. That's our budget. No matter what. We'll just have to do better at getting bargains. We buy early as most things we buy aren't Christmas related. Our Christmas meal comes from our normal food budget.
I probably will need to increase Xmas savings a little for next year. I try to look for the best interest rates on building society regular savings account each November for the following Xmas. It's never a great deal more but it gives the savings a little boost. The best rates change nearly every year so I rarely stay loyal to any institution.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Beautiful girls 🐕🐕
Loving this vlogmas - you’re spoiling us.
Thank you for your positive views. The children draw names from a hat, & then each pick a book from the Library for the recipient. The gifts are wrapped & given on Christmas Day (& of course, returned to the Library in due course). I pick a book to be read aloud with the
whole family. The children choose the meal for the day & as it is summertime
here, we spend it outdoors. I save $5 per month, from my small income & as a family we decide which charity to donate it to. We feel rich & blessed because we can give to others, despite our minimal income.
Rising costs of my regular monthly bills make it impossible for me to raise my Christmas budget so I've figured out ways to supplement it. I pay with my credit card to earn the rewards and pay it off right away. Property taxes, eye glasses, car tires etc that I saved monthly for. I save the reward points till October and cash out. I've done online surveys for 28 years and most pay in gift cards. I choose the Visa gift cards when I can and I'll purchase my groceries or gas with it and then take that amount cash from my monthly budget and add it to my Christmas fund or other funds. It really helps and works well for me. I call it my creative financing!!
My daughters and grandaughter called me to fix the menu: "momy, this year, no heating lobsters is to expensive". Make us your wonderful Spanish omelet, your Galician cod and French salmon. For dessert a good cup of hot chocolate with chamalows. I will make a cacke or a moelleux with chestnuts cream.and chocolate I bought during the year the ingredients on sale.They made my life easier because despite the budgeting of this Christmas meal, the lobsters were far too expensive, even frozen. We are so happy to see my family again for this sharing that the lobsters will do without us! Your Christmas videos are always good advice, thanks !
In the past, including this year, I would buy small gifts (stocking stuffers) all year round when they were greatly discounted - with a set budget per family member. My youngest is in his late 20's but they all still love the stocking stuffers I find. I also have a cash reserve saved up all year for my children, whom have opted for the money this year (two will use it for dental expenses, one for his house savings account).
I am retiring next month and will be reducing the Christmas budget to match my reduced, now fixed, income. My children know the budget and I have asked them whether they wish me to continue with the stocking stuffers and reduced cash; prefer a bigger gift using all/most of the cash; or prefer all cash. All three children have always said gifts were not necessary - but the gifts are for ME - I love giving gifts and helping them out (while making sure my husband and I are completely covered).
@@Jewel-Retired thanks for sharing
No, retirement is in two years, so not considering increasing the Christmas budget, but decreasing it next year. We buy small presents and stocking stuffers throughout the year and then give rather large amounts of money for each of our sons & their wives. This year we scaled back a little, but next Christmas will be leaner in order for us to get ready for retirement.
No comment in particular today but just to say ‘thank you’ for the daily posts, I really enjoy them x
I have a number of young grandkids in other states. I make jelly, etc. and small gifts grandpa makes to mail to them. Getting harder to drive 2 or 3 day each way to visit as we age. I really appreciate your hint to reuse store jelly jars. It has worked out great for what I mail. (US canning "police" highly frown on the practice) No one returns my $$$ canning jars ane the price for them keeps going up.
Something that I do is I buy some of my presents in the form of food hampers or chocolate/delicacy boxes at my grocery store using the food vouchers that I am given through my work (that are supposed to cover my daily lunch, but can be used for groceries as well). This is helpful for the "generic" presents that I want to give to some people in my extended circle. Of course those vouchers are still money but somehow I don't feel like they come out of my "budget" because they do not come out of my actual bank account. Plus this year I hit some loyalty point threshold at my supermarket so I will have an additional 15% discount on my last round of food presents/christmas food purchases.
There are always some last minute things I buy for our grandchildren so my gift shopping is over when it's over. I save all year round in one of those sealed tins It would not be possible to afford otherwise with 4 grandchildren, 3 daughters and son in laws (grown up but still get presents or money). I sometimes buy little things when I see them throughout the year too. Any extra food is saved for by saving whatever is left in my purse on a Thursday, again into a sealed tin. I haven't spent much of that food money this year as I've made a conscious effort not to over by on food, although I will go to the supermarket on Christmas Eve when they do the reductions and see if there are any good buys I can freeze.
You sound just like me!
Well I've always put everything on credit card then spend months paying it off...which I hate ! So I shall try put £50 Per month away in different account from January...and commit to morevfrugal lifestyle! Thanks for all your advice Jane
Nice to see Mike in the mirror!
This Christmas, we didn't send out the usual gift (a box of home made cookies & stollen, plus European chocolates) to the grandchildren. It would normally cost over $100 CDN just for shipping. We didn't even send a card with money. We had a postal strike that just ended yesterday after about a month. But I don't feel bad about it, because I give really good gifts to my beloved family and friends throughout the year. Like you, I find that sitting down and thinking about spending is important, if your income doesn't rise, where will you get that extra 20 Euros for Christmas? You juggle of course.
Absolutely yes need to reevaluate the Christmas budget! Thank you for the reminder.
I start shopping day after Christmas at stores, thrifty shops. I start making my list.
I have a Christmas club account at a supermarket. $15.00 a week is automatically taken out so there is a good amount at the end of the year. Use this for treats, have usually given a gift card with amount on it for my daughter’s family and granddaughter.
Good to see Mike in the mirror reflection. Probably will not up my Christmas budget very much, due to so many rising costs to live.
.Thank you, Mary, Dolly, Jane and Mike.
@@Sandra-s3p thanks Sandra
Will depend on how much council tax goes up in April. Amazon cards popular in my family too.
In our family we do Elfster for the adults so we just buy for one, we also have a Christmas Day birthday! The birthday is funded with my Fetch account. We save a bit each month for the grandchildren. We give something small and meaningful and a little cash. My Elfster exchange I dog sit to earn money for. In November the Elfster gift amount was increased 25% because of the price of living increases.
What is Elfster?
I use my credit card and pay it off every month. I save all my points to use on grandchildren’s presents.
I upped my Christmas budget last year and It is working out just find for this holiday season. Plan to leave the budget the same for 2025
Thank you for your efforts daily. I have a couple of questions regarding your dogs. What breed are they? Also, in the clip of Mike in the snow playing with the dogs, there is a third dog? Is it yours? Enjoy all my f your videos!
Thank you x
Yes, forward planning is a good idea for anyone who has gifts to buy etc. It doesn't apply to me now, as my Christmas is very cheap and consists of just a few extra treats. Otherwise, it's business as usual. 😆🤗🎄🦌
We allow 600 for presents. Our food is just from our monthly budget.
We were saving $20.00 a month for Christmas, which was fine for us for extra food, gifts and activities, but we're increasing it to $30.00 each month for next year.
We reevaluated our Christmas sinking funds at the end of 2023. For the 9 years previous we saved £70 per month into the fund, but changed it to £85 per month at the end of last year. We shall keep it at that for 2025. It gets moved straight into the Christmas account as soon as the money comes in, so much easier by the time Christmas comes than trying to find a huge wad of money from one or two pay dates. It goes in the bank and then straight into a designated Christmas savings account, so not missed as its not counted as part of our regular monthly living budget. At the end of 2025 we will reevaluate again, as we've agreed with certain people not to buy gifts for each other next year, and also lost some family members this year too, so will likely reduce it again.
We will definitely be upping our contributions to our sinking fund for Christmas. I suspect things will be getting more expensive in 2025.
Need to reevaluate big style after the latest storm threw my spending out for Christmas this year
I've had a Christmas envelope for years. We save $50 a month for it. That's our budget. No matter what. We'll just have to do better at getting bargains. We buy early as most things we buy aren't Christmas related. Our Christmas meal comes from our normal food budget.
Also buy during the new year sales?
I probably will need to increase Xmas savings a little for next year.
I try to look for the best interest rates on building society regular savings account each November for the following Xmas. It's never a great deal more but it gives the savings a little boost. The best rates change nearly every year so I rarely stay loyal to any institution.
We saved $60 per month for 2024 and will leave it the same for next year.
I think we will have to. Cost of items going up everywhere. Did the conversion on your money to ours just to compare. …….
We are reevaluating our Christmas funds. We are going to reduce our giving. Our auto and home insurance has doubled for the next year.
Have you shopped for new insurance? Ours doubled and we were able to get the same insurance at our old price with another company.