Christmas Savings

[morningloryrose]

I know that it is early to think about Christmas but, I start right after Christmas for the next Christmas. What I do is to take clothes and shoes, purses, knick-knacks, thingamabobs, and whatchamacallets to the consignment shop. I roll the money over each month. I continue to add to the merchandise. In the summer I even yard sale cheap to resale at the shop. I make quite a lot doing this. And by Christmas I have nice chunck of change to spend. I keep track of the money I invest and get back. And I love to yard sale and thrift shop, so It works great for me!
Anyone have some more great idea's I would love to hear them!

[Ima saver]

I have an old christmas club book from about 20 years ago and I try and put $30 a week in it. I use to start shopping in January and kept things in a special closet. One side was my presents, the other side was my husbands. We never peeked. I had to help my husband out cause he works 7 days a week, so I would buy what I needed and then forget about it. Now that we have gotten older, we have cut way back on presents and the granddaughters are teenagers, so they just want money.

[midlight21]

I'll be doing the old money jar thing of course I'll put in dollars and fives in addition to the change. I *hate* carrying around change so it works for us just as long as I can keep my husband from finding it.

[Lostsoul33]

I've been thinking about Christmas too. Not really sure what my plan is to save for it. I'll be curious to see what the others have to say. I will be having a yard sale but I'll be putting that money towards my credit card debt. I like the money jar idea so I just might end up doing that.

[Snoopy2645]

Been thinking about this also what I usually do is save stuff I have gotten free threw the year for gifts also may make a few things & somehow I always end up getting some good coupons or clearance items right before xmas so it all works out ok for me at least the last few years have. I cross my fingers something will come up right before xmas that I can get some gifts with. I do tons of rebate offers too so some of that stuff I use for gifts or use rebate gcs to buy gifts. SOmehow it seems to just come together with no real plans.

[lrjohnson]

I plan to Thrift Sale for some gifts this year. If I do it right, I can usually come up with at least a smaller gift each Saturday I go out.

My (modified) minimum wage challenge

[Ima saver]

I am not crazy about gift cards. I was given one more than a year ago and I have not used it. I also have one to a fancy resort for $500, but they won't let me bring my dog, so it has been sitting for 4 years! I like gift cards to restaurants that I like.

[Snoopy2645]

Well what I do is save up gift cards & use them to buy presents. I understand you cant do that with a hotel one but how about selling it on ebay or giving it as a gift to someone who can use it BTW you maybe suprised what gift cards bring on ebay

[Ima saver]

It is to that fancy resort by the Biltmore House in Asheville. It has our name on it, but I don't know if that would matter or not. It has all these spa treatments. I don't know how to sell on ebay, I know nothing about computers.

[Ima saver]

It is called the Grove Park Inn.

[PrincessPerky]

I think I would start playing with ebay with something smaller, like the frame store GC, then after you figure it out (just do it, they have directions) then try the spa one. (check and make sure they are not expired first)

On christmas, I buy thru the year, which means the 'easy' people (kids mainly) are done, and then I spend every month from October to Christmas, trying to 'get serious' and find something for the 'hard' people. Money wise we have some expected gift buys thruought the year, so we arn't hit to hard. Though nothing gets paid down on debt in December!

[nanamom]

Ebay has people who would sell it for you. They take a percentage. It is easy to use but some people only buy from those who have a large number in their feedback rating. If the cards are still useable (some do expire) I would consider finding a seller near you or someone you trust. (some mailbox places have that service as well) and sell through them.
As far as Christmas goes, I am making most of our Christmas gifts this year. I am sewing through the early months as much as possible because we are expecting to be very busy with new kid(s) in the middle of the year.

[mjrube94]

I'm saving many of the gift cards I'm getting through those trial memberships. I'll use them to buy some presents...

[Ima saver]

When i had children to buy for, I would put things on layaway in the summer time and pay a little on them every week. I don't know if stores still do that or not? Roses use to, when my grandkids were little.

[morningloryrose]

Ya'll have some great idea's, There are several that I am going to do. The change jar, layaway in the summer. And a few more with some work! I went to yard sales this past saturday. I found two item's, brand new still in the packaging. I am going to give as gift's. Some women at work today said that's wrong, and that I shouldn't be regifting? Ya'll think that's wrong???

[shelbylovesmelby]

I shop all year for Christmas & other occasions. If I find a deal on something I know someone would like, I put it away for a b-day or x-mas.

I save my points from MYPOINTS til I need them for my kids b-days.

I try to put things on lay-a-way for Christmas especially for dh. He has a big problem with snoop'n plus I don't always have all the $ to pay for it @ the minute I see it. Plus wally world doesn't charge a fee, so for 60 days I can pay on it w/out paying any interest (like if I put it on a credit card) & keep dh guessing. Though the line is long as heck if you delay in picking it up.

[PrincessPerky]

Originally Posted by morningloryrose

Ya'll have some great idea's, There are several that I am going to do. The change jar, layaway in the summer. And a few more with some work! I went to yard sales this past saturday. I found two item's, brand new still in the packaging. I am going to give as gift's. Some women at work today said that's wrong, and that I shouldn't be regifting? Ya'll think that's wrong???

Nope I think it is great

[Ima saver]

I think it is a good idea. I am glad that Wal mart still has layaways.

[shelbylovesmelby]

I'm glad they have it too! Though it's not easy to find a clerk who's manning that area.

I wish K-mart didn't charge a fee for it Hence I don't do lay-a-ways there.

[Thrifty Ray]

We started a family tradition years ago (about 30 years)...Each year everyone makes a list of $1 to $10 items that they'd like. The list goes into a bucket and we all take turns pulling out a name. The person who draws your name is responsible for "filling your stocking" and I use stocking looslely because the gifts always overflow into a big gift bag.

That is the only person you buy for- and your goal is to find whatever you can find- funny, or otherwise that you consider perfect that person. We have a blast trying to keep our stocking a secret and finding original stuff. MY DH and I buy a little something for everyone...but the kids and grandparents only have to worry about their stockings. The kids all love it so much that they keeping uping the date when we start...it has gone from Thanksgiving to August!!!

The tradition has been adopted into the kids significant others families now too...