Budget for Xmas?

Most get £10 but not sure about my kids and partner yet do far £40 each but have £80 Amazon voucher saved ready for black Friday still time for more vouchers though. I find voucher from survey sites make Christmas easier there are chats with sites on for future Christmas and birthday till you can get back on your feet

I have already got my sons Christmas presents in the cupboard. I was lucky enough to win a £50 ELC voucher so bought his presents with that. He is only 2 so still doesn't fully understand. We bought my mother in law a kenwood mixer earlier this year so she won't be getting anything as that was her Christmas present. Granny will get a charm for her bracelet and not sure about my parents yet but probably spend £50. Our presents budget for everyone will be £100, with a £20 contingency. Food wise probably £30 for Christmas lunch for the 3 of us. I never spend more than £300 at Christmas and that's for everything, presents, food, cards, gift wrap, gift bags, sellotape, gift tags etc

I'm not sure if you want Martin Lewis's programme but every year he does something about not spending £ you didn't have. Following that programme my family and I had a talk and we stopped buying for each other, which was a great relief to all of us. When my kid was that young I picked up a lot of toys 2nd hand and just sterilize them, as you pay a lot for the packaging and they are more interest in tearing the paper.

I don't have a specific budget for Christmas, but I will be spending less this year than usual. I usually do my Christmas shopping instore, going to several different shops. But to avoid the crowds of people who won't be social distancing in store, this year I'll be shopping online and just getting a few presents for people.

People don't get yourselfs in debt I will cut our spending this year but our kids will still get the most spent on them along with my partner

As we're not going to see my family for Christmas this year I need to bring up the subject that we don't do presents.

I like to buy our children things that they actually need in their homes rather than buying gifts. My son has already suggested a mattress but I will set a cap at £1000.

I’m so sorry you lost your job Freebiesarefun. It’s been a rough year for a lot of people. Christmas just adds pressure on people to spend, often what they don’t have, or more than they can afford.

I started doing a spreadsheet of my expected and actual outgoings for birthdays and Christmas a couple of years ago - and I average between £650-750 for a year. My two kids get £100 each for Birthdays and the same at Christmas. The rest of the money is spent on the remainder of the family.

My family mutually agreed on only buying for the children and that has eased the financial burden a lot.

I get most of my pressies in the Boots sale in January each year.

I try and get bits throughout the year but haven’t done very well so far! I have a few small bits and may just stick to a few small bits for the nieces and nephews and maybe a hamper for my parents which I done last year also lol.

AliceBell64468 I was thinking of making hampers next year by collecting all the long life food freebies I get leading up until Christmas, then topping them up with a few extras. Trouble is, you never know what you are going to get in the way of freebies. Could end up with a right random mix.

I never have a budget and I’m able to purchase what ever I need, it’s just knowing when to stop.

Agree I keep on seeing good deals and think so and so will like but as they are normally between £5-10 you don't think about it, until you find you haven't got much left in your account by the end of the month.

I don't really have a set budget, but I do like to start early in the year.

I think everyone financial situation is different and it’s easy for people to get stressed at this time

Of year over money. I say you just buy what you can afford. Everyone remembers the memories made not the actual present they got.

You spend what you can afford its a simple as that.