Did you finish shopping and are you cutting back?

[BusynMember]

I'm done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This year I saved all year and have gift cards for almost everyone, including my thirteen year old. The only one getting any real gifts are my sixteen year old son and my grandson.

But it feels good because TODAY was the day I actually got the gift cards and wrapped them and I only have odds and ends left.

We expected to need to cut back this year, even though we do have a Christmas Club. I didn't have that much saved up. Then I got a surprise $500 royalty check from one of my publishing companies for a book I wrote and that's when I decided to use it for Christmas. I am usually very frugal and will need to be after the holiday, but I spent about the same as always this year due to the unexpected check.

How's the shopping going, gals? Are you biting the bullet?

 

[AnnieO]

Two gifts for each child - one large, one small - and stocking stuffers.

One for husband (EXPENSIVE)

Two for each parent, both small.

One for each friend and their kids. All are getting handmade stuff.

I spent $350 for 14 people and $300 on husband. However his is last Father's Day plus his birthday, too. WAY expensive.

Last year I spent about $900 for 7 people. So...

 

[klmno]

Wow- you ladies have done well! I'm skipping it all this year- except I'll probably get my mother a little something, that I have yet to buy. difficult child's is being put on hold, of course. So I guess I have definitely cut back. LOL!

 

[Kjs]

definately cutting back. Just not in the xmas mood.

 

[Mattsmom277]

I've only got stocking stuffers for difficult child and easy child to go, then I'm done shopping.
I get a bit smaller every year, so by this year, its vastly different than, say 5 or more years ago around here. i can't even guess what I'd spend back then.
difficult child asked for the ipod touch. I did get it for him. Its a large gift, so he gets our traditional pj's and a stocking. And a box of his favorite chocolates.
easy child has about 8 gifts, but they totalled less than difficult child's ipod ($189 for the ipod) combined. She too gets pj's, a stocking and a box of her favorite chocolates.
S/O and I are not exchanging. We're fine with that.
In later part of January we are ordering my amazon kindle (I'll use the site link!) as a joint birthday (earlier this month), Christmas, Valentine's day gift. In the spring we are getting S/O a high tech remote control helicopter. We have our "toys" to look forward to down the line. And zero Christmas budget stress.

 

[GoingNorth]

MM, your folks will love your Kindle! I was an early adopter and I totally love mine. It goes everywhere with me.

I got a leather cover to put over it that opens like a book

 

[donna723]

I WISH I was done, and I actually spent quite a bit more this year than I have the previous years. Of course I have a grandchild this year too. I get my longevity check from the State in October and usually do the kids' birthdays and Christmas out of that. This year I had held aside several hundred dollars to have new struts put on my car, but I decided the hell with it - I will get it fixed after the first of the year and spend that money on Christmas!

I had already gotten each of the kids a prepaid Visa card and a gift card from toys R Us for the baby. Then last week a friend and I were going shopping to get some other things. Macy's had a bunch of stuff on sale until 1:00 pm and then there were coupons in the paper for another 20% off ... so the two of us went through Macy's snatching things off the racks until our eyes were glazed over! We were like these two possessed ladies in the mall! She got a $50 shirt for her husband for $9.95 and I bought $25 Perry Ellis PJ bottoms for $8.95 for my son and sister in law! Then we hit the Toys R Us and I bought more things for the baby - a few things I had planned on and more things that I just couldn't resist! I got him a little brown teddy bear that is wearing little white pajamas ... with little brown teddy bears on them! How could I NOT buy that! Still have a few more things to buy, plus another trip to buy dog food to take along when I board the dogs. It sure adds up, doesn't it!

 

[tiredmommy]

We cut out the adults in the extended family, except husband's disabled sister. All the adults thought it was a good idea. I'll still give each couple a plate of cookies and probably a nice bottle of wine for husband's parents. So... we need wine and a gift card for sister in law. We did cut back, but not much. I'm finishing up baking and will begin wrapping next week. I hope to be "done" after the church Christmas play and party on December 20th so I can enjoy the holiday with husband and Duckie.

 

[KTMom91]

We definitely cut back, since we aren't sure if Hubby will be laid off or not. Miss KT got her present last month, when she went to see M (her sorta stepmom), so they could go clothes shopping. Done shopping for Hubby, including gifts from Buddy, the panthers, and the senior cats.

I just need to get something for my mom, and I have no idea what to get.

 

[ctmom05]

I did a lot of extra shopping .. .. ..

at the grocery store this week, because I am baking and cooking my gifts this Christmas. I spent a lot less money this year than seasons past, altho we don't normally spend extravagantly. I think folks are going to really enjoy their gift baskets with homemade bread, cookies, pickles, fudge and other yummy edibles

 

[Wiped Out]

We are cutting way back! I haven't done any shopping yet; just not in the mood.

 

[ML]

Cut out some peeps and down on manster and stepsons. husband and I are not exchanging. husband's birthday is Jan 8 and we're talking about doing dinner and a play. I would say I'm speding about 400 which is about 200 less than the last few years.

 

[GoingNorth]

I got Amazon gift cards for the neice and nephew, and Susan Boyle CD and a replacement Fiddler on the Roof CD (she actually wore it out!) for my mum.

Her birthday is the 24th and if I can find one, I will also get her a 10K gold Medic Alert bracelet for her diabetes. She has been wearing a stainless steel one on the same wrist as her old gold watch.

She's going to have a FIT if she finds out what the bracelet cost. Just a tad over a hundred dollars. Not too bad in my opinion. I could've gotten the heavy 20K gold rope chain pendant one for 900 dollars, LoL

I still have to try to figure out what/if to get my sister and brother in law. brother in law is out of work, and due to age very unlikely to be able to go back to work unless he can find something like WalMart or driving a schoolbus or something.

They lost their medical ins when brother in law got laid off, and COBRA due to his previous medical conditions (cancer and bypass surgery) is over 1K per month.

Private ins would be over 3K as in addition to brother in law having his preexisting issues, my sister has RA and is BiPolar (BP).

I am VERY grateful that I have Medicare and my VA medical coveraqe.

 

[klmno]

$900 for a medic alert on a chain?? Gold or not- that is steep!

I think I'd get sis and brother in law a gift card at a place that also has a pharmacy in the store, GN.

 

[trinityroyal]

husband and I do Christmas shopping all the time. We spot things during the year on sale and snap them up, then stash them in the Christmas cupboard. Over the years we've accumulated so much that we often can just shop in the closet and not have too much to buy.

I finished up the closet shopping yesterday, and have made the spreadsheet with the missing bits...a couple of gift cards, a lego kit for Little easy child...that's about it.

We try to limit to one big gift for each person, and then a little stocking stuffer and something from Santa for the family. I guess we haven't really cut back, but we've always been frugal about Christmas.

WAY different from the lavish and embarrassing excesses my difficult child-family would indulge in when I was growing up, everyone trying to outdo each other...Christmas was completely lost in all the stuff. The simple celebrations we have now are so much nicer.

 

[donna723]

I'm not much in the mood either. This is the fourth night I've worked on the Christmas tree! Tuesday night I dragged it out of the box and put it up. Wednesday night I fluffed up all the branches - takes forever. Last night I put the lights on. And tonight I'm putting ornaments on it. Can you tell I don't really like doing this? I still have at least two more shopping trips, a ton of cookies to bake and packages to wrap. If I didn't know this was supposed to be 'fun', it sure would seem like a lot of work!

I need to do my shopping like my son is doing his! He sent his girlfriend and his roommate out shopping while he's at home watching TV - they communicate by cell phone pictures so he can pick out what he wants! I think I've been doing this all wrong!

 

[everywoman]

I have almost finished. Of course, I have a big crowd to by for: my three bios and their so's--easy child and daughter in law + 2 children, Jana and boyfriend, difficult child and girlfriend + 1 child, Ashley (who came to live with us this summer, is going to college nearby and will be "home" for Christmas, my gfgbiomom, husband's niece's children (there are 3 of them), my little "buddy" across the street---a definite difficult child, adopted out of foster care and dad just walked out on family, and the list goes on. I have cut back this year...as much as possible.

 

[DammitJanet]

I almost have everything shopped for. Keyana is all done except for stocking stuffers...I think! She keeps adding to her Santa list! Of course, she wants me to go through the books with her and circle which toys I want too...lol.

Im done with everyone but Billy and something small for Mandy. I gave Cory and Mandy their joint gift together but I really think I need to give her something small and feminine too. Maybe a Bath and Bodyworks item. I have a coupon.

What to get Billy is eluding me. Im stumped.

I think we are putting up our tree tomorrow evening after the guys get back from hunting and after Keyana and I bake cookies all day. That should keep her tired and occupied...lol.

We wont have her again until after Xmas so we want to make as much as we can out of this weekend.

 

[Andy]

I bought most of the "under the tree" gifts tonight. Just a few small things for packages under the tree. Only need one more smaller thing for Diva (no clue) and need to find one that I THINK I already bought for difficult child but maybe I actually have not bought it yet? (This has not been a good month for my memory this year - got 1/3 way to work this morning before realizing that difficult child was in the car and I forgot to drop him off at school)

I don't know what to get DIVA. She gets two "main" gifts, one from us and one from Santa.

I am so proud of my kids - each year it seems I get less and less as they get harder to shop for and I don't want to pay the cost of the gifts they really want. The last few years they have not gotten anything spectacular yet they have always been happy with what they did get. Wonder where that comes from? They really can be grateful!

difficult child wants a cell phone and a yellow lab. NOT getting either. A trac phone may come later this winter or Spring but not for Christmas. The main gift for difficult child is sold out of our town. A neighbor will look in the town they are visiting this weekend.

Diva wants an I-Pod touch and an expresso maker. The I-Pod touch is out of budget but the expresso maker is a possibility. I will see what else is on her list (mostly gift cards but I want to get her "something").

I still need a gift or two more for husband. Then I need to make a list of others so I don't forget. I get so overwhelmed shopping trying to remember everyone that as Christmas gets closer, I will often go out just for one person/family at a time.

The neighbors, difficult child's Sunday School teacher, some co-worders, and the bus driver I think is all I will have after husband, difficult child, and Diva are taken care of.

 

[susiestar]

I am fairly close. I have to get a couple of things. Mine is complicated because I have thank you's birthday in there too.

husband decided two days ago to buy a wii for Xmas. We have talked and talked about it, always deciding no. husband's folks usually spend about that much on the kids combines, but he won't tell them. He did want me to put some Wii games and doodads on the wishlist that his folks use. Then this am he woke me up to say he changed his mind and would I make sure his parents know?

I told HIM to call them. I did take them off though.

I really wanted a wii. Oh well, in a couple of months after husband has a job.

I have spent less this year than some. More than last year because we were totally broke last year.

I have gotten a LOT of our items at really low prices. The personal video player/mp3 player we gave Wiz for his birthday (2 weeks ago) now sells for 3 times what we paid. Many of our items are like that. I also did a lot of wooting and got some good deals.