not buying gifts this Christmas...hu hu

Hi jureathome! I know what you mean...base from my point of view, though it might sound cliche, its still better to give than to receive. I mean, the smiles of the people whom you gave some gifts I know is very priceless right? But dont worry, you can give them again gifts next Christmas. Or even better, when you have a new job, you can give them a little something that I'm sure would cheer them up giving you their same priceless smiles :)

You can always make some gifts. I know people expect new gifts but we make at least 50% of our gifts fir friends and family. They know how rough it has been for us the last few years and they understand and as the saying goes it is the thought that counts. Recycled gifts can be very cheap to make. Bottle cap ornaments or coasters, bottle lights, paper ornaments, well ornaments in general can be made from so much, pine cones, shells anything.

I know what you mean. My family isn't huge but there are 5 grand kids, my 2 and spouses...we stopped buying for my side of the family..my siblings etc. Just couldn't afford it What I used to do was bake a huge bunch of baked goods and give those to each couple nad then just buy for the kids. Everyone liked that but the spouses of my brothers as they were jealous..one didn't bake as was jealous her husband liked mine so much and the other was rather uppity and eating home baked vs. bakery bought..jsuust wasn't what she did! But I have stopped that too. Everyone has moved away. now I just buy for the kids and my kids. $50 each person. This year, tho...I am making quilts for the grand kids...they will average about $50 each, but I have been working on them since this summer so the cost was easy to spread out...make one a month for $50. IT is turning out pretty good. I will just get gift cards for my kids..my daughter needs car maintenance and can't afford it..so I will get her a gift card to the local auto repair place we used so she can have it when she needs it and the same for my son. Those unexpected emergencies are a real killer to the pocket book so I know that they will be happy they get them.

Sorry you can't buy many gifts this year. you could make your own gift tokens and give ot people... For example if you have friends who have children you could make a token for you ot babysit for them for free for x amount of times, and so forth, you must be able ot think of some more ideas like this...... bake cakes for four weks for a friend who likes cakes but doesn't have time ot bake. The list is endless

You know, I don't even think that I have the capacity of not buying Christmas presents for those people that I care the most about. I remember one year I only had about twenty dollars to my name, but I still bought a little something for everyone that I loved. It might not have been much, but I am one of those people that feels like it is the thought that counts. I remember that my sister got some folders that she could use for school that year for Christmas. I can't remember what I got for everyone else though.

Yeah we are on a tight budget this year only buying gifts for the little ones and if we can affored it the others get something under $20

We've cut back on our list too. It's just harder, both as the family grows and because we just don't have very much available cash.

I can understand that. I've not been ever big on buying gifts for people, but when I couldn't at all I did feel bad for it. I'm hoping you can earn some extra money to help you out with gift buying. Perhaps instead of buying as lavish gifts that you may have bought in the past, you can make things, baking things perhaps for the adults in the family and for the kids giving them toys?

I have not bought gifts for Christmas (except for the little ones) for a long time. I now make jams and preserves and I give that to my friends and family. I recycle jars all year and I reuse them. They like it and I can do that without feeling I`ll get broke.

I have not been able to find work either and am hoping that I will be able to sell some of my crafts so I can make money. Worse case I will be staying home more and rework the budget so I can afford gifts. This has been a rough year because Randy just started collecting social security disability and most of those funds go towards the rent. My brother lives with us and pays the utilities, directtv, and Internet and if it were not for my brother living with us we would be worse off. We get food stamps, but there never seems to be enough which is hard. Any left over money goes towards gas in the car, the car insurance, and our life insurance. We have no credit cards thank goodness.

Same with me here. I will be buying gifts only for select people - my mom, my brothers, my SIL, my nieces, my godchildren and that's it. I used to buy everyone gifts, but I need to save money. And this year has been a bad year. I don't know if I'll even join the festivities.

I will be enjoying the Christmas as usually. I will be buying gifts for my good friends as well as to my lovable parents and along with it I am planning new ways to enjoy the Christmas days more.

I understand how you feel and what you mean. Now that your family is living on a single income, it is but pretty normal for you to tame down on expenses and make sure that the will be enough for another additional bundle of joy in the family. Maybe you can craft something that you can gift to your close friends? Like some needlework or painting, or even a personalized card will do. I know it's a very overused line, but it's the thought that counts, it really is. And the fact that your eye more effort into it, your true friends will appreciate it even more. Like what my husband said, he will appreciate even the acorn that I found lying on the street simply because it's from me. I do hope you get that online job soon not only for gift giving but for your other needs as well. I can understand the need to be able to gift even a small thing to your loved ones, because it makes us feel really good whenever we can make someone happy with our little gifts.