Budget Christmas Blues

It seems to me that, in that case, you should not spend any of the little money you have in your nephew. I can understand that you are angry, but it`s more the parent`s fault. As for your own children, I hope that you are able to give something nice to them. Although children are resilient, it is difficult for them to lose their priced belongings in such a way

I love to make things with my hands and recycle. My mom taught me that with her example a long time ago. She would buy cheap dolls for us for Christmas and make many dresses and knitted things for the doll with her own hands and with old yarns and materials. At the end we had a wonderful wardrobee for our "babies".

It is completely his parents fault! They are not well behaved and though my husband's brother gets upset we refuse to go in public with them as it is too embarrassing to be with such ill behaved children. The resilience is what makes me want to give them more (my kids) they have been such troopers this last year. We are resilient too though and we have made some great gifts that we will fill the spaces so to say with a few bought items. Right now we are making a kitchen for our two year old. It's amazing what you can up-cycle!

LMAO! My brother in law loves, I mean loves to make things out of duct tape. I actually had coupons for that patterned duct tape and at Walmart it was only a few cents a roll so I got a few of his favorite things..lol

I actually have four girls! And thank you. They have quite a bit of furniture for their dolls as my husbands grandfather has been whittling and making them since my mother in law was little. He makes them each a piece for their birthdays and Christmas, Easter what ever reason he makes up. My big girls sadly have out grown them..they are young teens now. I am from Jersey originally and if your looking to give some things away the Red cross and Agape are always looking for around the holidays. Last year we where flooded so bad and the girls lost everything. Those two organizations save Christmas for us and we where so very thankful for them.

I can't believe it! Not being too familiar with you I didn't want to sound like I was recommending something awful or stupid, even though a lot of people apparently are into this stuff. And I didn't realize that until I read PQ's discussion. When I responded I was thinking "Boy, I hope she doesn't think I'm some kind of a moron". I'm quite relieved. You said you have little girls, I think. You don't live in the North East, do you? The reason I ask is because I have some very nice miniature upholstered furniture that I use to collect. I have a couch and matching chair and a couple of other couches and chairs that don't match. They're for maybe 18" dolls. Perfect condition. I would be willing to give you 4 of them - 2 would be the set - if I could get them to you. Unless you have 3 girls, then I would give you 6. I have no way of uploading pictures and I'm very computer illiterate anyway so even if I had the equipment I wouldn't know what to do with it. I don't know anyone with little girls and I have to get rid of a lot of my stuff. If I was able to get them to you I know they would have a good home. I have a few other things, too. A little teeny tiny tea set in a small teapot shaped box that stands up. I'm in a bad situation right now and just have to get rid of everything. Let me know. It would be nice if I could help out. :-)

It's a good place to get lost in.

Thank you the site looks good! I may be getting lost on it for a while

I do save up all my swag bucks and survey points for the holidays just not stretching as far as they used too.

Dollar tree has some good things I have purchased a few gifts there.

Black Friday started TODAY!!! It is going on all week this year! Starts again at 8pm Thanksgiving day! They have ruined Black Friday shopping! I dont' do it, but the whole point is lost now. My daughter watches and goes to some of them every year...to Macy's go get the free mini snow globe every year with her daughter...who collects them. But she looked online and the sunday paper and said the deals were okay, but not that great...she went to target and got some home goods that were half off and she is done now!

I keep hoping something comes up..lol.. me and my brother in law go shopping every year together for Christmas (this is funny as he is much more into this then my sister and he is Jewish) and I really enjoy going with him every year!

As we not only are making gifts for our children and family we have the kids making gifts as well. I think it makes them more appreciative in that they know what goes into making something for someone else. Mine all have hand knitted items as well as clothing I have sewn for them. I make sure to knit a sweater, hat and socks for each child each year. The older they get the longer it takes me though..lol they range from 14 -2 now so lots of sizes

Yes actually we do garage sale and go to flea markets but the weather has turned here no more garage sales until spring..lol the season is over once the cold sets in Garage saling is very popular here, almost an obsession for some. My friend and I do two a year one in the spring and one in the early fall, we see many of the same people at everyone every year, we know what they are looking for now and if we have it will keep it aside for them

Yes we where just at the Salvation Army to get holiday dresses. Got all four girls two full outfits each all still with tags for under $30, one of the dresses the baby got had a $40 tag on it alone!

I think you might be right...

I love Amazon. I too collect digital codes via Swag bucks as well as several other survey sites. I save them up all year for the holidays. I just was so busy this year trying to rebuild our lives that I didn't make as much as I usually do. I usually make around $400 between them all just for the holidays but I only did a little over half of that this year and the prices are all so much worse lately. I buy all our fancy wear at the thrift stores. Last week I got each of the girls church outfits two each all had tags still!