Hello,
I thought I would do a small post on how I am trying to save money on my children's birthday presents.
A few years ago I would have spent roughly about £150 on each child without even thinking about it, but times have changed and everything is much more difficult now. This year the limit is set at £50.
I have three of my children's birthdays within a week of each other, two of them on the same day!
This means getting the best possible bargains so that they get the things that they would like.
My daughter's list consisted of :-
- Dresses
- Nice stationary
- Cathy Cassidy books
- Beanie boo teddy bears
She really doesn't expect a lot, for which I am very grateful.
I went into Boots to get a prescription and they had Beanie boo teddy bears on a three for two offer, I also have a Boots advantage card, which if you don't have one is worth getting, I had received a five pounds off coupon through my card. I bought one large Beanie Boo priced at £10.00 and two small Beanie Boo's worth £5.00 each so with my voucher and the 3 for 2 offer I got all three for £10.00.
A couple of days later I popped into my local charity shop and in the children books section they had lots of Cathy Cassidy books that looked brand new. I bought all of them for 50p each. I am going to save about half of them for her Christmas stocking. That's another £2.00 for her birthday and £2.00 to be noted down for the Christmas list.
Just after Christmas a good friend of mine gave me a stationary set that had been given to them for Christmas but was not actually suitable for what they wanted it for. I was a little bit torn whether to give this to my daughter or youngest son but I think I will give it to my daughter.
A couple of days later I popped back into the local charity shop and I found this little fella for £1.99
I also found this photo frame for £1.99, my daughter is always saying she wants photos of her family and friends in her room so I am going to find some of her favourite photos to put in it.
My daughter loves River Island so I have been keeping an eye on their sale, and I found two dresses that were half price that I know my daughter will love, so I ordered them to be delivered to our local store so that it is free delivery.
This one was £10.00
This one was £8.00
Well that's £34.00 spent so far, what do you think? £16.00 left so I'm going to have a look for some further bargains to make her day as special as can be. I need to get her a new glasses case because her incredibly clumsy mummy broke hers! But I think this will be a little addition, I can't count something I broke.
We will make her a birthday cake and invite all of her best friends round for tea, the boys will love that ha ha.
But then it will be their turn!
Have a great day and take care xx
Well done! Look at all the stuff you got for her and you stayed on budget!
ReplyDeleteI was reading your post on Feedly, at first, and the pictures weren't displaying like you have them so when I saw you weren't sure whether to give the stationery set to your daughter or youngest son, I was puzzled... for me a stationery set would be letterhead, envelopes, note cards. So then I came on your blog and realized my mistake and laughed. I was picturing your little boy writing long letters to someone (and was quite impressed, actually!).
The dresses are lovely. She's a girly girl so she will love them.
And don't you love that you could stack a voucher AND an offer to get all three of those stuffed animals for the price of the large one? Well done, indeed!
I also budget $50 per child for birthday presents. However, it's now crept up to $100 because they all want cash so I give them $50 cash and then feel bad about not having an actual "thing" to give them so I buy something to go with it. But then this year I was lazy and just gave them $100. Ugh.
Poor you with 3 birthdays within the same week! My youngest son was due to be born on my 2nd son's birthday, so I actually had him induced a week early so we would avoid having 2 of the same birthdays, lol. Otherwise, mine are spread out (2 in January, which actually stinks because it's right after Christmas and everyone is all shopped out by then), April and September. Greg is October and I'm December. Greg's daughters are both in July. I need to look up the boys' girlfriends, I don't remember when they are. And now we have Greg's grandson in April too and actually he was born on my oldest son's birthday so that one will be easy to remember.
I'm impressed with myself although I'm not sure the boys will be so easy.
DeleteIts Liam and my eight year old that were born on the same day. My eight year old held out until about 6pm and then came in a rush in the ambulance on the way to the hospital and that so suits his personality, I would have had him induced but he arrived early anyway!
I think I will probably give Liam money as there isn't much he wants other than maybe the new Arsenal shirt.
Ha that's funny because my youngest son will avoid writing at all costs, for his homework he has a choice of drawing, writing etc and from the start of the year he has done a drawing. I spoke to his teacher but she said its his choice so I've gone with it.
Argh, December and January that's not the best timing either is it! We have last week of June, two the first week of July and two in August, Bens in December and mine is in March.
So you too have to buy two presents for the same day now, lucky you! :)
lots of lovely present, I hope she has a lovely days, I especially like the photo frame. My late Dad, his birthday was on the 4th January and my son's is on the 5th January, hubby's is actually on christmas day! and we got married on my birthday so hubby only has one day to remember but we always make a point of buying two lots of presents, usually chocolates! x
ReplyDeleteSo many people have birthdays that are grouped together. I'm glad your hubby gets two lots of presents on his birthday it must have been hard for him when he was little to have his birthday on Christmas day.
DeleteChocolates are always good! Unfortunately I'm trying to avoid sweet stuff at the minute unless its natural - I just had banana on toast, it was yummy xxx