Christmas Giving

So this year I actually managed to save up money for Christmas. I started either in August or September trying to save about $100 per month for Christmas this year. However, by the first of December I had a lot less than the $400 I had wanted to have, minimal. But with some budgeting magic, and God's blessing, we ended up with about $370 for Christmas after all. In the past we have either used credit cards (about 3 years ago) or relied on last minute blessings from family that helped us through the season. This year we are on our own, and though it feels a little overwhelming at times, it also feels freeing. Sure, we aren't giving elaborate gifts, but we can afford what we are giving, and will not be paying on them for the next two years! We will not start January off depressed because of bills. Yay!

After I decided on our budget, or the budget decided on us, I counted how many gifts I wanted to give, or people to give to. Twenty four people. That is a lot of people with $370. So we shortened the list, all married people are counted as one person, sorry people, but that makes it so much easier! If you are a close friend you will get a personal gift on your birthday.

My family drew names for Christmas, so we had four people on that side of the family to buy for. Plus my mom and dad were not included in the name drawing this year, as they never obey the rules, so we also bought gifts for them. On Joey's side of the family his sister had come up with the idea last year that we not worry about the adults, and just focus on the kids. However, I have a hard time doing this. I decided to give the kids a personal gift and all the married people got a "generic" gift that I would make for everyone.

All the married couples will receive a tin of yummy homemade goodness and some coffee. The only couple that is getting left out of this is Hanna and Chris, seeing as Hanna is doing a gluten free and refined sugar free diet, which eliminates all homemade candy! They are getting a surprise gift that I found on clearance which I know she will like.

Before I started shopping I set myself a limit for each person, about $10 (remember a married couple is counted as one person). I also made lists and looked over coupons, and I prayed. Yes, I prayed over our money. I gave thanks that God had blessed us with this much money to spend on gifts and asked Him to help it go even farther than it should so it can be a blessing to others. I truly believe that He has done this for us. I have bought so many wonderful gifts that are both practical and beneficial for people. I currently have six full boxes of gifts ready to be mailed to people, and only a fraction of my money is gone. The rest will pay for shipping, and then start buying gifts for my immediate family (a completely new challenge!).

So what did I buy? Well, a lot of things, where to start?

Jeff: Two copper colored sweat shirts. Originally $7 each, on sale for $5 each, with a $1/2 coupon, made them $9. Saved $5.

Jarrett: Regulation size football. $13. Comparable football at sporting goods store $35. Savings of $22 (Note we went slightly over on his gift, but it is okay, others were under budget)

Jacquelyn: Bath salts, bath fizzes, and sugar scrub, all made with ingredients I had at home, FREE. Containers for each, $3 for all at dollar store. At other store, $2 each, savings of $3. Four tubes Maybelline Lip Gloss on sale with coupons. Normally $24, for me FREE. Socks at Target normally $5, on sale for $4, savings $1. Total cost $7, normal cost $50? guessing since I made all the bath stuff for FREE!!

Connie: Fuzzy socks $3, normally $4, savings $1. Scrapbook stuff $6 at Target. Scrapbook stuff at JoAnns fabric on clearance for $.25 each, bought her about 12 things, which cost $3, plus a tin for $.50 instead of $2.50. Total cost $12.50, normal cost $24.50, savings of $12.

Mom: Salad spinner $10. Embroidered hand towels for kitchen $2 for plain towels and I used my machine at home to embroider them. They look fabulous now! I don't know how much I saved on those! Kleenex holder for purse, normally $2.50, on sale for $.50. Total cost $12.50, normally $20? savings $7.50

Dad: Two stainless steel water bottles. On sale at Walgreens for $3.33, bought 3, one will go another person, used $5 RR, $5 for three, savings of $7. Noramlly $3.99 a piece. Homemade granola, made with ingredients I had on hand, FREE. Container for granola $.50. Normally $1.00. Lastly, a donation made in his name to buy a pair of chickens for a poor family in India, $11. Total cost $15. Savings $7.50

Mom and Dad are also getting a small tin of candy. Tin cost $1, candy, not sure yet!

Marty and Jennie: Candy, coffee, spice tea, embroidered towels, Christmas ornament.

Sam and Christine: Candy, coffee, spice tea.

Grandma Ellie and Lori: Candy, coffee, spice tea.

MeriChris and kids: Candy and coffee. For JoJo, sparkly letters that spell her name in pink. Normally $5, on sale $2, savings $3. Ellie a tin full of fun crafty things to make a scrapbook with. Plus a small scrapbook and greeting cards to paste in. Normal cost $20, my cost $4.50, savings $15.50. MeriChris I made her a pouch style baby sling. I bought 2 yards cotton twill, dyed it at home and then sewed the pouch. Normal cost of fabric $20. My cost $8, only used half for one sling, so $4 for the present. $12 savings, plus $4 of fabric leftover to make another sling for a baby present for someone else. I had a purchased a sling it would have been somewhere between $20 and $30. Total normally $45, my cost $10.50, savings of $34.50! Wow!

For the candy gifts:
Spice tea, FREE, my mom made and packaged it with Gabbie before Thanksgiving.
Metal Christmas tins: Normally $3 each, on sale for $1.50 a piece, 6 x $1.50=$9.00
Ingredients for Candy: Normally $40, on sale plus coupons, $29, savings of $11.
Foil and parchment paper: $3
Coffee, one pound at $8.99.
Total spent $50, savings $20. Plus not sure about how much the spice tea was worth.
This amount of candy made enough for seven gifts, so they are about $7 a piece, well within budget.

Also, as I mentioned Hanna and Chris will be getting something else from us. I found this on clearance at Target on accident one day. It was normally $30, on sale for $7.50. I bought the two they had on clearance. I will either keep one, or find someone else that will appreciate it! Total spent $15, savings $45!

Okay, so for the final total of money spent: $145
What I could have paid for everything: $325
Savings of: $180.
Wow. More than 50% off of everything all together.

Okay, for shipping costs. All boxes free. I'm using free priority mail boxes for the four smaller packages, and recycled boxes for the other two. For shipping, I'm using priority mail from home for the smaller four, which saved me $2 in postage plus a trip to the post office, a total of $37.20.
This was paid for by a refund I just received for $37, so did not come out of the Christmas budget, isn't God awesome!!

I will know later today how much shipping is on the other two. I'm assuming about $30 all together, which will make a total of $175 spent out of the Christmas budget, leaving us with about $195 approximately to spend on our immediate family, or a little less than $50 a piece. Which of course we will probably spend more on the kids than each other.

I just want to say thank you to God for stretching our money and helping us to bless others and give back after receiving so much this year, we are so blessed!