Christmas Earnings
By SomeCowgirl
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
United States
September 27, 2010 3:18pm CST
I was thinking about Christmas coming up and wondering if everyone here was confident with the budget they have for Christmas. For those who save up mostly their online earnings, are you satisfied with the amount you've earned for this Christmas, or do you still have more to go before you'll be satisfied with it? If you're satisfied with the money you have saved up, are you already shopping for Christmas, or are you going to wait until after Thanksgiving?
How is it looking for you this year as compared to last? Will you be spending more or less?
We've not started our Christmas shopping yet but we plan to do so in November. Not sure how much we will be spending but we're going to save as much of our money as we can, so I don't think we'll go as far out as we did last year. I still have to talk to my husband about that. If anything I might talk about us waiting until after Christmas to spend on us, or doing so before.
12 responses
@celticeagle (189927)
• Boise, Idaho
28 Sep 10
I am thinking of putting some things on lay away at K-mart. I haven't done this for many years but am thinking of trying it again. I want us to have a nice Christmas this year and am hoping this will help. A good friend of mine started buying things on sale one year around July. By the end of Novemeber she had all kinds of things wrapped and saved. I wish I could do that but never have enough money.
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
28 Sep 10
We are going to most likely put a kitchen table and chairs on LayAway at our KMart, but it won't be for Christmas. We'll probably either do that soon or after Christmas but first we'd have to figure out where to put it in our building. Of course, it can also just wait until after we get our own place. None the less... I hope that putting some things on layaway will help you with gift buying, it seems convenient and efficient enough.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
28 Sep 10
Yes now they have site to store but I think you still have to pay up front which isn't as good. Wal*Mart isn't doing as good as K*Mart because of that I am sure.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189927)
• Boise, Idaho
28 Sep 10
I used to do it at Walmart but they quit having the layaway. Good luck with the table and chairs.
1 person likes this
@Memnon (2170)
•
30 Sep 10
I have bought a few items for Christmas throughout the year, but I must admit that there is not much put aside for it. I'm a member of several survey sites, and cannot help notice that if you fall into a certain age group- 40+(?) it seems progressively more difficult to qualify for surveys- thus cutting what you have put by on line.
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
30 Sep 10
Survey sites are the worst. I live in a rural area, and am 23, I hardly qualify for any surveys. I don't really care much to partake them anyway so it's no skin off my back, but I know they can really good earners if you're in the right area / age group. Just the other day someone was talking about lying on the age group question so that she could get some surveys she knows pays.
Glad you've bought a few things, my husband and I haven't but we usually don't start until November. We're terrible about wanting to give the present early! Also we don't have anywhere to hide the present!
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
30 Sep 10
Very clever hiding spot! So you do nothing to dispel it but do you encourage / feed the idea of spiders being up there? lol. On another subject, I wish we had a loft, I've seen some very very small houses with two lofts. It's basically a studio apartment (one room) but it's a house instead.
@cutepenguin (6430)
• Canada
2 Oct 10
Well, I try very hard to keep my Christmas budget pretty low. It was only last year that we actually managed to not use credit cards, which was pretty nice. This year we will probably also manage it, but I really have to increase the amount of sewing and knitting I am doing, and I need to make more online money.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
2 Oct 10
you sew and knit for money? I mean I suppose you sell some things like that at craft shows? There are a lot of them going on lately. I hope you can earn more online money, I need to do so too and hope to make the amount I've already decided to focus on this month.
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
27 Sep 10
Christmas just isn't what it was as a kid.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
27 Sep 10
That's what I am talking about! Back then we didn't have to shell out money!
1 person likes this
@jugsjugs (12967)
•
27 Sep 10
I have been putting money into a savings account,aswell as paying money into a hamper company for shopping vouchers,also food so that all i have to do is a few bits of shopping to spend these vouchers.I have got my daughters gifts they finally arrived today and they are what they call ugg boots and also designer clothes that she wanted,£177 laqter and she is sorted out along with money aswell.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
27 Sep 10
So you've had everything squared away anticipating this Christmas season. That is good to hear. The Ugg boots are the ones with the fur at the top if I'm not mistaken, and they're usually suede? Maybe I'm confused about that but thought I'd ask.
@jugsjugs (12967)
•
27 Sep 10
Yes they are the Ugg boots.I do not think they are that nice looking,as they remind me of those little old ladies that you see every year when there is snow on the groung,but they are all the rage so my two daughters keep telling me.I am really miles ahead this year so i am really really happy.My mum aswell as my daughter do all my wrapping up of the gifts.
@randylovesdar (4932)
• United States
2 Oct 10
Well I am trying to save up as much as I can for Christmas. I am making a lot of home made gifts this year so I am hoping to get started soon. I will also be launching an online store at etsy later on this month so I am hoping some of my crafts will sell. I make bath salts, soap, and two different types of ornaments. I am hoping to make enough money for Christmas.
I am making a Pamper box for my mom and my sister. I am not sure what to do for my dad and my brother. For my niece and my nephews I am going to write a story book with each child as the main character.
For my over size grown child (my husband) I am not sure what to get him. He is hard to shop for and I love to get him more than one thing. I am hoping he will give me ideas besides saying I do not need anything.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
2 Oct 10
The pamper box sounds like a great idea, I hope you have fun making that. For your dad and brother you could get them a gift certificate for a game of golf if they enjoy golf, or maybe a pass to the Y? or of course a bass shop gift certificate, a sport store gift certificate.. auto store? Men are always hard to shop for it seems...
My husband is easier to shop for, he gives me a list because he's always wanting more video games.
Have fun and happy saving!
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
27 Sep 10
It seems like a lot of people are just buying for the children now. My family is, but we don't buy for my niece and nephew except for on birthday's. The family used to be able to spend more, but then again now we don't even spend time together. The past three years I've been with my husband's family for Christmas, I don't mind that though.
@brew2x (3094)
• Philippines
5 Dec 10
Our budget for Christmas this year is smaller compared to last year. We are trying to save as much money as we could since we are expecting a baby by next year. I'm glad our company is giving away grocery baskets with twice goodies compared last year. That would help a lot in our budget.
@maezee (41985)
• United States
19 Oct 10
I have heard of a lot of people doing this - especially with like things like Amazon gift cards and whatnot. I think it's a great idea! However I didn't plan early enough on this year - I've been spending the little bits of money I've been making online, padding my checking account with it - which is fine. Probably in total, I end up spending around $300 on Christmas presents, and that's it, just because I don't have all that many people to buy for. Although I may be cheap in other senses, I do not cheap out on Christmas presents - I LOVE and ADORE buying gifts for others. I'm planning on buying a few things here and there with the next couple of pay checks that I get.. Just to space things out nicely so that I don't have to worry about it all at once, all at last minute. It seems less painful to do it that way, lol.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
30 Sep 10
The vast majority of my Christmas shopping has been and will be done via Amazon because I'm able to earn a lot of gift cards from them. I sort of invest some of the money that I earn online to playing a game that roughly doubles my money. I've been able to do more in that realm this year, so it looks like we will probably be able to have a pretty good Christmas for the kids. Now for hubby and myself, we may wait until after the first of the year to do something for ourselves.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
30 Sep 10
I am glad your kids will have a pretty good Christmas this year. Amazon is a pretty good website and I love that a lot of sites let you earn gift cards for amazon, it sure helps save some money when buying things from there. I am going to talk to my husband about how we're going to buy things for us this year. We already have lists of what we want but I think I might edit mine and just get him to buy a nice gift basket of lotions and stuff. I already asked for skintimate, I've not used it in years. I usually use his shaving cream actually, and it works just as good.
@bounce58 (17380)
• Canada
1 Oct 10
I've given up on saving money for Christmas. I just get all stressed out when I think about it. I figured that I've already got so good at making ends meet, month to month, so I'll just cross the bridge when I get to Christmas.
I'll just wing it, and hopefully I come out OK on the other side.
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
1 Oct 10
Yes it's better to do what doesn't stress you out, especially Christmas season. I don't like to be stressed, I just like to enjoy the season and buy what I can buy. My husband and I Don't buy for many people, actually we don't buy for my side at all usually for Christmas. We did buy something for my dad last year though.
We usually just buy for his parents and his grandparents. My side doesn't really celebrate it anyway.
@randylovesdar (4932)
• United States
28 Sep 10
My husband thinks its too early to be planning Christmas, but secretly I have been thinking about it for a while. I am hoping to try to get my crafts sold online so I can make extra money. I have started gathering my stuff to sell, but I have not done anything about it yet. I am hoping this weekend I can get my stuff sold online. I am hoping to make enough money for Christmas as well as our mortgage for December. I will be making homemade gifts for the most part so I need to get started soon. For my parents my husband and I are flying to Vegas to see them for Christmas.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
28 Sep 10
I hope your crafts sell so you can buy the supplies to make your gifts this year. I also hope you can save up enough to spend a good while with your parents. It's okay to be thinking about Christmas, my husband hasn't said much but we both have been thinking about it, more now that our vacation has been postponed. Happy Christmas Thinking! It's just around the corner!
