christmas is over, but I am thinking of next year already...
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
United States
December 31, 2011 7:51pm CST
I have a lack of storage in my house, so of course I cant buy ahead like some of my family that have already starting shopping for next years Christmas. However, I started thinking of ways to pay for next years Christmas shopping.
I am a member of swagbucks and I use it to search the internet and build up my swagbucks, in which I cash out usually twice a month for $5 paypal deposits. This is good yes, but I started thinking today that I am going to start cashing out for amazon gift cards instead and then I can build them up and use them to shop for Christmas gifts come next fall and it wont cost me anything. Also figuring this out prior to the new year starting, and since I just cashed out last week and I am starting my swagbucks over.... this is great idea because I will get to next september and think about starting my holiday shopping and wont have long to build up anything..
since this has been my pattern thus far.
One of my many ways of getting organized this year and thinking ahead. 
Are you one of the people that have already starting thinking of next Christmas?? or is there something in the next year that you are already planning ahead for??
thanks for sharing and happy mylotting!!
since this has been my pattern thus far.
One of my many ways of getting organized this year and thinking ahead.
Are you one of the people that have already starting thinking of next Christmas?? or is there something in the next year that you are already planning ahead for??
thanks for sharing and happy mylotting!!3 people like this
7 responses
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
2 Jan 12
if all my plans work out this year like I am hoping, then I will have a spot in the attic to put any gifts I can pick up early....as of right now, I dont have any closet space, under bed space or even in the laundry room. Every inch of space is accounted for in my small house and we are outgrown it. so if I get my wish of stairs to the attic and a simple plywood floor up there then I can get some extra storage space to put things.
thanks for the response and good luck with your shopping this year...I hope you find some great deals!! Have a great night and happy mylotting. :)
@ayumitakashi (4462)
• United States
2 Jan 12
I am like you because I'm always thinking of ways to pay for next Christmas's presents. But I don't usually think so far in advance. I usually start thinking about it around August. But I'm thinking of taking advantage of some of the after Christmas sales so I can buy some on sale clothing for my little sister.
I usually try to win some gift cards from other sites so that I can buy stuff from Barnes and Noble or Itunes for my friends to make things easier. I also tend to not cashout for a couple of months from one of the survey sites that I am a part of so that I can use that to buy presents; it's able to take off the burden of spending on Christmas presents without having to stop paying bills.
So I might start with some clothes but I also like having time to hear throughout the year what some of my family members or friends want for that year. And hopefully I try to find sales and coupons to get it. But if it's not possible I just end up getting something simpler that they would still like. Happy mylotting!
1 person likes this
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
27 Jan 12
Usually when halloween hits, that is when I start thinking christmas then I live in a stress mode until it is over... this year I want to be more prepared, and with 3 kids now I need to start a head of time to keep up.
thanks for the response, good luck with your shopping and savings... have a great day!! Happy Mylotting. :)
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
2 Jan 12
I always wish that I could do that but I only have 2 closets in my whole house and currently I have no under bed storage since our bed frame broke a couple years ago...so the mattress just sit on the floor, which my kids think is the best so they can jump on my bed. LOL and my attic isnt accessible yet.... so I cant hide anything from my kids. If I get my wish this year and get a ladder built and a some boards put down for a floor up there then it will add a storage place to our house and I can then start picking things up early. :)
thanks for the response and have a great night!! good luck at the next store you check out. Happy Mylotting!!
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
1 Jan 12
I run my checking account in tandem with a savings account. When I get paid I sweep all non-essential funds to the savings account and then top up the checking account as and when necessary. I find that I build up a small reserve that can be used for Christmas or other uses and at a reasonable rate of interest. I also regularly review my budget to ensure that we spend only what we need to and keep the rest in the savings account.
1 person likes this
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
2 Jan 12
that works out great for you...I am in the learning process of a budget, opening a savings account for the first time in nearly 10 years. I think also by building up my swagbucks with amazon gift cards I will be able to get great gifts for my kids that they would never expect.
thanks for the response and have a great night!! Happy Mylotting. :)
@Masihi (4413)
• Canada
2 Jan 12
Yeap, that's me as well, I'll be saving my $5 deposits from swagbucks as well, and also zoombucks, I just joined that not so long ago, and it works just like swagbucks, too. So I'll be looking forward to getting money from those guys, plus MyLot and Sidetick. I won't be purchasing much, though, because I knit all year around so I'll have knitted dishcloths and scarves and hats. My PayPal money (the deposits from the aformentioned sites) will go towards a candle making company down in the USA. They deal with paypal, and sell candle making kits. They make lovely gifts, all I have to do is follow the instructions and then let them cool, the voila, nice gifts!
As for my children, probably more socks, scarves, and hats, plus their grandparents always give them something. We try to keep Christmas low-key.
1 person likes this
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
2 Jan 12
I love the fact that we have these sites to help us out... I have always been so behind and dont think about the holidays until it is almost too late but this year I will be ahead of the game. Thats awesome that you knit... great gifts too!!
thanks for the response and have a great night!! Happy Mylotting. :)
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
2 Jan 12
I too have recently started using swagbucks. I cashed out last week for paypal credit, and am working towards more. So many of my sites have moved towards "gifts" instead of cash. Luckily, most have a ton of toys, books and DVD's in things that my child enjoys. I am already deciding how much I am going to allow my family to spend next year. It will probably be a bit less than whatever I manage to accumulate through my survey and other earning sites.
1 person likes this
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
2 Jan 12
I think thats great. I would always opt for the paypal option but I am thinking now to try to expand and see what new things I can get next year. I will also use some of my sites for paypal and keep a portion of that for gifts as well. I am just so glad I am thinking ahead and going to be organized and ready this year.
thanks for the response and good luck to you with your sites towards gifts!! have a great night and happy mylotting!!
thanks for the response and good luck to you with your sites towards gifts!! have a great night and happy mylotting!! @Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
1 Jan 12
hi bookreadermom08 I guess its a good idea for those who like to
shop early but I love to wait until December when I c an at least get the Christmas spirit first. I know this all makes good
sense but I like waiting until December before thinking
about buying Christmas gifts.I think I would be all out of the
mood for christmas by doing every thing so much earlier.
1 person likes this
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
2 Jan 12
I have always started after Halloween, only because of a lack of space and storage in my house. I never really give much thought of it since my money is tight and I cant hide anything from my kids....this way if I start building up amazon gift cards, I can then wait until November to do my shopping but I will have a bit of money stored up from my swagbucks account and this way I wont have to stress over the lack of money I always deal with as well.
thanks for the response, and have a great night!! happy mylotting. :)
