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I’ve been looking forward to writing this post only because that means I’m DONE with my Christmas shopping. Last year we spent $847.80 on Christmas gifts. This year, I spent a bit less. Family and friends – you know who you are – better not read this if you want to be surprised!!!!
Here’s how much I spent on Christmas
This list includes presents my husband and I bought for both of our families as well as our own children. The total does not include gifts my husband bought for me.
$75 restaurant gift card for my Mom and step-father
$6 for cashmere blend socks for my Mom
$4 for “fancy” nuts for my step-father
$35 for two shirts for my little brother (scored at Marshall’s!)
$22 for a high-quality reusable bag from Omnisax and beauty items for my little sister
$58 on three books and a toy for my nephews
$43 on two gag gifts for my brother-in-law (have to keep up with the family tradition)
$60 for two humor books and special lotion for my sister
$11 on candy and chocolate for my nephews and their parents
$19.50 for a museum pass for my Dad
$0 on three homemade felt ornaments for my sister and her family
$3 on chocolate for my sister and her family
$30 on an infinity scarf for my sister
$7 for socks for my brother-in-law
$50 restaurant gift certificate for my sister and her partner
$25 for a wooden stacking toy for my nephew
$100 to my niece for an upcoming trip abroad
$75 for an Edible Arrangements bouquet for my father-in-law
$10 for a bouncing horse toy for my daughter that I bought at a consignment sale
$80 for a dollhouse with people and furniture for my daughter
$30 Construction dress up outfit for truck-obsessed daughter
$18 Firefighter dress up outfit for my firefighter-obsessed daughter
$6 Mr. Potato Head toy for the girls
$24 for a funny T-shirt for my husband
$1.50 for chocolate bar for my husband
That comes to a total of $793.
But using my clever bargain ways, I lowered that cash outlay by…
- Using a Marshall’s gift card that I got with credit card rewards to reduce my total by $64.
- Dipped into my “gift closet” to give my little sister the beauty items and reusable bag worth $22.
- I bought the infinity scarf with a Living Social voucher I earned through referrals, saving me $30.
- The $10 bouncy horse toy I picked up used at a consignment sale three months ago, so that expense was absorbed into our budget months ago. (They go about $50 new.)
- The $80 dollhouse was purchased for last Christmas, but I realized that she was not quite ready for it, so that cost was absorbed into our monthly budget months ago.
After discounts, we spent $587 on Christmas.
Last year, our Christmas spending, after discounts, came to $736.74. We spent 20% less this year, although to be fair, I was planning on buying another present for my husband. So the total may inch back up. But he has said he doesn’t want a big present this year. Maybe I’ll make him something he will never throw out.