[Funnynunny]

ok everyone, what's your way of the cheapest shopping for holiday&thanksgiving and christmas to save money..for me on thanksgiving since only my boyfriend and i are the only one living together in one home for dinner is 6 swanson or banquets frozen pot pies to cook in the oven, stove top turkey stuffin', cranberry sauce, and pillsburry cresent rolls and for chistmas my son nad my brothers 4 boys get money, my sisters kids get leap frong learning games and everyone else gets pictures! lol

[Sandra]

I´ll buy gifts together with family and friends That way it gets much more cheaper and it´s necesarry if you wan´t to survive next month!

[havocec]

Thankgiving, I try to get myself invited to the in-laws for dinner. Mom-in-law is a great cook, and I'm not. Hubby and son won't eat gravy at home unless they see me take it out of a can and heat it up. Pies? I'm ruining one as we speak.

I save all the gifts I get but don't like and re-gift it. Frenchy's and the Salvation Army have new stuff sometimes too. Just kidding. (Although, the S.A. on Green St. gets their stuff from the South End where all the rich people live. I got a pair of Versace jeans there with the labels still on them for $8 Cdn. If you have really good hunter/gatherer skills there are deals to be had. Waste not, want not.)

I try not to spend more than $30 on everyone except hubby, parents and son. Parents get gift certificates to restaurants. No one in my family is lacking for material goods. One really nice, useful inexpensive gift is enough, use your imagination. I have enough stuff too. The stores here were putting out the Christmas crap before Halloween. Gift certificates for carrots for the horses and booze for me is good. The only things I want for Christmas is World Peace, an end to World hunger, more money, more customers, my own Unit, a pink Cadillac, a bigger flash card for my camera and an italian charm bracelet. But, I don't want any bugs for Christmas, except for the Christmas Spider on my tree.

DON'T FORGET YOUR LOCAL FOOD BANK AND ANIMAL SHELTERS. COATS FOR KIDS AND THE SALVATION ARMY WHEN YOU GET NEW STUFF AND NEED ROOM IN THE CLOSET Please don't buy anyone pets for Christmas unless you know they are willing and capable of looking after the animal properly. Christmas puppies, kittens etc., are more than a one-day commitement.

[gohesse]

My children are in "Youth Group" and Sunday school in church, we are in church choir and I'm in two church commities. So after Halloween I don't have much time. I try to get all the gifts before Thanksgiving. I use catalog/on line shopping. Also, sometimes I buy things with half price AFTER Christmas and keep them till next year.
And fuuny thing is I still find myself running to stores for one last item.

[gohesse]

PS. FunnyNunny, Foods and gifts are not very important and I think you are smart to get already made things. Believe or not, cokking from scrach can cost us more than already made foods! I would say Enjoy the holiday and relax No need to creat more stress

[VirginKiller]

I'm too young to think of saving money:p

[Stormchaser]

" VirginKiller: I'm too young to think of saving money:p
I’m getting too old not to save. Gotta build up that nest egg.

I hate shopping, but oddly I really get into my one day Christmas power shopping binge. I wait till virtually the last minute, usually Dec. 23rd, sometimes Xmas Eve day. The large crowds that usually irritate me actually enhance the experience. No planning ahead, I just go to what used to be the biggest mall in the world (Woodfield Mall) and shop and eat till I drop. I try to put a budget for each person, but that usually goes by the wayside at the very first purchase. I’m too impatient to compare prices at different stores, so I just buy it if it looks good. Pay the piper when the credit card bill comes a month later and tell myself I really will follow a budget next year and maybe give myself more time. Next Dec. 23rd comes and I repeat the process all over again.

[gohesse]

hee hee hee American economy begins with you kidding.
But even if you might say you hate shopping, there is some warm feeling at each stores during the holiday season though.It's nice to see people are there thinking of their families and friends, some of them are actually thingking of less fortuneate people and pick up a few extra for them.

[anna]

i like shopping! and even when i try to save my father's money, i fail...

[loving_soul]

i know im late but im here lol...well i always adored christmass not thanksgiving actually!...lol:)