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Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: Toffeemama on December 29, 2016, 09:51:01 AM

Title: How much did you spend on Christmas?
Post by: Toffeemama on December 29, 2016, 09:51:01 AM
Curious to see all the differences in everyone's holiday spending.  No judgement here, as we all have different life situations and priorities.

According to my YNAB report, my household spent $992 on holiday items, including gifts, decorations, and food treats.  We have 3 kids, and do gift exchanges with husband's entire family (13 people), and 2 members of my family.  I'd like to get the number down to $700 next year.
Title: Re: How much did you spend on Christmas?
Post by: south of 61 on December 29, 2016, 10:54:34 AM
We spent just under $250. But we used points / gift cards for another $200 or so. I am happy with that - we hosted (and paid for!) a wonderful turkey dinner for 9 and sent gifts overseas too. We only have 1 child of our own and we buy for 3 nephews too.
 
For me, the best part is that we haven't been to a store since Dec 23, and we still have lots of leftovers to get through. So I figure we will have saved about $80 in food costs this week - making it a pretty economical Christmas.

I love saving money on buying gifts, I got my mom a lovely 100% silk scarf, never opened, still in packaging, from a deceased estate sale. I also scored some crabtree and evelyn hand cream that was 75% off, got it for $8  - the store had 4 left so I got them all! Both these finds were in the summer, and I've had them stashed away since then. 
Title: Re: How much did you spend on Christmas?
Post by: TightFistedScot on December 29, 2016, 11:28:24 AM
My parents paid for my flight home to visit them just before the holidays so that saved me $450.

I made donations in lieu of Xmas gifts for family members - $300

I bought some locally made chocolates to give to a few friends - $45

Holiday boozin' - $40

Hosted a party, bought some food and alcohol for that, but received so many bottles of wine from friends it cancelled itself out. :P

Most gifts for friends were hand-made/recycled/baked - Have no idea the total cost, maybe $40

Total: $425 (I'm single, no kids).
Title: Re: How much did you spend on Christmas?
Post by: khangaroo on December 29, 2016, 11:54:48 AM
fyi - there was a similar thread started in the general discussion forum:

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/how-much-did-you-spend-on-christmashanukkahthe-holidays-this-year/
Title: Re: How much did you spend on Christmas?
Post by: Toffeemama on December 29, 2016, 02:06:48 PM
fyi - there was a similar thread started in the general discussion forum:

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/how-much-did-you-spend-on-christmashanukkahthe-holidays-this-year/

Thanks, I must have missed it!  Heading over there now :)
Title: Re: How much did you spend on Christmas?
Post by: Rimu05 on December 29, 2016, 02:25:02 PM
Nothing. If anything I got a surprise $200 gift card from one of the teams I work with.