Poor elves

Me and my boyfriend save £15 a month each and we find this works out ok. We did have a few problems earlier in the year so had to take £100 out but we've still got £120 left in there and we're only in July!

Lurve Crimbo!!!

Good for you! I normally just buy presents throughout the year,but I'm finding that I have to buy for males nearer the time as they always want something specific so I may have to start putting money aside too.

That's a good sum of money to put away! And it's also good that you've got money there if you need it, even if it's supposed to be put aside for Christmas.

Admin wrote:That's a good sum of money to put away! And it's also good that you've got money there if you need it, even if it's supposed to be put aside for Christmas.

Yeah, we thought so. And it's only £15 each so I don't miss it quite so much. Shouldn't need to take any out before Christmas other than to buy presents. Going to start looking fairly soon, also want to make a few things so that will come out of there too. Need to start making things soon otherwise they won't get done!!

I may need to find somewhere seperate to keep my Christmas savings from my usual savings. Me and the husband save £500 together a month but we dip into pay for holidays, or like today we bought some curtains and cushions.......interesting people aren't we? Lol.

Anyway if I keep saving Christmas money in my usual savings it's going to be hard to keep track of how much is christmas money and how much is normal. Where do you keep yours? I'm thinking just a jar in the house would be fine.

**purpleprincess** - Yeah, that makes sense. It's best to leave it alone unless you have to use it. For me, £15 is quite a lot as im unemployed at the moment but when you've got a good job, it's fine. It also makes things easier at the end of the year too!

RedCat - I keep mine in a jar but I suppose it depends on how much you'd be putting in the jar? And whether you're likely to be burgled. We live in a rough area (yeah, there are rough villages around here ) so I wouldnt keep more than about £50 in the house but if it's safer there, then yeah that sounds alright.

Yeah good point. I'm in a rough street in the city centre so maybe in a jar isn't a good idea. I'll only be saving around £10 a month as i've bought most presents so maybe in the wardrobe or something lol.

If you have any rugs with chairs or tables on them, hiding stuff under the rug isnt a bad idea. We have a sofa on a rug and keep some money under there lol. Only like £30 for emergencies but yeah.

Good idea. We thought about freezing cash in a plastic box wrapped with cling film to avoid temptation to spend but i'm worried it'll damage the cash, what do you think?

im not sure if that would be okay or not. Maybe you could try it with an old newspaper or something like that first to see what effects it has on that? The ice might make the ink run on the money though.. Unless it was coins..

I dont really save for christmas i just make sure i buy a few things each month instead of putting money away

I think that's often the best way to be! It stops the temptation to spend the money saved for Christmas because it's only being spent little by little out of the normal pay cheque.

Hey all! If you don't want to keep your money in a jar then have a look at an instant access savings account. I don't have one for Christmas because I tend to buy gifts throughout the year but I've done it in the past for bills. When I lived in shared accomodation my house mate and myself would out £15 a week into a shared account - we were paid every week at the time. By making sure it went out the day we were paid, we didn't even notice the money coming out.

You probably won't get any interest on the account but you wouldn't get any with it in a jar either.

The other thing I've done was to keep a money box locked up in a draw in work. Instead of buying a coffee or cake I'd put the money into the jar. A colleague of mine did it and bought a new plasma TV!!!! It also helps if you're dieting

If you have a "What!" store near you, they have metal ones that can only be opened with a can opener. They can hold about £500 in £1 coins.

That does sound like a good idea. I need to find a drawer now..

Thanks for the tip. It's really useful!

I have an Instant Access Savings Account, actually. I never thought of using it for Christmas as well. That might be a good idea. Thanks.