Yep! For next year! This year kinda hit us like a ton of bricks! So many surprise expenses all at once, it wasn't good. So I am going to buy one gift for someone each week for the entire year. That's my goal anyway. Then I will place it in a locked tuft box for next Christmas. I am thinking this should really help diminish the stress and worry of buying so many gifts all at once.

I know a few people have Christmas Funds at their banks, etc. Does anyone else have ideas or currently use an effective method to help with spending all at once and being prepared in advance?

I also thought about the fact that kids change what they want all the time, and let's face it, I am sure they will come out with some cool new stuff right before Christmas, as always, but at least the majority of things could be out of the way. 

we do this already. it helps with 5 kids and 8 nieces and nephews and the partents of my husband and me 

My husband said we are only doing presents for our parents next year lol. Out of the siblings and parents (12 people), we've had just a handful of thank yous and that irritates me. I don't really care if you send a card- text, email, fb, phone call- be grateful we thought of you.

If we do decide to go with gifts, I think once or twice a month, I will go buy a giftcard. Whether it's to a restaurant or Visa. That way if we don't know what we want to purchase, we can tuck it away until we know for sure or we see it on sale. 

We do layaway at the PX. They have 90 day layaway so we still have plenty of time to pay it off. That way we aren't worrying about hiding the stuff, getting it early and it not working by Christmas time when you can't return it anymore, or having to spend a bunch all at once. We have done it where we bought everything at once but we just start saving a few months in advance and don't touch it. We only buy for our kids, my little sister, and family members that buy gifts for the kids since no one does adult gifts. 

I think that's an excellent idea when you have younger kids. I don't know how old you guys' kids are. I don't think I could do that, since my daughter and oldest son are independent in their finances, I don't know what they will buy themselves until late in the year. Another example, my 12 year old had a wii and an xbox in his room, we planned on getting him a new TV early in the year as his is an ancient big one. Right before Thanksgiving, his wii took a poop and the xbox stopped playing the games, needless to say, we had to get him a new game system that we couldn't have planned on. He is too old for toys anymore, he got electronics, 2 blue rays, clothes, and some spiffy headphones(his broke right before Christmas too!) 

I could not shop this far in advance. Mine are (almost) 2, 3, 7, and 11. Their interests don't last that long. I don't even think I'd be comfortable buying clothing because their sizes change so much.

In October I ask my kids (the three oldest) to make a list. I make a list for the youngest myself. I start shopping right after that and I'm usually done right before Thanksgiving or the first week in December. If I was going to do anything in advance I'd use a savings account or buy those Visa/Amex gift cards you can use like cash and tuck them away. My Mom always did layaway when we were kids and it must've worked out well because she did it for 18+ years lol. 

My Mom always did layaway when we were kids and it must've worked out well because she did it for 18+ years lol.

When my kids were younger we did that too! We didn't have to hide them for the kids to not see them, and we paid them off right before Christmas. 

My kids are 1, 5, 6 and 8. Then I have a 9 year old sister. 

We didn't have to hide them for the kids to not see them, and we paid them off right before Christmas. 

As a kid, this part of the whole layaway thing always irritated me. I couldn't try to shake boxes or anything haha! :-) 

I started after the last bday in August my boys are older so we we'll be doing money and gift cards to like builder club and wizard 101. We did electronics, video games and board game the year. Great job ladies we are doing the 52 week challenge where we can gave 1300 hundred by the end of the year. 

That's a good idea 

FYI I am searching for an awesome website that I found a few mths ago, and then forgot about it, but...if you want a GREAT gift for a family member, friend, there is a site that does your family name in pictures, but the pictures are of items that form your name. For instance, I saw one with the "O" being a wagon wheel, and so forth. It was awesome!!! 

Here is one that I found, but it is not the same site. I think this would make an awesome gift for my best friends.

Alphabet Photography 

Found it on her page finally!

Spell It Out Photography

I love the one they got, her friend added their names, as well as the date of their marriage 

Althought the first site let's you see your name and choose your frame and mat, the second site does not. Not that I can get it to anyway. I think the price is way less as well. But anyhoo, I know what I am getting my bf's next year(well early so I can afford it) 

As a kid, this part of the whole layaway thing always irritated me. I couldn't try to shake boxes or anything haha! :-)

lol I unwrapped the very ends of my gifts and taped them back! lol I don't know why, I ruined my own surprise! 

Had I done layaway this year, I would not have been able to pay it off. We had so many things come up...emergency auto repair, emergency with one of my kids, emergency vet bill to pay, oh goodness, we got hit hard this year. 

I have two framed letter photos like those. Mine say Love and Faith. I got them both from a lady and her husband at a holiday craft show on JBLM. They were considerably less than those above and already framed. I wish I knew their names because I'd like to buy more. The frames look to be handmade and I want more words that match, but I'd have to reframe them all. 

We only buy for our kids. With my parents, his, and siblings we do homemade ornament exchanges. Our family is huge and no way we can afford it but we all agree we enjoy the ornaments best.

Definitely shopping ahead of time, or making a "Christmas only" fund. 

This year my almost 4 year old will me making something with the clear ornaments. Hopefully I can find enough 12 packs or whatever they come in and that will be his gifts to every one. Come to think of it thats what Ive been forgetting to look for now that its after christmas. 

I put a dollar into savings this week? 52 in the next the back to three the third week. I save about 1300 a year doing that, its basically start with a dollar and add one for every week of the year and leave it in savings. When Christmas comes that's all we spend. 

They sell the clear ones in 12 packs at hobby lobby. I occasionally see them at Walmart but not sure about now. 

KMARt has tons of Christmas marked down, especially storage for Christmas items, and tree ornaments. 

Ill have to check walmart today if I decide to go. Its -9 outside before wind chill right now and its 12:40pm. Havent seen a Kmart here at all. But I think they are all closed but one and thats about an hour and a half south of me. And as far as I know thats where the only hobby lobby is too. 

Samba, I have a friend who buys gift cards all year long and puts them away for Christmas. Buying the gift cards you don't have to worry about kids changing there minds with what they want or if they have outgrown certain toys. 

Samba, I have a friend who buys gift cards all year long and puts them away for Christmas. Buying the gift cards you don't have to worry about kids changing there minds with what they want or if they have outgrown certain toys. 

ArmyWife, There is a KMART in Spanaway, and Puyallup. I go to the Spanaway one since they closed the Lakewood one. I am not much of a KMART shopper. I don't really shop Walmart either. 

2boysn1princess...That's a great idea. I do have to Target gift cards that I did not use. i checked to see if they expire, and they don't so at least we have two there! ;) Probably the only things I will buy close to next Christmas would be clothing items. Don't want to buy them too far in advance because kids tend to grow so fast! 

Last year I bought $100 visa gift card each pay day ($200 month) there were a few months I bought three. come November I had more than enough for gifts, holiday meals, all the extra food, I have two kids birthdays that both fall within 8 days after Christmas, that money helped with that as well. 

Samba I know...we just left lewis a couple months ago. We are at Ft drum NY now. And boy do we miss Lewis for the most part lol.