Are You Planning on Cutting Back on Your Holiday Shopping This Year Because of The Economy?

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Permalink Reply by LisaJohnson on October 11, 2008 at 4:52pm

I have to say we are cutting back this year but it's more because we have to do expensive repairs to our roof than the economy! We're going with more meaningful stuff this year and I'm hauling out the sewing machine . . .

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Permalink Reply by Kipling on October 11, 2008 at 5:05pm

I think a lot of people will be hauling out their sewing machines! Sorry to hear about your roof, it's amazing how home repairs can take over your budget! I always like getting meaningful gifts. My boys are making mobiles with found objects and giving them to their friends. It was my seven year old's idea, I thought that was just great! Thanks for replying Lisa!

Kipling
Better Giving by Kipling
http://www.bettergivingbykipling.com
http://bettergivingbykipling.blogspot.com

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Permalink Reply by TheScrappyMama on October 11, 2008 at 6:30pm

We will probably be doing about the same as usual. I love Christmas and can't help myself! LOL

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Permalink Reply by Kipling on October 11, 2008 at 6:42pm

Hi Mel,

So glad to hear that! Thanks for replying!

Kipling
Better Giving by Kipling
http://www.bettergivingbykipling.com
http://www.bettergivingbykipling.blogspot.com

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Permalink Reply by Kipling on October 11, 2008 at 6:46pm

Hi Scrappymama!

LOL! I'm glad you will be doing the same, I love Christmas too! BTW, Ijust checked out your blog, LOVE IT!

Kipling
Better Giving by Kipling
http://www.betterivingbykipling.com
http://wwwbettergivingbykiplinggifts.blogspot.com

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Survillas on October 11, 2008 at 8:45pm

We are cutting back. We have many family members really affected by the economy and don't want anyone to feel any pressure. It is a great learning experience for our kids...thankfulness for what they have. We are only buying things they need from us and Santa will bring a splurge item, but not a big one! =) We aren't exchanging gifts with anyone else this year either!

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Permalink Reply by Kipling on October 12, 2008 at 6:34am

That is a great learning experience for kids. My kids are making presents this year, mobiles out of found objects for their friends and photo magnets for relatives and are also getting one big item each. It's so important to teach them the value of money @ an early age and the bigger lesson of giving meaningful things to people you care about. I also made a point when when I was buying merchandise for my store to get more items at lower price points. And, so far that has been paying off for me. Thanks for replying Lisa!

Kipling
Better Giving by Kipling
http://www.bettergivingbykipling.com
http://bettergivingbykiplinggifts.blogspot.com

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Permalink Reply by Alysa on October 12, 2008 at 6:44am

We are scaling back as well. I am doing a lot of home made projects and photos! And we're only giving gifts to family, and cards to everyone else. All my christmas cards this year will be handmade as well to give an extra special touch instead of gifts!!

I would LOVE to buy everyone what they want...I remember Christmas' long ago when we'd go out with a huge budget!! ahh to the days gone by!

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Permalink Reply by Kipling on October 12, 2008 at 6:53am

Thanks for replying Alysa. I love making hand made gifts. I make salad dressing and put it in old wine bottles and put hand made labels on them, got that from Paul Newman in an interview a saw him in years ago! And we make our cards too, my boys love it! I hear ya bout those big budgets from holidays past...

Kipling
Better Giving by Kipling
http://www.bettergivingbykipling.com
http://bettergivingbykiplinggifts.blogspot.com

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Permalink Reply by Micki on October 12, 2008 at 7:06am

Absolutely, we are getting them one decent gift (by past year's standards) and a few smaller gifts, and just things they need. My husband and I will probably not get each other anything, or something really small. We just got a new couch a few months ago, that hurt. The old one was beat.

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Permalink Reply by Kipling on October 12, 2008 at 7:34am

Thanks for replying Micki! My husband & I don't exchange for the holidays anymore, we spend more on the kiddos but have fun b'day & anniversary celebrations! Enjoy your new couch!

Kipling
Better Giving by Kipling
http://www.bettergivingbykipling.com
http://bettergivingbykiplinggifts.blogspot.com

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Permalink Reply by 9to5to9 on October 12, 2008 at 4:28pm

Absolutely cutting back! I'm without full-time work right now and trying to make a go at freelance edting/writing, the guys' dad's work is so slow he's getting ready to enlist and things are beyond tight.

HOWEVER, that's not the biggest reason. Taking a trip through my house -- literally -- I see toys scatter hither and yon but never played with for more than a few minutes. If my feet weren't so sore from Lego stabs, I'd kick myself at all the wasted money on doo-dads. By and large, the guys would rather have time than stuff.

I actually started this last year. The guys and I made every gift we gave to other folks, from bath salts to tree decorations to refrigerator magnets. In fact, I need to revive that blog. They had a blast both with the making (though the bath salts smelled up the kitchen so bad we had to evacuate) and the giving.

For me, it got back to what Christmas should be about.

http://debralegg.com/

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