Friday, November 14

COD Blog Party - #3: SHOPPING!

clicking image will take you to MomDot.

Oh how I love to talk about shopping. Almost as much as doing it, LOL.

Those ladies over at MomDot know just how to make me smile :-P Today's question is coming from Bridget.

Sponsors: Appledonia, Hippos Toes and My Bag







The Question for day 3:
When do you start Christmas shopping?
How do you budget for Christmas?
Do you stick to your budget?

It's no secret, I love to shop. Christmastime is NO exception! In the past I have gone WAY overboard with shopping. I think one year when it was just Justyn I spent $1000.00 on just him, if not more way too much. DH was less than pleased and let me know it would NOT happen again, LOL. Ooops! I'll admit I did go a little crazy. In my defense he was the only child and spoiled rotten. Every year since I've toned it down. This year I am really at a loss on what to get the kids for Christmas. I'll say it again, my kids are spoiled. It's my own fault. I love to give them the best of everything I can. I'm pretty sure Jacob's bedroom has every toy sold at TRU. Justyn has enough high-tech gadgets to make even a grown man jealous, and Josslyn hit the motherload of hand me downs. So...have I started Christmas shopping this year? Nope! I have NO idea what to buy. I can't bring myself to buy them any toys. They NEED nothing and WANT EVERYTHING! It does not help that Jacob's birthday is the beginning of December. He still has toys from last year unopened in his closet. Sad right? I see a Toys for Tots drop in the very near future.

Now that I rambled on like the crazy woman I am, I will answer the question. I normally start shopping in November/December. "WHAT!?" you say! I know I know. Here is why though...My kids' interest change from day to day. At the beginning of the year JT was obsessed with Transformers, but now he's swayed more to Star Wars: Clone Wars. So had I started shopping in July I could potentially be returning a crapton of stuff. No Bueno!

Do I set a budget? My dear sweet husband tries, bless his heart. But I stomp on it like Godzilla! I can't stick to a budget. I've tried. I'm a no boundaries type of girl. This year we will be setting a budget and sticking to it! Husband's orders. (Did I just say those 2 completely opposite things in the same breath?) We have 3 kids to buy for now, plus we don't have room for ANYTHING. We are thinking they will each get one big thing and a couple small things this year. I would love to just get them all a joint gift, such as a play set for the backyard. Ok, I must stop rambling and go change Jacob before the smell starts taking lives! Has anyone else out there not started shopping like me? LOL!

24 comments:

Erin Tales said...

LMAO! I love that you stomp out that budget. Your husband must be so stressed with you and the holidays... in a fun way! And Keegans first christmas we went way overboard. This year with two kids we have to tone it down.

Staci A said...

I picked up a few things, but no real shopping is done yet. I'm like you, I can't think of anything people need. It just stresses me out.

Sarah said...

Here! Not a lick of shopping! Nothing. None. Nada!

Sandy said...

My oldest had a couple of Christmases where we spent way too much. As we had more kids, we quickly realize that had to stop.

Caitlin said...

I say just put some of those old wrapped gifts under the tree! Hehe.

Blessings Abound said...

I hear you! Kids wants changes all the time, especially with my son.:)

Anonymous said...

Good point, at this age what you buy in march your kids might not want by Dec! Smart thinking! Here's My Day 3! Come sign Mr. Linky!

Shasta said...

We were like that when we just had one son. We went way overboard and got him EVERYTHING. A large portion of the toys my kids have are from when my oldest was an only child. I think he has at least one version of every little people set ever made. Now that we have three, it's a lot different. We still spoil them but in no way like we did our first when he was an only child!

Good luck sticking with your budget this year!

Bridgette said...

Thanks for playing in the Blog Party!

Bridgette
MomDot

Cat@3KidsandUs said...

Holy smokes, did that say 1,000 up there??? That's a house payment!

Proud Mommy said...

I can't wait to stomp on my budget again!!!

Michelle@lifeinawhirlwind said...

You sound just like me! I have problems spending a dime on myself, but can drop tons of cash on Morgan without blinking an eye. Instead of toys - you could get them a membership to the zoo/museum or some kind of fun activity

Tena said...

awww a girl after my very own heart! 'D's Christmas was like this too the second year ( the first year he was only 2 months old). I think at that point I went over board for myself, because he still didn't get the whole gift thing!
HA HA HA

Melissa, Multi-Tasking Mama said...

The big thing (like the playset) that they can all play with is a good idea. We have done that several years and those are the toys still around- the 3-1 game table, the basketball hoops, etc. Try that- it may really help the budget stomping :-)

Positively Peaches said...

You are too funny. Good luck on the budget this year. You have a valid point waiting till nov/dec with interest changes.

Bridget said...

That is really true about the kid's favorites changing and making sense to wait a little longer!

Natalie said...

We only have Daniel but we try not to get too much bc he also gets presents from mine and my husbands families as well. And I mean a TON of stuff, not just one gift

Unknown said...

It is so hard to buy for my kids. Just like yours, mine don't Need anything. But they sure want everything!

Unknown said...

Wow! $1,000???

My husband would go into cardiac arrest!

Mom said...

hehe, back when we were DINKS (dual income, no kids) we used to go a little crazy for Christmas & birthdays. I got this-close to buying him a pinball machine one year...now we compete to see who can score the best bargains. It's all "You'll never believe how little I paid for that!" lol
Enjoy your shopping & good luck buying for the kids. My DD is just now old enoug that pre-buying is getting into the danger zone. Sigh....

Amanda said...

That's why I'm having such a hard time buying for my 2yo. My kids are spoiled as well (thanks childless aunts and uncles) and we have all our 7yo's hand me down toys. I'm seriously considering pulling those out and wrapping them. My 7yo is easy. All Star Wars all the time. And Legos. His interests don't vary much.

Anonymous said...

I used to go overboard too but I've actually changed quite a bit and scaled things way, way, way back.

Rita @ My Precious Pennies said...

Hrm...good point on kid's interests changing and thus having to shop closer to Christmas. Never thought about that.

Momstart said...

That is too crazy, actually no it's not. Andrew and I used to spend that much on each other, no wonder we need to pay off the credit cards still