Xmas spending

[Ian Robinson]

Are you planning on spending up this Xmas ?

[Ric]

I'm spending as little as I can but not by choice.

People like to send me bills at Christmas, so far it's Rego, third party, insurance, telephone and electricity.

With only two pays until Christmas it doesn't leave too much for anything else.

Still you make do and enjoy the time off, we usually have a street party with the neighbours which is always good fun.

[Ian Robinson]

Apart from expenses I can't avoid , my plan is to buy only two or three presents this year (mum, wife and son) and buy the usual extra food (ham, turkey, chippies, dips, crackers, lollies, prawns (if I can't catch any), and drinks (mostly non-alcoholic) for Xmas.

Got home and contents to pay in two weeks, just paid rates, water, electricity .... so big dent in savings.

After Xmas , I'll decide whether to go with a offground deck or concrete slab for my shed.

I am spending as little as I can

[AdrianF]

I will be spending as little as possible this Christmas, will buy a pressy for wife, daughter, son and my 2 grandkids and maybe indulge myself in....... ahwell something astro orientated. I am on 7 weeks holiday starting the 12th Dec so will also spend a little time with the gear (wife still as to work)

Adrian

[leon]

After Alice and I bought our new SS Comondore, and our new Caravan that was custom built, only last month, all our Christmas's have come at once. :eyepop:

So No gifts this year, or for the next few years for that matter, we have all that we need, and a gesture of good will toward everyone is a better present. ;)

But our little ones will be getting something of coarse, ( Grand kids that is ) :) :)

Leon :thumbsup:

[Zuts]

I have kids so I have to spend :)

Cheers
Paul

[iceman]

Same!

[AlexN]

hopefully spending up.. on myself :D There are toys that I "NEED" :D

ahhh.. the joys of having no dependents!

[xelasnave]

This will be my first xmas totally alone:eyepop::sadeyes::lol::lol::lo l:and I must say I think the xmas thing is an exploitation of a fundamental religious conviction for the purpose of commercial gain:whistle:... if folk are into xmas then remember it is someones birthday and maybe give him a gift:D ... well one can do that so no gifts all around.

Interestingly xmas is a sad time for many because folk who hate each other get thrown together ..because you have to do the xmas thing...and you have to get into xmas dont you... but we see unfortunate results... add the drink factor and one can see why things can get nasty.


Still nothwithstanding my scrooge like mentality I take this opportunity to wish all a great time and a merry xmas and to recomend that they enjoy the gift of living in this most magnificent age.... where scopes are cheap, dslr's affordable and stacking software is available on a free download.

alex:):):)

[Jen]

:lol::lol: yep im hearing ya on that one :thumbsup:
:family:
and thanks to Mr Rudd my kids just might get a little spoilt this year :)

[wavelandscott]

I'm not expecting a big change...we've never been folks to go overboard on gifts anyway so for us it will be about the same.

Cheers All!

[jjjnettie]

I've been getting a few extra hours at work, so why not spend up big on the kids. They've got to have at least one all out Christmas to remember.

[h0ughy]

I have a few astro shops to support

[Barrykgerdes]

No Change

I don't buy chrissy presents. I just pay the bills that the rest of the family run up. I hate shopping, Unless it is for interesting stuff like telescopes.

Barry

[jjjnettie]

If I had an Astro Shop, I'd set up a mobile showroom just to follow you around. :P

[gaa_ian]

Sort of a Mr Whippy Van for astronomers , what do you reckon Jeanette :party2:
The loudspeaker blaring out tunes like Starman, Drops of Jupiter, Space Oddity etc ....
"Here is your Tagahashi Sir, would you like Naglers with that" :D
Astronomers begging there partners, can I, can I, Huh, Huh ;)

[h0ughy]

No stop it its too much like a Home Icecream van.... we will never come home.....:rofl:

[Glenhuon]

I spent quite a few Christmases alone when I was single, basically got cancelled due to lack of interest. Was just another day to me really.
Last couple of years been a bit more enthusiastic having someone to share it with though.

Bill

[Glenhuon]

:rofl:

Sounds a bit like the Snap On Tool van that used to visit our workshop. Always cost me heaps, was like an Alladins Cave to a young fitter :)

Bill

[JimmyH155]

Yes, those Snap on Tools vans.... I first saw one in Gladstone. A look inside it cost me $400 AAAGGGGHHHH:eyepop:

[Ian Robinson]

Started buying yummy and fizzy stuff for Xmas and New Years today.

Pepsi products 2 x 2l bottles for the price of one at Coles was a great deal so bought a dozen various bottles and some mandatory 2l bottles of Coke.

Will hang off on getting the ham and turkey until maybe a few days before Xmas (those 2kg Steggles breast meat and leg meat preseasoned roasts are great value - usually get one or the other - beats a whole bird hands down).

Will call my friendly prawn trawler skippers end of next week to get my bulk buy (5 to 6 kg) of either fresh cooked Hunter River or Myall River prawns (I'll freeze these in brine in 1kg lots (not sure if I'll shell them first (which is best frozen shelled or in the shell ??) , and maybe a muddy or two (I'll try to catch these).

Will likely spend more on seafood , ham, turkey, drinks, dips and other Xmas / New Year treats than presents this year .

We don't normally go to Xmas or New Years parties - would rather a nice home cooked meal , maybe with just family or a few friends - aways on a BYOG and bring a plate basis in this household) than paying through the nose to eat out in a noisy and crowded restraunt or club.

[TrevorW]

Alex if you can get to perth by the 25th you won't have to spend xmas alone

cheers

[thunderchildobs]

Why are people spending money on presents for some else when you can spend the money on your own astronomy equipment?

I thought Santa was suppose to dropoff the presents and not charge for them.
If the kids dont get anything, just tell them they must have been naughty.

PS

Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker were having a father / son light sabre fight as they do. When Darth said "Luke, I know what you are getting for Christmas." Luke responds with "How is that possible?". Darth then says " I have felt your presents"

[jjjnettie]

:lol:@Brendan.
I told the kids today that if they didn't tidy their rooms all they'd get for Christmas is a lump of coal.

[Ian Robinson]

That one only works on very young children , toddlers and the like.

[AlexN]

ooooohh.. I hate the snap-on tools man... He's a quasi-thief I tells ya.. He rocks up at work, my wallet gets emptied... Simple as that.. Sometimes I say to myself "I'll just have a look, I dont "NEEED" anything..." wander over, walk away and think to myself 'Man, you did well you didnt even buy anything...' then I feel something in my pockets, pull out a bunch of screwdrivers/wreches etc think to myself 'what the??' pull out my wallet -EMPTY???!!!!- turn back, and he's already gone...

Always rocks up on, or one day after payday too...

OOOOOHH I HATE THE SNAP-ON MAN!!

[Ian Robinson]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/07/2439880.htm

When people are in mortgage and credit stress , and don't know if their jobs will last much longer .... and with price increases because the AUD has devalued to near historic lows cf the JY and USD , is it any wonder that lots of people have decided to be more frugal this Xmas ?

[Miaplacidus]

Well, the best Christmas present I ever gave was last year when I made the effort to set up my 16 year old’s super fund and gave him a job so he could put $1000 into it. Not only that, but because of the stock market rout I told him to delay putting in any money until June. And then in July he does his tax return and the government tops up his super with $1500 co-contribution. And so now he sees what a great lurk this is and is bitten by the saving bug.

So to all you tax-payers out there, I just want to give you all a big, sloppy kiss and say thank you for my son’s Christmas present last year. And to let you know that you are probably going to do the same thing again this year.

Think about it.

Many happy returns, everybody.

Brian.

………….

For anyone thinking of maybe doing the same, here is a quotation from “Wake Up To Wealth" by Harold Bodinnar. (Not a book I would necessarily recommend, by the way.) This is from the foreword by David Koch.

“Let me tell you about two average Australians.

“One invested $2,000 a year from age 19 to age 25, then stopped investing any new money and just left their nest egg sitting there earning 10 per cent a year (mixture of growth and income). In total $14,000 was invested.

“The other average Australian started investing $2,000 a year from age 26 and kept adding the same amount to their nest egg every year until age 65 earing 10 per cent a year (mixture of growth and income). In total $80,000 was invested.

“At age 65 the nest egg of our first average Australian had grown to around $930,000... a 66-fold increase on the amount they invested.

“At age 65 the nest egg of our second average Australian had grown to around $893,000... an 11-fold increase on the amount they invested.”

:)