Family of 13 reveal how they budget for Christmas

By Emma Dunn

A family of 13 reveal how they budget for Christmas - by saving their pennies in a tin.

Joanne O'Rourke, 41, and her husband, Tommy, 42, have 11 children together and start saving for Christmas in January every year.

Savvy Joanne aims to save $1,200 a year - putting it away into a Christmas savings account - so she can spend $100 per child on their main gift.

She also uses her earnings throughout the year to collect smaller presents - spending another $100 on each of her children.

Joanne and Tommy also save up their Nectar card points and Asda points so they can put them towards the Christmas food shop.

They also keep a jar to collect pennies and pound coins throughout the year and use this change for their meat and food.

But the most important thing for the O'Rourke's is they are all together at Christmas.

Joanne, who runs a sweet shop, from north London, said: "It's not about what we spend - it's about the things we do.

"Every parent has that mom or dad guilt.

"You can be made to feel we don't do enough.

"Everyone tries their hardest.

"Sometimes we lose ourselves when it comes to money and Christmas."

Joanne and Tommy, who works in pest control, always wanted a big family and have grown their brood to 11.

They have nine boys - Mitchell, 21, Joe, 17, Riley, 15, Tommy, 14, Ashley-Dean, 12, Freddie, 10, Danny, eight, Brodie, four, and their newborn baby, just a week old, who they have yet to name.

The couple also have two daughters - Lauren, 19, and Neave, six.

To keep on top of her household Joanne is organized and saves a little bit every month with a Park Christmas savings account.

She aims to set aside $1,200 a year so she has a $100 to spend on each of her children's main presents.

She starts buying their main presents in October so she doesn't have to do it all last minute.

Joanne said: "I ask them what they want with that $100.

"Some want a tracksuit.

"Now they are getting older it's more video games and clothes."

Joanne says the kids can also choose to have their money in an envelope so they can buy something they'd like in the sale.

Joanne spends another $100 on each of her children for smaller gifts they can open on the day - and spreads out the cost by buying items over the year.

She said: "I'll grab stuff throughout the year - such as games and aftershave."

Joanne also keeps a folder with different compartments of things she wants to save for - putting a little bit of cash aside for each every month.

She said: "As soon as December has finished I start saving again.

"I have a folder with different compartments - so one for uniform, summer, Christmas and birthdays.

"Once we've paid the bills - say I've got $50 left I put $10 into each wallet."

Joanne and Tommy usually dedicate a day to going out and getting stocking gifts and spend $10 to $15 per child on presents such as lip gloss, flavored coffees and arts and crafts.

The couple also keep a tin to put spare change in - one for pound coins and one for pennies.

Joanne said: "That usually pays for all our meat. Usually it's about $80. But we haven't had to cash it in the last couple of years.

"We save our Nectar points and Asda reward points."

Their Christmas food shop usually comes to around $250 and they say they are able to save around $60 with loyalty points.

Joanne will also snap up Christmas snacks when she sees they are on offer - recently buying all her chocolate boxes in Tesco for a fraction of their usual price.

She said: "It takes the pressure off."

Joanne also saves on advent calendar by wrapping up old books for her younger children.

She said: "It's nice when you've got little ones because they look forward to it.

"You can just wrap up books you have."

On Christmas Eve, the family sit down for a Chinese takeaway together - spending roughly around $150.

The couple start saving in November to make sure they have set aside the money needed for their Christmas Eve dinner.

Tommy prepares Christmas dinner the day before so he just has to cook it on the day.

On Christmas Day the family enjoy opening their presents, eating dinner and sitting down to watch TV together in the evening.

Joanne said: "We gather round to watch the Christmas EastEnders and this year it will be Gavin and Stacey.

"It's our favorite time of the year."

Joanne's tips for budgeting for Christmas:

• Use Parks or a Christmas savings account to set aside money - "once you've put it in, you can't touch it."
• Save up your loyalty points with supermarkets.
• Buy small gifts throughout the year when you see things on offer.
• Buy Christmas snacks ahead of time and when they are on at a good price.

The O'Rourke's Christmas budget:

• $1,200 on main presents
• $1,200 on smaller gifts
• $165 on stocking gifts
• $250 on Christmas food shop
• $150 on Christmas Eve takeaway
• Total: $2,965