A mum who found herself drowning in £3k of debt after splurging on Christmas and birthday presents has put a stop to the festive madness .
Determined to turn things around, Katie Tradie from Llanelli, Wales, made a pact five years ago to cut back drastically.
Now, the 30 year old marketing agency boss buys 90% of her gifts second-hand, a move that has helped her wipe out her debts. She’s a regular bargain hunter on Facebook Marketplace, Vinted, and charity shops, snagging festive outfits for her kids for just £30 and even a wooden treehouse for a mere £15.
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(Image: Katie Tradie/ SWNS)
Katie, who shares her life with building inspector hubby Adam Tradie, 36, confessed: “80 per cent to 90 per cent of my Christmas shopping is second-hand.”
She added, “Loads of stuff is selling for new on Vinted. I used to worry about Christmas. Since I have done second-hand I don’t worry.”
The thrifty approach isn’t new to Katie; she’s long been a fan of pre-loved sites like eBay and Vinted for clothing. But after realising the hefty price tag of festive generosity, she decided to thrift her Christmas too.
Reflecting on past extravagance, Katie revealed: “I remember one year I spent £500 on just my husband and son.”
(Image: Katie Tradie/ SWNS)
She lamented the five-year slog to clear the £3k debt, prompting a rethink: “It really made me stop and think ‘is this what Christmas is about? ‘”.
For the past five years, savvy shopper Katie has been snapping up pre-loved gifts, bagging a bargain doll’s house for just £40 previously. This festive season she’s nabbed Christmas outfits for her kids’ holiday to Bluestone Resort on Vinted with an impressive haul costing her a mere £30.
Katie shared: “I’ve got the kids Santa costumes, reindeer onesies, leggings and Christmas jumpers.”
She added: “They are all from Zara, H&M, Next and handmade ones.”
Embracing the circular economy, she revealed: “Instead of buying new every year I have been putting old ones on Vinted and using that money for these ones.”
(Image: Katie Tradie/ SWNS)
She highlighted a hot tip: “If you do bundles it saves you on postage.”
The thrifty mum has also bagged a Nintendo Switch FIFA game off Facebook Marketplace for a cool £30 and bragged: “I got a brand new Argos wooden treehouse for the baby for £15 from Vinted,” pointing out: “I bought a family organ for £15 and I’m planning to play Christmas songs on it.”
Her eye for a deal even landed her a Peter Rabbit jigsaw for £2 and a Hornby train set usually priced at over £100 for only £40.
Katie beamed while sharing her luck: “I got a £10 bike for my daughter from Gumtree.”
“The guy delivered it and said he had something good happen to him so I could have it for free.”
On the hunt for a second-hand BMX for her son, Katie is always on the lookout for bargains. She’s not just shrewd with gifts; her decorations come from charity shops too, snatching up tinsel and baubles for practically peanuts at 50p a pop.
Cleverly budgeting around £300 to £400 for the entire yuletide stash, she consistently undercuts her budget. With a chuckle, Katie boasted: “It’s fun. I love hunting for them. It adds to the gift experience.
“You’ve got to dig and dive but it’s so much more rewarding,” Katie passionately encourages bargain hunting for a more fulfilling festive experience, aiming to bust the stigma surrounding second-hand gifting and ease that fresh-out-the-box pressure during the holidays. She explained: “It’s not normal to spend £150 on Christmas decorations.”
With honesty, she added the reality many face: “So many people are struggling.”
Katie also touched on the toxic side of social media showcasing extravagant spending sprees: “It makes people think they are not good enough when they see people doing massive hauls online and buying new.”
She then concluded with a thought-provoking question: “What the gift you really want to give them? A long healthy life or a few plastic toys that will end up in landfill?”
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