A mum says she will save thousands of pounds this Christmas by refusing to buy people presents, and only giving second-hand gifts to her children. Heidi Ondrak, 51, from Plymouth, used to splash out over £1,000 during the festive period but this year, as the cost of living crisis rages on, has decided to ditch the shopping altogether.
Branding Christmas as a "big marketing construct", the mum will "never again" spend her hard-earned cash on gifts for family members, which in the past has seen her splash out £50 per person. The only exception is her two children, Daisy, 13 and Archie, 15, who will receive a few packages but nothing new; all the gifts will be bought at charity shops or car boot sales.
"The gifting tradition is insane, I don’t need anything, neither do most adults," Heidi said. "What's the point of the stress and racking up credit cards and debt just for one day of the year?
