I take my six kids’ gifts out of the trash and spend $500 on pampering myself, I deserve it

LYING in the salon chair, Donna Jones feels relaxed and rejuvenated as the beautician applies a gentle cleanser to her face.

It’s pure relaxation for busy mum-of-six Donna, 40, and the only reason she can afford the pampering, new clothes and holidays is because she’s ‘swindling’ her six children out of money.

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The mother-of-six, who works in a takeaway restaurant, can afford to treat herself because while her children think they are getting brand new Christmas or birthday presents, she buys charity shop versions instead.

She has even been known to take items off the road and out of bins before pretending she has paid full price.

“I deserve it, I’ve worked so hard all year,” she says. “I work the night shift, come home, make breakfast for the kids, pack their lunches, take them to school and then try to do it five hours before I go to school and have dinner.

“Then I go back to work. It’s tiring. Who deserves the money more? Me or them?”

And she thinks the kids – a daughter, 19, and Joseph, 16, Samuel 11, Oliver, seven, Olivia, five, and Sophie, four – won’t mind… because they don’t even know.

“Each child is allocated £150 at Christmas: £100 from me and my husband and £50 from Santa,” she says. “That’s £900 in total and a big chunk of my salary. But I only spend about $400 on it.

“I save for it all year round, by cutting back on household costs, shopping with a yellow label and going without myself.”

In September, Donna’s younger children start to get excited about Christmas and write down exactly what they want – and that’s often the latest toys, like the Teenage Mutant Turtles action figures, Spider-man Spider Bot and the latest Barbie House.

I don’t note whether the gift was free or cost pennies when I come across something on sale for £20. I put $20 into it, I love it.

Donna Jones

But Donna has no intention of giving away all her hard-earned money so freely, even to her children.

She searches Facebook for free items, goes to swap meets, asks friends for used toys, and even checks her neighbors’ recycling bags on trash night to see if there are any free gifts she can grab for the kids.

“I don’t note whether the gift was free or cost pennies when I come across something on sale for £20,” she says. “I put €20 into it, I love it. “

And Donna certainly knows how to spot a bargain.

She once bought computer games for the older boys at a charity shop for £5 instead of paying £30, and found Barbies and action figures for free on Facebook instead of paying up to £40 per toy.

“I was laughing,” she says. “I used that to pay for my haircut, facial treatment and even a manicure.

Donna, who lives in Leicester and is married to 40-year-old acrylic manufacturer Matthew, says he thinks her technique should be applauded.

Unfortunately, not everyone agrees and when she admitted it to some mothers, she was criticized.

“People say I’m a cheap skater,” she says. “Some are shocked that I don’t refuse to buy brand new ones at Christmas,” she says.

“But I am ambivalent. More parents would enjoy the holidays themselves if they took my lead.”

She started her ‘scam’ in 2014 when she suddenly became a single parent after a break-up.

“I was single with three children and had to find ways to stretch the budget,” she says. “I was worried about finances and wanted to give the children the gifts they wanted at Christmas. But I was torn because I wanted to enjoy something tasty myself.

Over the years I have spent a lot of money on a new coat, nice shoes, a nice dress and beauty treatments for myself and a holiday.

Donna

“It was a light bulb moment. I could buy the item at the charity shop and still set the retail price of the item. I could then create a running total of my savings and use the money to treat myself or pay a bill.

“Over the years I have spent a lot of money on a new coat, nice shoes, a nice dress and beauty treatments for myself and a holiday.”

But no one in Donna’s house misses Christmas: they all get the exact same number of presents under the tree, no matter how much they cost.

“If one kid gets more gifts because I found it cheap, it doesn’t seem fair that they get a big buck while another kid doesn’t,” she says. “This way the children actually all get the same number of presents. They get what they want. I get what I want.”

So far this year, Donna has found a pair of Sonic the Hedgehog pajamas on sale for £25 for £8 in a charity shop.

“I was thrilled and thought, ‘That’s going to be a massage’ or facial,” she says. “I could already see myself lying on the table.”

“I got one son a ‘must-have’ Switch Game for £38, even though he knows it normally costs £50.

“I bought it via pre-order from Amazon and pocketed the difference.”

Cents, not pounds

She says her technique is quite time-consuming, but worth it, as she usually doesn’t get a chance to sit back and relax.

“I bought my daughter her dream pink puffa jacket for just £15 in a sale and charged her £40 which was the retail price of the jacket.

“I spent weeks sorting through boxes at the car boot sale and it paid off.

“I found computer games, collectible football shirts and second-hand fluffy toys that my children asked for – they cost pennies, not pounds.

“I washed the fluffy toys, gave used Lego bricks in the trunk a cleaning, and ironed second-hand clothes I bought before packing them to make them look ‘new’.

“I keep meticulous records in my notebook.”

Donna also uses the same tactic on birthdays, meaning she can treat herself to a summer pampering session with the extra money she’s saved.

“In the past I used the leftover money to pay bills, but in recent years I realized I wanted some ‘me-time money’.

I cook and clean… I buy the gifts, so that’s only fair… it’s a ‘mummy tax’ that they all pay even if they don’t know it.

Donna Jones

“I’m a mother of six and I put myself last. This way is perfect for a crafty pampering session or splurge,” she says.

Even Donna’s husband Matthew is part of her hustle and she squirrels away money meant for him.

“I found him men’s trousers that normally cost £10 each on sale for £3,” she says. ‘The £7 difference will go towards my festive me-time treat.

“He gets what he wants, and I get what I want.”

Donna doesn’t feel guilty and adds: “I’m the one who does the budgeting – I cook and clean.

“I do the gift shopping, so it’s only fair… it’s a ‘mummy tax’ that they all pay… even if they don’t know it.”

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