How much for Mothers day/Fathers day etc?

youngmum_2

My other post got me thinking..... I normally have a gift fund into which I was putting £15 a week. That covered birthdays mainly but also the likes of Mothers and Fathers day etc.

I reckon I could get the birthday savings down to £5 a week :j but how much to allocate for these other days if any?

I was thinking perhaps a small token gesture such as a bunch of flowers or sweeties might even suffice on these days. So 6 x £5 each = £30 perhaps?

What do you guys do?

Gemmzie

For Father's day my brother and I buy a bottle of Southern Comfort between us so thats about £6 each.

Mother's day usually a nice bunch of flowers and a bottle of wine does the trick so about the same

piglet6

We do buy presents for Mother's Day/Father's Day, but mostly we make sure that we try and spend the time with our parents (a bit difficult as Mr Piglet's parents and my parents live about 120 miles apart!:eek:).

For the last couple of years, we have invited all parents to our house for the appropriate day and cooked a nice lunch - much better (and cheaper!;)) than taking them out to a restaurant for a "special" over-priced meal - if we have some spare cash to splash we buy better quality ingredients/some nice wine and the six of us have a really lovely meal together. It also avoids the whole "choosing one set of parents over the other" situation (we are both only children, so whichever set "lose" would have to "go without" their children completely which seems a shame!). Quite often, all four parents come for the whole weekend and we have our "special" meal on the Saturday night, as people are driving home on Sunday afternoon, so it means they can all have a glass or two(!!) of wine and enjoy themselves without having to worry about the drink/driving issue!:beer:

Re: presents, we get what we know our parents would like (which quite often is not nearly as expensive as the suggested "ideal" presents in the shops:p). Also, it goes without saying that any flowers which are given are bought from "normal" sources (i.e. not through Interflora, et al!!!) and therefore you get a decent amount of flowers for your cash!:D

Piglet

Dr.Shoe_2

A card and a phone call and that's it.

sans_2

handmade card or a reduced card from M&S (can't remember) this year as I was skint, so between me and my sisters we chipped in £10 each to get her a microave. I also brought her a new saucepan as her's was looking the worse for wear. Otherwise I normally put in £50 inside her card.

handmade or a reduced priced card for my dad with £10 or £20 - depends on what I can afford at the time.

I do try to add another small present in where possible.

beanielou

Cheap & cheerful for me as I genuinally think its commercialised twaddle as do my parents and they get really miffed if I buy anything other than a minder and no OH's side to worry about now!

loobyloo1980

My parents are of the same opinion as beanielou and that it is just a commercial thing, so they're not fussed. I tend to get my dad some smellies out of M&S on 3for2 and sometimes same for mum, or some flowers. However, the in-laws are really funny about it and expect big gifts. It annoys me, and we don't succumb to the pressure, but it's awful that its expected - and they themselves are bankrupt so know what it is like to be skint!!! We normally buy them flowers and smellies same as my parents. Never spend more than a tenner, usually more like about £6.

poppy_f1

my mum is hard to buy for most of the time, for thigns like her birthday shes quite happy with having her dinner made or taken out for lunch
which suits me better than having to find something to buy for her
my dad was quite happy with a bottle of whiskey for fathers day/birthday/christmas

livinginhope

My parents know our financial position (at last) and would be very annoyed if we gave them anything for mothers/fathers day,15 a week for presents :eek:
that's well over the top,maybe I'm just tight but I don't buy birthday or christmas presents for anybody other than my kids,and they only get about 20 for birthdays and 35 for christmas.As someone said time spent with someone is more special than anything you could ever buy

lynzpower

Cards from somewhere cheap and I never spend more than a fiver. Of course a phone call to tell them I miss them

My dad got nothing this year as I was looking for a "best dad ever" type mug but didnt find one cheap enough. Mum got an AA book for on country walks from 99p stores, she loved it and have used it lots.

I never spend much money on my folks much, at Xmas I bought my dad a dunlop golfing jacket from a closing down sale for £9 and mum got a pair of kickers shoes that cost £10 from another sale I found. OHs dad got a DVD & mum got a book for thier Xmas. Both sets of our parents are leos as is OH so we have a v expensive month coming up and we are literally on the breadline, at the mo, worse than ever. I think cards only and Ive decided that we will make them a really nice dinner at home with a bottle of wine and that will be that. Cost about £15 for 4 eating- MAX. Light some candles, do the washing up- that'll do

As they say themselves they dont need anything, but they like to have us around.

Queen.Bess

This year for Mother's Day, OH and I planted up 2 pots we already had with flowers bought quite inexpensively at the Garden centre (approx. £5 per pot at most). Personal presents which were much appreciated!

For Father's Day - a bottle of red wine for OHs Dad and a CD and England hat for my Dad (again approx. £5 each).

I think it is a token of appreciation and nice card that counts, not a big grand gesture!