How much will you spend on your children at Christmas?

rainbowrisin

About £100 for each littlie - as they are little I do buy good second hand toys if I come across them, so they get lots for the money - I work on the basis that as they get tired of the toys after a few months, it's silly to spend lots on all new. I buy something as and when I see it, so there isn't usually much to buy at xmas.
Close relatives, about £50 each- but I do supplement with freebies and compy wins.
I don't buy for anyone else, as don't believe in spending £5 and £10 on various pieces of tat that no-one really wants. But, I make a point of ensuring my acquaintances know this, so we don't get tat we have no intention of reciprocating.
Whatever your budget i'm sure you'll all have a smashing christmas.

knithappens

£100 each, and £50 for birthdays.

bestpud

finc wrote:

We're on a mouch tighter budget this year as we've had quite an unlucky year financially. I've been buying a few bits through the year though as they've been reduced.

What do you do if you set a budget and manage to get things a lot cheaper. Would you buy extra or pat yourself on the back for getting a bargain? I sometimes feel a bit stingy when I don't spend the same on everyone even though they've got equal 'value'.

I always struggle with that one too! This year I'm going to work with the full cost and ignore what I've actually paid for my bargains, as we're on a tight budget too and I'm not sure why I have a problem with giving people reduced price gifts anyway! Not much help to you, but I feel better knowing I'm not alone with this dilemma.

Not sure about my children yet, as they are having ski gear (need to price it up), but nieces and nephews are £20 each and £10 all other relatives and friends. OH's family is much easier as everyone only buys for the children.

bestpud

magicmaria

wrote:

500 pounds! thats a bit much! dont they get bday pressies during the year though?

Yes they do but we only spend about £20 each at b/days - although yes £500 is a lot both of the boys aged 13 & 14 would like a lap top this year and the cheapest I can find is about 400.00 so its not like they will have loads of presents

Katinkka

About £100-£150 per child although wont be spending as much on my baby as he has all the old toys as it is. My 3 yr old wants a remote controlled lighting mcqueen! My autistic 6 yr old is hard to buy for though. I'll probably get him another hand held games console and games all of which add up to lots of £££. We spend about £100 on each other and about £100 on all other presents for other people (total).

I love christmas - cant wait!

pipkin71

I spend around £250 each on my two girls [age 7 + 9], and £25 each on close family. This year though, the girls aren't really into toys so I'm not sure what they're going to have yet.

looneyleo

Glad to hear that I am on the right lines from what you have all said. I budget £100.00 each for my 2 children for christmas (4 years and 18 months) I usually get one big present and then lots of little things including freebies and 2nd hand stuff from ebay/car boots to make it up. I spend up to £20.00 for family members and £50.00 for parents. We don't buy for friends though and they don't for us. Will try to reduce amount this year as mortgage is toooo highhh!!! if I get an item reduced for kids, I count the reduced price in the budget. If I get a reduced item for family, I count the original price in the budget, or if the original price was over-priced in the first place...I will place my own value on what I think it was worth before it was reduced. Don't feel guilty about buying reduced though! Your true MSE's!

Best wishes for a controlled...financially Savvy...chrimbo!

msmicawber

Yes, I'm about the same - £100 per child. I've started buying small things already and keep a tally to keep it fair.

It used to be more of a nightmare when they were younger. One Xmas when they were 4 and 1, respectively, we spent slightly more on the 4 year old, but the 1 year old got a garage, which was bigger in size than the 4 year old's largest present and she kicked up because she thought her brother had got more than her - aaarrrgh!

Lillibet_2

Around £80 for Spud (1 year old) but £25 of that is a charity donation in his name, and we buy a bottle of port or wine & put away for him for when he is MUCh older! So only about £40 on "stuff", some of which will be useful stuff like PJ's etc, plus one good (but very possibly 2nd hand) toy. He get's tons of stuff from others so we don't go overboard.

A strict budget of £50 on hubby, he's getting theater tickets to see Salavs Snowshow thhis year, plus a few other useful bits & home made cherry brandy. £40 on each of my parents 'cos we are very close to them, £20 on M-i-L 'cso she gets a voucher & any less seems really mean, less than £10 each on everyone else and lots of theose will be much less as they are freebies or hom made:D

I used ot spend around £500 in total on Xmas BEFOE we had Spud:eek:, now we have it at our house & even including food spend less than that & everyone still has a fab time:D

Phatmouse

I am not getting my daughter nothing this year and have told others not to either :eek:

I am not being a horror, if on time, she will only be 2 weeks old and I just don't think she will be able to open them:D

Better to save it for when she wants EVERYTHING