How much do you spend on your kids at xmas?

moodydonkey

I have 2 girls 12 and 13, they have £100 pounds each for their present (s). They will tell me what they want, last year it was a mobile phone each. If they'd rather have the cash then that's fine. That's the limit and they know it and are happy with it so there's no asking for laptops and really expensive stuff.

I then do them a stocking each with bits and bobs that I usually spend £50 each on.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

If you can afford it, then there is no reason why you shouldn't spend a thousand pounds if you want to. It's your choice.

Personally, I started with a £100 target for both DDs for Xmas and birthdays. As long as the money matched exactly, I was happy (always determined to never appear I was being unfair to anyone - I come from a dysfunctional family of 5, so perceived injustice and inequality formed a large part of my childhood). In the last two years, the particular gifts wanted meant that the budget crept up to £150.

This year, DD1 has left home and doesn't seem to want anything to do with us. So her budget has dropped to £50, so there is something wrapped if she deigns to visit us. DD2's budget is therefore technically unlimited, but as she already has pretty much everything she could possibly need or want, I'm not too worried about what she might ask for.

But, buying early and in bits makes it a whole lot less painful.

kittiej

Jojo you also raised a valid point about equality, I hate the thought of one getting more than the other as well as I have also experienced this as a child.

Hope your DD1 does visit you though eh?

pigpen

jamespir wrote: »

id love that idea

perhaps im easily pleased

or just tight!! ...

Sublime_2

I'm not sure how much I'm spending on my two, as I tend to buy things when they're cheap and put them away.

So far DS has got a Trackmaster Thomas which I got for £19.99, instead of £50, and a Leapster 2 which got for around £14 instead of £40.

I've spent £34, on £90 worth of toys.

kittiej

Wow that's really good sublime.

Well done. I wish I had time to shop, working full time gets in the way, as does a hating for shopping!

I can't stand loads of people get overclose

Ex-Spendaholic

Every year I say I'll set a budget and every year I don't. I start early so by the time Xmas comes then I've no idea what I have spent. I have 3 kids aged 11, 7, 2. I don't set out to ensure each one has the same amount spent on them. The kids haven't an issue with this. It really depends on what they want.

So far for my 11 year old I've already got:

ipod dock £40 (bought now as there was a deal where you got a free iphone case worth £20 and I wanted the case)

£50 itunes vouchers (bought now on the the Clintons offer meaning they cost £37)

£50 Office voucher (bought now as a friend was selling it for £30 - son loves converse)

He hasn't specifically asked for anything


For the 7 year old I've got:

Crayola Twistables (reduced from £15 to £6 in Argos)

Various bits of Littlest Petshop tat (also reduced in Argos)

Has asked for a camera and I'll be getting it next week



For the 2 year old I've got:

Jessie doll

Slinky

Mr Potato Head

Jessie Duvet

Waybuloo jigsaw

Charlie and Lola books

Some mini baby born dolls

This DD really plays with her toys and will have a ball with anything. She is particularly Toy Story obsessed at the minute.


All of the above were bought as they were on offer in Argos


This year I am determined though that I won't end up with a load of stuff which is never used. For example DD got all the Go Go Hamster stuff last year - house, skateboard, ball, car, surfboard, 4 hamsters and dear knows what else. It has barely been looked at. I so wish I'd kept the boxes for selling on ebay. :eek:

I have all my family and the outlaws bought for except for my parents which I intend to sort shortly. This year I will not be in shops in December.

Buttonmoons

Probably about £100 as she gets loads from other people. I know fine well i'll have to gut her room out (AGAIN) in the run up to Xmas. I really should do it now as her toy cupboard is spewing, but that's my fault for piling things up and then she decides she wants peppa pig snakes and ladders and whoops everything tumbles down.

Sublime_2

kittiej wrote: »

Wow that's really good sublime.

Well done. I wish I had time to shop, working full time gets in the way, as does a hating for shopping!

I can't stand loads of people get overclose

I bought my bargains online, from Amazon, and M&S. I don't like shopping with a 2 1/2 year old.

mich13x

I have an 11 month old son and expecting baby girl next month, i wasnt sure what to spend with them both being very young but budgeted for £500 between them, i will probably get them some clothes with this money aswell though. I think its difficult to find a good balance between stingy and over the top and mostly with my family it comes down to just loving christmas so tend to indulge But i think spending whatever you can afford comfortably is your best bet