How much do you spend on your kids at Christmas?

strawberrypud

How much do you spend on your kids at Christmas and how do you do it?

Do you know what you are going to get and order online or do you buy bargains throughout the year as and when you see them?

My kids are still very young so I have yet to develop any kind of system. Last year I just went to toys r us and filled a trolley which was great fun but expensive and I'm sure I could have done better with a little planning.

So I'm interested to hear what MSE parents do...

jackomdj

Well it usually starts on the 24th Dec when Boots online sale goes live....

I shop throughout the year. I love the boots sale, they do 50%, 75% & if you are lucky it goes even higher. Usually you find a group from MSE up in the middle of the night on the dates their sale goes live.

Sainsburys, Argos, Debenhams etc all have good sales 1/3 or 50% off. Have a look on the grabbit while you can & you will see when the sales are going to happen.

I also get things from other places as I see it or online when I hear about things.

I have lots of people to buy for & get them better presents than I would get but for less money.

I store everything in the loft & have a list downstairs of who I have to buy for xmas & birthday then mark it off when I have bought it.

I also have a stash of party presents for all the parties my children get invited to. Again saves me money whilst it still looks like a good present.

HTH

Plans_all_plans

We have a big extended family and one DD aged nearly 4.

We buy her one or two things for Christmas and that's it. I have not yet spent more than £10 on her Christmas present and that is the truth. I tend to just buy something I see that I think she'll like in the weeks before Christmas. She gets an awful lot of stuff from other relatives and I do not want a spoilt child so I dont encourage present buying too much.

My nieces and nephews get a fortune spent on them and it is detrimental to them in my opinion as they do not appreciate stuff.

I tend to buy everyone else's presents throughout the year if I see things cheaply, so I dont have to fork out all in one go in December.

kjmtidea

I spend too much but I never get in debt for it so it is okay lol.
I don't spend set amounts, I don't spend the same amount on each child - they have the same amount of presents.

I bargain hunt throughout the year and pick up bits here and there. I keep a spreadsheet on my laptop to keep track of what I have bought.

lilian1977

Only pregnant now but already putting presents away as and when I see them - I figure that for the first few years he won't be specifically asking for things and at least this way I've got a few things already bought to bulk out the present bag! A few things put aside for potential friends gifts as well.

I get things when I see them cheaply, for example the Peppa Pig jigsaws that were 62p in Tesco a few weeks back, books from Booksdirectbargains, stuff from Boots/Debenhams sale etc.

strawberrypud

I was talking to a mum at my dd's nursery today and she was saying how annoyed she was that the disney shop doesn't make a "special agent OSO" toy because her dd has the toys for all the cartoons she watches and soon she wouldn't be interested in "OSO" (poor little darling) and that she has activities everyday of the week to attend and they take her to disneyworld every year! I thought that even if our finances would stretch to all that I wouldn't be doing it because if a 3 year old child gets all that nothing will ever impress her and I'd hate to have to deal with that teenager! Maybe I'm wrong and she will be a lovely person who is very grateful for everything that comes her way (she's a very sweet lovely little girl) but that is a recipe for a spoiled child IMHO.

I'm much more impressed by mums like yourself Plans_all_plans who spend a tenner.

****kara****

I spend between £30-£50 each on them but I only really buy pressies in the sales. I have also bought a lot of new toys sealed in there boxes for next to nothing at bootsales so I do save quite a bit of money and they get a decent amount. :T

stocking fillers I buy from the £1 shop like sweets, choccy and small toys and my kids prefer the £1 shop toys to the expensive one's :rotfl:

Lynn11

I have bought several things in the elc summer sale and DD will get a few of these (some will wait until she is older). She is 3.5yrs and wants a big girls bike, so we have this on order from the local bike shop as well as ordered the helmet as its a good price on amazon and I think it will go up as it gets nearer to christmas.

I have a few bits and pieces from various supermarkets for her stocking and hope to buy a few more stuff using my nectar points. Its is fairly pricy this year £140 money actually spent as the bike and helmet is quite expensive.

But DD is starting to add things to her list now so think that I will not be able to shop as early as this next year as the list will no doubt change, hope to still get some bargains for the stocking in the summer sales.

lawlorlane

I buy as and when I see things and got some bargainous bits in Sainsburys sale last year too tho some of that went as DD's birthday presents. I like to make sure I get something they will get plenty of use and not a fad toy that only gets outs the box now and again! DS is now 11 and DD is 3. I normally buy 1 big present a few little ones to open. I have just purchased a Peppa pig bike and helmet set for £30. She has been asking for this since her birthday and as its a bargain I couldnt resist. So that is her big present and she will have about £10 of bits I have picked up, necklaces, tiaras etc from £1 shop. DS will probably want a game for PS3 so will look out for a bargain one on here and around shops. He will have some smaller bits, £20 or so of stuff, normally a trendy piece of clothing or game. I normally ask for money or vouchers from relatives and have an agreement with friends that we buy for adults only and thats a token present when we all meet up for xmas drinks otherwise the kids end up with way too much. DS also has a (silly fool) absent father who will buy him a big expensive present (hence the PS3) and spends every other xmas with him.
I buy tesco or asda or wilkos value wrapping paper in the last years sales for around 10p and 25p.

Edinburghlass_2

Question comes up every year! I do think it depends on your own circumstances rather than looking at what other people spend.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1259421

Vaila

Edinburghlass wrote: »

Question comes up every year! I do think it depends on your own circumstances rather than looking at what other people spend.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1259421

i completely agree , if you are able to and feel comfortable splurging at christmas then do so but if you arent able to blow the budget just maybe buy one major but reasonable priced pressie and a few stocking fillers in the sale, christmas is more than just the gifts, i remember more of the time spent with family and freezing walks of christmas than the barbies i got