How much do you spend on your kids at Christmas?

kimmi_b

DD is 3 and DS is 1, aiming to spend around £300 between them. It won't be a 50:50 split as DS isn't going to be interested in lots of presents! They will both have a Christmas stocking and main present. DD will be getting other smaller gifts but DS just getting something to go with his main present.

As for budgeting, I made a list and started buying 2 months ago, have a spreadsheet for budgeting to help me track what I am spending and what has been bought. For nieces and nephews I am trying to stick to a £15 budget per child - managed to get my nieces pressie for half price the other day and now feel guilty for spending less on her than the others'!!!

starnight_2

My DS is 8, from last yr I started spending £150. Before that it was £80-100. I think it's reasonable enough, and so far this year it looks like I may be hitting £100 mark again. He never asks for much and is always happy with what he gets.

lilmisskitkat

We dont set amounts for the kids, it depends on what else we've had to spend money on (last year was a new boiler in Dec, £1700 :eek: ), how much i've managed to pick up throughout the year in the sales/on ebay/charity shops etc.

This year DD's is coming out at around £140, DS's at £100 actual spend, worth more though due to bargains.

The value of what they get though is usually quite a bit more than i've paid for it. Last year i traded in 3 old mobile phones which were just sitting in a drawer and got £89 in argos vouchers for them, so DD's ipod cost me only £17 in cash instead of £106. She still got what she wanted despite us being skint with the boiler being put in

Our kids also have 4 sets of grandparents and numerous aunties and uncles who buy for them so we dont go overboard because we'd end up with a house full of toys that they didn't really play with.

We buy for 8 other kids in the family, no adults, this is budgetted at £10 each but i make the most of Boots and Argos 3for2 offers so costs less.

£20 each for my mam, dad, sis, mil and fil = £100, again take advantage of 3for2 etc, my grandparents get a framed photo of the kids and some HM chocs/fudge.

Me and OH dont spend much on each other at xmas, we spend more on birthdays so we just do each other a stocking each full of bits, usually around £20.

One hard and fast rule in this house though - it HAS to be bought and paid for before xmas day, i refuse to still be paying for Xmas in Jan (because then i start on next year lol)


Kate xx

Swampmonster

lilmisskitkat wrote: »

One hard and fast rule in this house though - it HAS to be bought and paid for before xmas day, i refuse to still be paying for Xmas in Jan (because then i start on next year lol)

I couldn't agree more! :T

SmellyOldSock

my kids are 7, 5 and 4 and i buy most of there stuff 2nd hand off ebay! i start August time, looking and getting bargains, they're always happy, and alot of the time don't realise its 2nd hand!

i also try and get family to buy stuff that goes with wot i'm getting them, like for my daughters birthday got her puppy in my pocket stuff, £30 off ebay, loads puppies, hospital and house, delivered, so suggest they buy her other 'in my pocket' sets, boys love lego, can't go wrong with that! and can never have too much lego! lol

i spend about £50 each, they're happy enough.

moomoomama27

This year I have spent £150 a child, but it's actually more like £300+ worth of gifts as most I have got 50% off, or even 75% off, so a good christmas! I spend about £25-£30 on stockings for them each, but I always include a pair of PJ's or something practical, which bumps the price up!

freyanneke_2

To be really honest,I am more than skint this year. If we are very lucky we might go on holiday and visit family and that will be my present to them. If it is not possible then we will have a secret Santa session at home with the message attached that making Christmas special has nothing to do with presents.
We cook and decorate together and play board games till we get bored or roll about laughing. Every year there is another cheesy Christmas carol that we learn together.
I don't buy them lots and they know that. I refuse to buy their happiness. If I don't have it, I can't go out and steal it. Up till now I have always been very lucky with comps and it seems to always work out.

All of you, good luck with keeping the magic alive at Christmas time!

moomoomama27

freyanneke wrote: »

To be really honest,I am more than skint this year. If we are very lucky we might go on holiday and visit family and that will be my present to them. If it is not possible then we will have a secret Santa session at home with the message attached that making Christmas special has nothing to do with presents.
We cook and decorate together and play board games till we get bored or roll about laughing. Every year there is another cheesy Christmas carol that we learn together.
I don't buy them lots and they know that. I refuse to buy their happiness. If I don't have it, I can't go out and steal it. Up till now I have always been very lucky with comps and it seems to always work out.

All of you, good luck with keeping the magic alive at Christmas time!

I love your post, it's actually what christmas is ALL about. I hope you have a very merry christmas when the time comes round, I'm sure your household will be full of fun and laughter, and good luck with those comps!

wildfrog

We have 2 little ones under 5yo. This year we have set a budget of £40 each. We went totoys r us a few months ago with a notebook. \We then made a note of what we would like to get. I then looked them up online to see where we can get things cheapest. This saved about £20 beetween the 2 of them!

I'm embarassed that 2 years ago we spent £80 on DS1. It was far too much and he was overwhelmed.
Que one unhappy boy!

stella2009

We have 2 kids, 8 and 11. We set a budget of £300 each and will not go over that.

I was always spoilt as a child and it didn't do me any harm, I still appreciate anything I get regardless of how little it cost.

That being said if we were in a position where we didn't have this money available they wouldn't get it.