For xmas how much to spend on a 4 year old

Salster_2

Been following this thread with interest. The latest toys can cost a small fortune but there are always bargains to be had - I will be spending £20 on my niece. She simply loves Barbie and I just got emailed about a Barbie laptop for £20.

http://www.think4.com/clearance_corner/oregon_scientific_barbie_b_smart_desktop_learning_computer.html

Dixons are selling the same model for £34.99

bexy43

Hi all,

My DS will be 22 months at christmas, and although i may sound scabby, i have got some fabulous stuff for him from car boot sales, some of the bits i've got are a Postman pat trike (super condition) for £3 - same one in argos for £35 , a big tub of Duplo lego bricks £1.50.

His "main" present is an activity cube from toys r us which was £20, then the bike and a LOAD of other stuff that i've been picking up through the year like large size puzzles, cars, cars, cars (he loves them!!) and clothes and books and stuff. all in all he will have more to play with just from us than he knows what to do with - and i am so chuffed that its only cost me £60. I make the most of buying what i can second hand because i know that before long it will be the huge must have presents that i'll be forking out for. I grew up knowing the value of money (DH didn't!!) and i'm desperate for Ds to be the same as me! I never went without anything when i was younger, but i understood that i may have to wait a while before i got it. Thats a notion that is lost on most kids today because its soo easy to whack it on a credit card.

I used to turn my nose up at carboots, and when i was pregnant i would never entertain the idea of my child having second hand stuff...boy was i wrong!! There are some amazing bargains to be had at boot sales, and it gets us out of the house on a sunday morning. People are amazed at the amount of toys he has and thinks we spend a fortune - but he has probably £1000 worth of toys and it cost us about £150. I am so proud of myself that i can save money this way, and he benefits in the long run as it means we can put more in his bank account (currently £700) which will be far more beneficial in years to come to him.

And at the end of the day, do you know what kids want more than any other toy on the planet.................?

Your time!!

Merry Christams All heehee, so exciting!!

Bexy xx

ashli_2

Bexy some of my ds's Christmas presents are second hand too, he is only two so he will never know the difference, and he will get more because we spent less on each item.

Not only is it economical, it's good for the environment too. :T We have also spent about £60 on ds's presents.

Katyag

My mums a huge fan of car booters too! We got when we get the chance but id love to go more often, doesnt seem to be many of them round here tho.

Mum buys loads of bits and cleans them up, she can find some fab things!

Trishh_2

Haven't read ALL the posts, but noticed that a lot of people have said about young children getting too much and therefore not knowing the value of money .... Most young children believe in SANTA and all the magic of Christmas (my 8yr old still does) .. so, for them, money won't even come into it!!

So far this year I've spent £340 on my 2 ..... but that's just 3 presents .... still have to buy a new BMX (£150)then that'll be the main presents in. My boys are 13yrs and 8yrs. All the smaller stuff will prob come to another £200-£300. So in total prob somewhere in the region of £1000 once the small things, stocking fillers and new clothes are bought. But I save £20 a week,all year, for this so have never had to get into debt for christmas. Some people might think it's excessive, but I don't. I'm sure most of us have spent £20 a week on less worthy causes, at some stage ... I know some people who smoke or drink well above this amount each week. :rolleyes: Apart from birthdays, they don't really get other toys throughout the year, unless they buy it themselves and they never ask for anything, so I love giving them loads at Christmas. Anyway ... I can't wait, I LOVE Christmas :j :j

Trish

glendam

My four children youngest now 22 and myself as a child believed in Santa but they/I knew that the gifts he brought were sent to him by other family members. Therefore they were paid for by parents etc.
Because of that they/I knew we couldnt ask for too much as money was tight.

The only thing Santa provides is the stocking.

I think this is how it should be or how do you explain Santa leaving bikes tv`s etc for one family and a jigsaw and practicle things for another.

Glenda

Mercenary

glendam wrote:

....they/I knew that the gifts he brought were sent to him by other family members. Therefore they were paid for by parents etc.
Because of that they/I knew we couldnt ask for too much as money was tight.

The only thing Santa provides is the stocking.

I think this is how it should be or how do you explain Santa leaving bikes tv`s etc for one family and a jigsaw and practicle things for another.

Glenda

Exactly the way I was brought up too :T and the way I brought up my 3 children.
They knew that Father Christmas brought the stocking containing exciting little items and chocolate coins in it, but that the bigger presents came from family members. Otherwise how can the kids say / write a proper Thankyou to the appropriate givers?

Also, if they had requested a more expensive gift that year then they knew that more than one family member would contribute towards it if asked, resulting in them receiving exactly what they wanted without making anyone overspend their budgets .

Ally

Used to spend quite a lot on kids:o ... this year is different ... got some vouchers from surveys and bargains ... so, I reckon ... all in all .... gifts will be a maximum £100 on total out of our pocket for both girls (9 & 3). Saying that ... have spent £15 (after vouchers) on youngest's main gift which was a bargain:T ... got another freebie gift for eldest that she really needs and wanted :j ... and got two ace freebies for O/H:D .

We spend more on birthdays ... between £400-£500 per child .... but this is mostly spent on jewellery, the rest is 2 or 3 gifts they want.

I used to spend a lot 'cos I wanted them to have lots to open on Christmas:rolleyes: but now I see the light ... get them what they actually want and will enjoy .... so you don't have £100's worth of stuff stuffed under the bed never to be seen again:rolleyes:

Trishh_2

But Santa has a BIG sack ... with BIG pressies in it ... far too big to go in a stocking

While my two still believe in santa, I'm making the most of it :j
Once they know, a little bit of the magic goes out of it

milliejon

We've never spent very much at all on my daughter at Christmas (she will be 4 on New Year's Day), and we won't again this year especially as my son is here and will be 1 in January.

She has never been unhappy about her presents. She loves cars (the little metal ones which are about 47p each in Asda). She spends more time playing with a old icecream tub full of cars, than her scooter or bike (both given to her by others).

My son has the toys that she's grown out of (and will get something new and special for his first Christmas).

The best part of Christmas for kiddies is the decoration and the magic. Seeing my little one's face last Christmas Day, when the plate with a mince pie on it (left the night before) had crumbs left, and the glass of milk had been emptied, and there was a note from Santa saying thank you, was fantastic! Of course, she couldn't read it, but you get the idea.

This year, we're buying some of that false snow, to make footsteps!

This year, we're buying bits and pieces for her because she's not into any specific toy (except cars). We've got to nearly 4 without a Barbie or My Little Pony in sight.

Hopefully we'll manage that for DS too.