Cost of Christmas

earthmother

£50 is my budget - the boys are 5, 3 and 7 months.

They have so many toys between them, and so many relatives, that if they get too much they don't play with it anyway.

This is the first year anything has been requested - eldest wants either Tracy Island or Optimus Prime, both of which are around £40, and middle wants the Mack truck from Cars, which is about £18, so I'll add the vehicles to it.

Baby - well it's actually quite hard to buy for him, as he's got all his brothers toys to play with anyway - we'll get a little something for him, but most of his money will probably be put away for later.


As they get older, then yes I accept that I may need to increase the budget a little, but I can't see us ever spending three-figure sums on them - our entire christmas budget for the whole family, including food and entertaining, is less than £400!

Smashing

belfastgal wrote:

god just voted at the top of the page ....what a shock 35% only spend £50 to £100 wow.......if you have teenagers - what on earth could you get for that ?they all want mobiles , laptops, ps2/3 ?????????????????????????????

'I want' doesn't always get. :eek:

*Louise*

firespire wrote:

What is 'other'?
Surely the lowest possible is £0 and the highest is £500+
The only thing I can think of for 'other' is spending a negative amount, ie. billing the child for Christmas?

I always put an 'other' option in in case anyone comes up with something different (you'd be amazed on some sites how awkward some folk can be)

nellis10

DS is 2 and I tend to buy mostly clothes...went into primark and bout loads for £35 and then instead of keeping them for christmas...I had to use them!! :rotfl: He's suddenly gone from fitting 18-24mnths to 2-3 now!!

I'll be getting him a train track...thomas the tank aquadraw thingy, lots of clothes...tesco, asda sort fo ting as he needs a change at least twice a day!!

He'll get a few other stocking filers...thomas the tank, wiggles dvd etc for stocking fillers and a few sweeties and that's it. From next year I'll probably ahve to budget a little more as he'll probably be into something specific by then and not jsut everything on Nick Jr/CBeebies!! :rolleyes:

For hubby I'll spend about £100-£150 and I know he's spent a fair bit on a special ring for me this christmas. But I'd be as happy with 100 £1 pressies as with 1 £100 pressie...I just love the magic of giving and opening pressies and surprises!!

*Louise*

Overall, the majority seem to be spending a sensible amount and keeping to what they can afford (not surprising - we are on MSE lol):T

It's just you hear a lot of stories about children having up to a couple of thousand spent on them - I always wonder what they get the following year isf they already have so much...

FZwanab

My kids are only young so I can convince them that what I have bought in a toy sale is what they actually want from santa.

belfastgal

firespire wrote:

What is 'other'?
Surely the lowest possible is £0 and the highest is £500+
The only thing I can think of for 'other' is spending a negative amount, ie. billing the child for Christmas?

Why didn't i think of that...lol
when they are very young you can get away with a small amount, but when they get older...i just couldnt do that on them...but i wouldnt spend money i diidnt have or get into debt
i always say you can only spend it once..so if it spent on A there is no money for B
thats my excuse when i indulge myself on a few bottles of wine

ambernora

I have just added up all the money I have spent on my 2 kids(7 & 3) for this christmas and I can't believe I've spent £300 and I could still think of more things I'd like to get them.

angelofdeath.84

I have two teenages - both 15 and they get a limit of 100 pounds a piece and have done every year. This year one wants a PSP and has been told that the only way he will be getting it is if he saves up his paper round money and pays he difference.

Even if he is short, I will still get it for him but this way he understands that he needs to work for luxury items!

Lakelady_2

I`ve only one daughter 18 who is now at uni. I`ve spent the past week sorting out her bedroom and the rubbish she has in there! She does not need any more stuff so this year I`m going to give her money which I`ve suggested to her that she saves for a holiday next year!
Last christmas she wanted a shark steam cleaner £80 and used once:rolleyes: That was on top of other useless, now valueless bits and pieces.