How much do you spend on birthday presents for your kids friends?

Pink_rose_2

I try to spend as less as possible, but maximum of £5 plus cheap card. I nearly always buy in the sales, for example I've just picked up a stationery set from the Disney store which was down from £10 to £5 and looks a really lovely pressie. The supermarkets are also good for reduced toys - I buy as I see them and put them away. I also re-cycle pressies that my kids have received (duplicates or stuff that's not really their cup of tea). Home Bargins is also another good place to look, lots of cheap arts and craft type pressies.

naomi123

I will get cards from the 99p shop where they are about 4 for £1- just generic childrens cards but they are fine for birthdays. If I have none of them in, and things are really tight, then I get my daughter to make one!!
Presents- I will buy in bulk when I see things cheap, I got about 10 childrens gardening kits from sainsburys at the end of last summer for 20p each so they have done the last few childrens parties. I buy things in bulk when I see them cheap- I also bought some fifi watches from play.com when they were 99p each! Now they are all gone too, I have a disney princess puzzle in my drawer that i bought from a boot fair for 20p- it is brand new and still in packaging so that will do for the next party.
This is all for my childrens friends- I do spend more for my neices and nephews- I will usually buy them something they want for around £20-£25. Definatly dont spend alot on my childrens friends though- they never remember who got what anyway!

sooz

I try to spend about a £5 for random class mates, & £10 for best friends. For family, I'll probably spend the same, but thanks to MSE it was 'worth' more pre-bargain .

But I only ever buy paper and cards once a year, or less if I can help it.

I get cards from the card factory, 10 for £1. And I have a large box of generic pink & blue, football & doll/fairy etc cards. I'd much rather spend the extra £1 or £2 on the present than on a piece of cardboard that will be thrown away.

I buy paper whenever I see it on offer, & buy lots. Sometimes I'll also get some rolls when they sell them through school for fundraising.

I also have a large present box, kept out of sight from the kids. In it I keep age appropriate presents that I see on offer, the cards & the paper. If I'm good & put them back, there's a pair of scissors and a roll of tape in there.

I rarely go out specifically to buy a present for classmates' birthdays, there's usually something already in the box. I just have to make sure it's topped up next time I see stuff, & think of getting stuff for the next age ranges...10 year olds don't appreciate playdoh, no matter how cheap it was when you bought it 4 years ago, & they want lego!

Birdy12

Card wise, I'm with the others above, 7 or 10 for £1 from Card Factory, depending what's on offer. I also recycle any gift bags I'm given.

When the kids were younger, I used to be able to get away with things that I'd bought in the sales for their friends. Now they're a bit older, toys are out of the window, so I buy giftcards but only for £10, no more.

Bumpmakesfour wrote: »

Got to the party and handed it over to the birthday child who shouted "is that another (enter toy name here) I've got millions of them" and handed it to the mum and walked off :eek:

The above reminds me when my MIL gave my DS (about 7 at the time) a present of some clothes. He opened up the gift bag, took one look and said 'not boring clothes again'.

I couldn't wait to get him home and read him the riot act. He now smiles and says thanks to every present he's given!

sooz

gingin wrote: »

£5 if it's not a close friend going up to £10 for a more personal present if it's one of her best mates and a well thought out, small party. I get dd to make her cards and put cheapie paper and put a cheap bow on top.

It seems to be amazon vouchers for ds and his 11 year old friends. I give a tenner ( too much in my opinion but I'm a sheep) but some give £20.

That's the trouble when they want money or vouchers isn't it? . £5 then seems cheap. I think £10 for that age is plenty, particularly if they get more than one voucher from others, or add some pocket money to get something large they really want.

kjmtidea

I used to spend £10 but it has now gone down to £5 because I have 4 kids and they go to so many parties! Most of the time I just stick £5 in a card because my kids love getting money and being able to choose what they want so I assume other kids do to?!

If it is a close friends child then I do spend a little more.

onlyroz

Just been out to get a present for a girl whose party my daughter is going to tomorrow. Bagged a bargain play doh set for a fiver reduced from £15 so I'm well chuffed and I hope the little girl is too...

moomoomama27

I have a limit of a fiver, but I always stock up in sales, and pop bits in a pressie box! So normally the pressie is worth a minimum of £8!

I buy cards from poundland 4 for £1!

mountainofdebt

£2 for a chid's card - please tell me you're having us on? I don't even pay that for my mum's birthday card.

I spent 75p on an 18th birthday card whose verse had me laughing in the aisles

As for the pressie I must admit I took the lazy way out on put a £5 note in the card - at least that way the child could spend it on what they wanted,

Lunar_Eclipse

Always buy an £8-15 present, but usually pay less than full price.

My daughter had a birthday recently (11) and received 3 gifts from friends of £10, plus two gift certificates of £10 & £15 from 2 other friends. Times are a changing from a cute My Little Pony or sparkly handbag!