Who do you buy for and how much do you spend?

Jo_Mc_2

I usually try to keep to £200 for each of my sons and £50 for my husband. The last few years I've spent £40 on a National Garden Centres gift voucher for my parents as their only hobby is gardening and they're SO difficult to buy for but ideally I'd like to get them something different this year, whatever I get though they'll tell me I shouldn't have spent anything on them.

I usually have to buy for around 18 people. I bought a lot of presents in the Boots sale in January and I've picked up a few things through the year in various sales and offers so that's cut the expense down a lot. I have some M&S vouchers which I hope to use to pick up a few more gifts and that just leaves mother in law (I budget around £10 for her - she's never grateful for anything you buy her so what's the point spending more?!) and husband's nephews. I got one a Rubik puzzle from Amazon with was around £2 on offer but the older two are in their 20s. I usually give them £10 each but I want to cut back this year as SIL appeared to have done with her gifts for our kids last year so will probably get some smellies for them instead. Husband has a friend with 3 kids who we rarely see or have any contact with, maybe once or twice a year at most, and I'd love to just not buy for them. They don't live near us so unless I send money (which I'd rather not do as it's more expensive than giving a cheaper gift - I try to budget £10 between the 3 kids) it's a matter of taking their gifts over and my husband always moans about having to find the time to do that, plus there's never ever a thank you from these children. I tried to put a stop to it by starting not to send birthday gifts and just cards a few years ago but my husband got a call from his friend who was a bit miffed that his son hadn't had a gift from us and he didn't want to lose his friend over that. I begrudge spending money on children who aren't really in our lives though.

cactuspotty

I've got my parents, three sisters, two brothers, five nieces and two nephews to buy for. I spent about £10 each on everyone, plus I always buy/make a big hamper of food for my parents. I start buying in August and split across four paydays, so it works out quite well.
I love watching all their faces when they open their pressies and love to scour shops and the internet to get them something they really need or will like!

PootleFlump_3

I only buy for my OH and my niece and nephew. My mum/dad/sister and BIL all went through redundancies (as did I) so we decided it was stupid to spend money on each other. I normally spend about £30 on each on niece and nephew and spend around £300 on my OH. Sometimes less sometimes more. Depends whether there is anything big that I know he wants or not. x

katiecoodle

I don't buy for my OH or my siblings who have children. We have an arrangement where we just buy for the kids. Its much easier, although it struck me recently that if wasn't for my inlaws, I wouldnt' receive any presents at all!
I spend around £20 on children. Our adult neices and nephews (who are married now and could really do with dropping off our present list, but we don't know how to do this without seeming like the mean aunt & uncle) get around £10 spent on them & so do their spouses. My inlaws get around £25 each spent on them. And there are quite a few children/best friends children/god children who get around £10 spent on them too.
This year, I spoke to my SIL and arranged that instead of us buying each other presents, we would just all go to a panto together. Our kids have so much already & really don't need more presents but this way we get to enjoy something together.

Jonee

Well, I`m panicking already...I am waiting to go into hospital for an operation and have been unable to work since June because of it......my wages were keeping us afloat and that has now dramatically reduced, we have £400 left in the bank/building society as we have had to dip in the savings for shopping....my husbands wages all goes on mortgage/bills/insurances.....so I am really not looking forward to Christmas
Looks like our families wont be getting anything if I don`t get this operation done soon.....
Sorry to rant....just needed to get it off my chest....

augustsmummy

Similar situation here Jonee, I am awaiting 2 operations and have been off since february. Then hubby lost his job in march. So I feel for you. It has got me down too, and I felt very mean saying no presents for nieces and nephews but it had to be done.
At least you have each other. Hope you get your operation soon
AM x

kemo_2002

golly gosh my spend guna look large...

£200 - OH
£200 for me
£150 - DD

£50 MIL
£50 FIL
£50 - Mum
£50 - Dad

£50 - Bro
£50 - BIL
£50 - SIL

£15 - grandad

Friends - £100 (all together)

Niece 1 - £30
Niece 2 - £30
Niece 3 - £20

Friends Kids - £40 (all together)
Cousins - £30 (all together)

Xmas eve hampers for DD & Nieces - £40

thats near enough £1200!! :eek::eek:

Holy S*it! - mind you, we do put away each month for it, and never spend more than weve saved (me & OH save £20 per month for each others pressents) also for example MIL xmas pressie is worth £90 but actually free as i won it in a comp, so saved £50 there. EKK!

NGlady2

I love to spoil my 3 neices and nephew - but I do like glitches/bargains too

brought 80quids worth of disney stuff for 35 the other week - and cos there quite young still they dont really realise its not the latest stuff woohoo. and I also like bargains on websites etc.

As a rule - my neices and nephews probs get about 30 each including a special card.

My mum - I try to spoil her as much as possible. She doesnt have much money and is very hard to try and think of things to get her as she doesnt mention stuff - so I try to get lots and lots of staple stuff, slippers for example. so £60ish

Dad - about £20

sisters and bro in laws - were doing a secret santa this year £30

bf - £100 ish

work £15

what I try to do is go to a boots special evening - and where possible buy pressies that evening, that way I benefit with £10 free boots points which along with my points acumilated this year pays for a bottle of perfume for me

superflygal

Hi folks, great idea for a thread. I will refer back to this as a reminder! I always forget someone!

I have:

Husband £100
Son £100
Daughter £100

Mum & Dad £30 each
Sister £30
Bro & SIL £token gift
Nephew £20
Niece £20
Nan & her hubby £30
Aunty £5
Cousin's kids £20 each

MIL: £50
BIL& SIL £20
Nephew/Niece £10 ea
Grandpa in law £20

Friends' kids £5 each ish (normally get good bargains worth a lot more through the year, so gifts look a lot more)
Teacher £2 ish
Teachers £10 biscuits/chocs
Contingency fund (for the odd random person who turns up with a present out of the blue!) £10

So total £650ish. I often panic buy extra things though as I forget my stash, and end up doling those out too, i'm always worried the presents don't look enough!

SFG x

Mrs_Ryan

Erm...
Mum - £50 - Raided the Avon catalogue for her pressies! She wanted slippers and is slimming with Slimming World so I bought her the slippers that tone you as you walk, plus they look lovely, choc brown suede with furry lining. Also bought her an FCUK watch that was on offer in latest catalogue for £20, some PJ's, and a heat mat, pouch and some heat defense spray - set was on offer for a fiver, really chuffed at that Also got her a necklace and earrings set from the clearance brochure. Will probs end up getting her smellies as well - she is incredibly hard to buy for!
Dad - £50 - £25 Amazon voucher for his Kindle, bottle of vodka and some Nivea for Men stuff which he likes.
Brother - About £17, bottle of Morgans Spiced.
SIL - £15, Bottle of perfume from Avon (Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas new one - but it came with free purse spray and body spray in a nice gift bag, bargain! Same pressie for sister)
Sister - £15, see above
Sister's OH - £8, have bought him this gift set thing from Avon for men, I barely know the guy!!
Nephews - £10 x 2 ITunes vouchers
Best mate - she wants a Nottingham Rugby polo shirt with her fave player's name on the back - - £37
OH - I must be stupid but I'm buying him a half season ticket to Tigers, plus a Tigers shirt and calendar so about £200.

Sounds a lot but I bought some last month, buying some this month, and some next month. OH's season ticket will have to wait until last payday before Xmas - I'm off sick at the minute and not sure how long for so he might not even get it yet!!