Spill the beans..

wanchai_2

SpiralingDown wrote: »

This year I don't know how much I've spent.
Have had a bad year, DH passed in April and got evicted a few days ago cause landlord wasn't paying the mortgage!
The only thing on DS list is a TV with built in freeview and have the money in the bank to pay for this but have also bought some items which have glitched (ie free or cheap) in Mr T's plus extras which I sold on facebook to pay for DS xmas gifts.
I've got everything in boxes in my mum's bedroom at the moment but as DS birthday is exactly 3 weeks after xmas I have always bought both together so have done the same this year.

The hardest thing is resisting buying stuff for DH

Your post made me get a bit teary, big hugs to you and God bless xxx

WizzyB

We always spent about £30 each on our children until early teens - no "massive " pressies! Adults would club in if there was a request for a bigger pressie eg, bike or ipod shuffle - or birthday combined with xmas pressie. Probably around £30 mid teens and this Xmas £80. One is 18yr and one is 20 yr old. We are probably seen as "well-off" but feel that it is completely unnecessary to give more! Now we have a £10 challenge for all adult presents in the family and have really enjoyed doing this - try poundland, tk maxx, home made, charity shops etc!! :T

boo666

I have 4 aged 7,5,4 and 6 months they will all get around £150 each and all of there stockings will add up to £100 for all 4 not each lol. I save and buy through the year so it helps. The latest sun lego deal done a good stocking filler 30p lego and put them in a box from hobbycraft looks great...

scouserbear

Have spent about 200 each on my three smaller children (ages 5 6 and 7), the eldest who is 13 will get £100 cash and some stocking fillers, but he does have a mobile phone bill every month and got my laptop when I got a new one so he knows he doesn't get as much at christmas. Then again he had 100 for his birthday and they all had 50, so he definitely gets the most. Starting buying early so not got into any further debt to pay for christmas x

freddy27

I am dumfounded at some of the amounts spent by parents on their children. My child is now 53, so when he was young we spent about £20 on him, this was one weeks wages then, so it equates. Now I have four Grand children and three Greatgrand children. As a pensioner, I spend about £100 on each and every birthday £150 premium bond. Though it is getting harder to maintain that spending.

Just_Trying_5

Notjustamum wrote: »

Fair point but he did say that it was "pocket money" which he implies they can spend as they wish so I assumed that this amount was separate from any maintenance he may have to pay towards clothes etc.

Yes this is in addition to any maintenance I pay .... However my personal single costs are high as I live in London, so Notjustamum husband it seems is spending alot of money on items I may not be, including his wife perhaps

moomoomama27

I have 3 children, 14,8 and 6. I have a budget of about £200 per child on presents, although the value will often be double as I try to get as much as I can with 50% off. About £30 on stockings, and then we have a family present which is theatre or pantomime tickets for us all in the new year which can be £100-£200 depending on where/what we see.

Moresby120

At Xmas me, my sister and brother in law and my mum all put in about £10 per person so we all have £50 to spend. Me and DH also get our kids something for £30-40 each. Then they get a stocking which is about another £20. In addition their other Grandma spends about £30 and their other aunt and uncle another £30-40. My niece (6yrs) gets about the same. They get little bits and bobs from some of my friends but we spend more on each others kids birthdays and just little £5 type presents at Xmas. I guess they have about £200 max spent on them from us, the extended family and friends.

I wouldn't judge anyone else for what they spend - none of my business. But what ours get certainly seems plenty enough to keep them very happy. My mum usually makes a remark about children today having so much more than they used to, sometimes implying our kids are a bit spoilt. I will show her this thread as it always makes me so cross when she implies they are spoilt - she has no idea!! I'm sure they have more than she had in wartime and post-war Britain but from what I remember me and my sister had about the same as our kids.

themull1

I dont have a budget, i sort of stop when i think they've got enough to open, and i don't necessarily spend the same on the two of them, this year, oldest daughter wants a new mobile, so will be getting more spent on her than her younger sister who wants toy story stuff, hello kitty etc. they will have roughly the same sized piles to open though.

lkmc01

This year I have budgeted £100 to spend between the following -

• my son (6 years old)
• my mum
• my partners mum
• my dad
• my partners dad
• my sister and her partner
• my niece
• my partners sister
• my partners other sister and her husband
• my nan
• and my dog

My partner and I do not buy each other anything.

My theory is that if people do not know what they want and do not tell you they dont get anything. I get presents out of the garage I have been given the Christmas before and give them for presents to other people.

I dont see what the fuss is about, its all going to happen again in 12 months time!! :money: