Xmas Spending Arguements

ska_lover

I have to agree with above posters - £150 a child is a very decent amount of money to spend on them as gifts for xmas - certainly not megre at all!. (most people will agree this is MSE after all lol)

I agree with your hubby because you are not teaching your children anything by just showering them with stuff at xmas. Are you a particularly religious family?

BitterAndTwisted

A two hundred quid games console for an 8 year old? He's too young to understand just how lavish a Christmas gift that is.

I'm on your husband's side. It seems that your children may be completely innocent of just how costly the things are which they have asked for. Plus, kids expectations never become more modest. The more you spend, the more they could expect year-on-year. By the time they're 18 they could be asking for a new Mercedes for Christmas.

Not getting anything or everything you want for Christmas is not child cruelty. Tempering their expectations could be the best lesson you ever taught them.

gazza975526570

Dunroamin wrote: »

£150 per child is a lot of money - perhaps your children need to be less greedy.

Why are you pointing your finger at the children? It's the parents that spend the money. We are comfortable, not well off, and probably spend about £200 each. You need to sit down and come to a compromise between you both.

themull1

If you spent £300 last year, just do that this year. Buy them what you want to buy. Why is your oh being so funny with money this year? I dont think its a case of being greedy, if the kids normally get a pile of presents, it would be a bit strange going to one present. When i was with my husband i bought all the presents, and all he was bothered about was did the piles look big enough!.

themull1

Just tell him you got a lot of stuff half price and buy what you want!

newgirly

Could you compromise, and say let grandparents (if appropriate) pay towards (only a small amount not half!) the larger presents and then buy some cheap fillers from the £1 shop and selection boxes so you don't have to have 1 or 2 presents each.

Grumpygit

We tend to spend about 400-500 on dd - she is an only child and we can afford it. We splurge at christmas but not during the year.

We have got her an Iphone 4s this year (she's almost 13) this will be her first phone - there is a story behind that particular phone rather than a simple phone but that's not important.

People on lower incomes may say that £150 is too much but if you're comfortable with spending that amount (or more) then it's no-one else's business.

Have you always been in a comfortable lifestyle or have there been times when you were wondering where the next £ would come from, if it's the latter, then maybe he's thinking why blow it all why not keep a perspective on it and not spoil them.

Do they respect their possessions? maybe that's another reason why he doesn't want to spend that much?

I can appreciate that to you, he seems to be having one rule for you both and another for the kids, however, they are still children and don't earn money.

Maybe just try and talk to him about why he is saying that - he should try and make you understand where he is coming from

RoxieW

The console is for the 10 year old and hubby actually put that in his head until he saw how much they were.

Thank you for those what have given the helpful advice. I'm going to see what I can sell. I'm going to close the thread now because I don't want it to descend into bitter people berating me and my 'spoilt' children. Thanks everyone

RoxieW

Just to respond to Grumpy for taking the time to respond. We've always been reasonably well off but thanks to my business this year our income has more than doubled. I want to enjoy the fruits of my hard work. I get your point about not respecting possession. There can be an element of that issue sometimes. That said, they are all three excellent kids - top of class and well behaved so I do like to 'spoil' them to some extent. perhaps it will be fine them having less this year. I just love Xmas and always want it to be extra special.

neneromanova

Which games comsole does the 10 year old want? Maybe we can help find it for £150