How much do you spend on each of your kids at Yule/Xmas.

Greenqueen_2

Gosh, I feel like a real tightwad now! I have set a budget of £300 for xmas this year. From this I must get everything--food, cards, pressies, etc.( We use the same decorations every year). I buy for 12 people including my "kids" who are 21 and 18, so I look to spend around £30 each on them!

cheeks

My nephews birthday is on the 1st of January, but being so close to Christmas we celebrate his birthday on the 1st July instead! That way it spreads the cost for his family and he gets to have presents twice a year instead of all at the same time. He's only 3 at the mo and this arrangement works well, don't know how he'll feel about it in a couple of years!

escaping_to_spain

Hi there, my first post on MSE...

For the past five years we have slashed the amount we spend on presents from £150ish to about £30 on a main present and £20 on stocking fillers.

The main reason for this is that we decided to go away for Christmas, so we hire a peaceful cottage in cornwall which looks out to sea, build a big fire and eat and drink ourselves silly. Being next to the sea, there's tons to do for our 8 year old, and he spends all his time in wellies. This is the best Christmas present for all of us, and means we have time together as a family. It does cost about £400 for the hire, but it's one of our main holidays, so we don't mind.

It has become much more important to him to have this time than the latest bit of plastic or video game, and as an ardent Lego fan, he is perfectly happy with some more to add to the pile, a book, and a DVD.
:A

Mabaggins

Wow how much does everyone spend. It is unreal. I have 8 children eldest 16 on 28th Dec ouch & 2 more birthdays in jan. We have just uped what we spend to £30 each on main present and they get a stocking that cost £5-7. If they want a big present the relatives money is clubbed together. Relatives spend £90 in total on each. I do start my shop early and have most of their stocking during the year, half the main presents are bought. Still trying to get the rest at a sensible price. My 14yr old is getting her 'straighteners GHD style' for under £20 for New Babyliss total freedom 230. They do have playstation, game cube, NDS lite etc but often because they have joined together with their money.
They all get 70p per week pocket money. that covers mags ice-creams phone top ups etc. grandparents give them £1 every couple of weeks.
Do they do without - i don't think so. Clubcard vouchers has taken them to disney, alton towers & legoland.
Why the obsession to spend so much? Or is it me that has got it wrong?

milkydrink

Mabaggins wrote: »

Wow how much does everyone spend. It is unreal. I have 8 children eldest 16 on 28th Dec ouch & 2 more birthdays in jan. We have just uped what we spend to £30 each on main present and they get a stocking that cost £5-7. If they want a big present the relatives money is clubbed together. Relatives spend £90 in total on each. I do start my shop early and have most of their stocking during the year, half the main presents are bought. Still trying to get the rest at a sensible price. My 14yr old is getting her 'straighteners GHD style' for under £20 for New Babyliss total freedom 230. They do have playstation, game cube, NDS lite etc but often because they have joined together with their money.
They all get 70p per week pocket money. that covers mags ice-creams phone top ups etc. grandparents give them £1 every couple of weeks.
Do they do without - i don't think so. Clubcard vouchers has taken them to disney, alton towers & legoland.
Why the obsession to spend so much? Or is it me that has got it wrong?

If you've got 8 kids then you're probably going to spend 1/8 on each of what a family with only one child will spend on that one.
If you're spending £35-£37 on each, then x 8 thats £280-£296 in total.
Well I spend that on my one.
So we all probably spend about the same (according to disposable income), but it just depends how far its gotta s-t-r-e-t-c-h.
Yes I think only children probably do get more material goods, but large families have lots of siblings, instead of "things" they have company.
Its swings & roundabouts.

sammy_kaye18

This thread has reminded me to go and look out all of DS things and see what hes got now.

I think ive spent about £50 on him at the minute but it will probably go up. Next month looks to be tight so fingers crossed we can get a fair bit when wages/benefits/tax credits come in at the end of this month and just before christmas etc.

tiredmother

Wow I'm speechless (though not surprised) to see how much everyone else spends.. cash fest christmas or what. I have three sons and have a budget of £50 each. I have 17 others who I have to find a gift for and I have done that for £89. (all books..)

I always overspend slightly due to children often only telling me their hearts true desire on christmas eve at 4pm, but even so, they still have way too much stuff. last couple of years at the in laws house on christmas Day they all three got bored with unwrapping presents and went off to play leaving dregs of pile still wrapped. And yes I have also found months later stashes of unopened toys under beds.

mum2one

My daughter is 5, and her 1st xmas she was 3 mths old, id spent £300, averaging £250 last few years. last year she had vtech then needed games they were £15.00 each, 10 games.

This year cut right back
Mian prezzie father xmas - styling head doll £10.00 (used free £10.00 argos voucher)
Xmas stocking £20.00
Main - personal dvd player - torch and cd rom game £70.00
raided the boots card £35.00 of toilettries.

Everything paid cash for cost £90.00 Im sticking to it.

In a way I feel tight, (im a single mum have no csa of the ex, hes never paid a penny, he doesnt buy her presents she has nothing to do with his family), but Im the one who has to buy things throughout the year, its not as thou they have a growth spurt on birthdays and christmas! x

sukysue

Ah but you have her and she more than makes up for it doesn't she? To hell with her dad he is one in name only anyway. Good on you for staying strong and looking after her on your own . A bit early but........Have a lovely Xmas together .

Kantankrus_Mare

My kids are 14 and 12.

We like others have gone overboard in past years just so it "looks" like they have lots of pressies.

Many have hardly been played with or used and now they are older I have set a limit to £150 each.

My son is really into guitars at the minute and he asked if he could put his Xmas money towards a new guitar he had his eye on (£300) We agreed as there is nothing else he really wants and to his due...he has paid off the rest of the balance hisself.

Really feel that we should get him a couple of things to open but what do you get teenage lads?

Daughter is thinking about a Wii (if we can lay our hands on one of course) and again I said she can have £150 towards it and pay the rest out of her savings.

May seem mean but I believe if they have contributed, they appreciate things more, and it makes them really think about what they would like.