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

mintymoneysaver

redmel1621 wrote: »

I have been reading this thread with tears in my eyes as this year I am so skint, my boys birthdays are in Oct & Nov (mine and Dh also Oct & Nov) with birthdays and christmas quite close I do struggle but this year has been really bad in one way or another. I will have barely £20-£30 for each of their birthdays and nothing aside yet for christmas I am hoping to have £80ish between them (although this is probably a bit optimistic). Normally I would only manage about £70-£80 each anyway But things are so expensive for kids now and I really feel like I am letting them down this year. I know a few of their friends come from well off families and will probably be spending (like some of the other posters here) huge amounts of money.
Mel x

I am so glad you posted this. Fortunately this year I am in a position to buy stuff but two years ago we were in debt and I was determined not to use any more credit. Mine probably had about £40 spent on them tops, and do you know what I really feel there are many more people like you and I who just haven't replied to this thread, maybe because they are feeling the same as you.You aren't letting your children down, you love them, you feed them and clothe them and that is worth far more than some ridiculous amount of money being spent on them.
Don't feel guilty, there's no need, and if it's any consolation, even though I now have a bit more money neither of mine will have more than £120 spent on them. Yes my eldest wants a new phone and a digital camera, well there's no way she's having both even if I could afford it, it'll be one and she'll just have to wait till her birthday for the other. I really don't understand how people can spend hundreds of pounds, although I suppose if I was well off I may think differently. Each to their own, but thankyou for being honest and showing us all what Christmas is really about.

lilmoi1985lm

just showed my mother this thread she is now converted to having a cheaper xmas this year she always spends far too much and really is no need for it!

sammy_kaye18

I feel really bad now - i tend to spend about £200 - £250 on my son and then give him a stocking and selection box. Although i do make sure he makes a donation to a charity so he understands about giving and recieving. Although throughout the year i am very frugal and moneysaving so any spare money i have i save away for it all (christmas) so i know he can have a good christmas - seeing as i only buy for him (no other kids) and bf buys for his other son.

blue_monkey_2

I just wanted to add to this thread for those of you that are having trouble with Xmas. I got an email on Saturday from theentertainer.co.uk about lots of things that are in the sale and are half price or less. I got those ATOM toys half price, also £100 'package' of the ATOM for £30, I also got some intereactive puppies reduced to £5 from £15 so I bought 3 of these for kids in the family. I went on hot deals and got 5% back and there is also quidco but it says that the the payment is unrelibale so I decided to use the code and quidco so I would get something either way but I have done all of my shopping for my kids and the kids in the family including the postage for just under £200. My kids have had about £75 each spent on them but I will buy one more 'big' present, my son has his eye on scalextric (£25) and my daughter keeps on going on about Polly Pocket (££) so she will get one of those sets. We don't have a great deal of money for Xmas but at the end of the day, lots of smaller and cheaper presents make it just as worthwhile as lots of big expensive presents.

The other thing I have found, when you have a spre hour or so, go to Toys R Us, they have lots of bits that are reduced but just stuck on the shelf and they will be silly money like 1.99 or 97p but it means you can get lots of stocking fillers, they are not really advertised but you can get quite a few bits this way and I always go get stocking fillers this way. I hope this helps. Remember, Xmas is not just about what you get under the tree at the end of the day, it's an old cliche I know but it is true. oh and yes, I start buying around May time, bits of this that and the other but I do get them in the sales and stock up and if you spend £20 a month on cheap stuff while in the Supermarket it all adds up at the end of the year. My kids do not have any real crazes that they are interested in so I am making the most of it while I can!!

janthemum

In the past I have spent far too much on my two, 16 yr old son daughter is 13. This year it is a limit of up to £50 each.

I bought my son a violin earlier in the year which I said would be for his Christmas and birthday, but will only spend the same on my daughter as well.ie £50.

They will both get a book a few chocs, CD, cheap DVD pens and paper and a few little other bargain bits I spot along the way but will not go over the budget.

I intend to have lots quality time as a family like scrabble, monopoly and get the Christmas films out. Im looking forward to it.:j

Pooky

Amarillo wrote: »

This is still not cheap (starts at £90 for a family of 4), but a lot cheaper than a trip to Lapland:

http://www.laplanduk.co.uk/

I think it is the first year they are doing it so don't know what it is like, but I hope it is good as I have now booked !

It's probably completely the wrong place to post this so if that is the case, apologies.

Thanks so much for that link - I booked last night - I'm so excited - sounds like it will be fab!

sammy_kaye18

To REDMEL1621 and anyone else worried about christmas!!!!!- Hun, Please for one second do not worry about christmas. Trust me (and as many O/S posters will know from my experiences last year) Christmas looked like dooms day to me, my son was only 2 and a half years old, my partner had just lost his job after he lost his sight in one eye, i was the only source of income into our family with £237 a month to live on (for bills, christmas presents, debts etc), tax credits had messed up, i had no heating at all, barely enough gas to cook a christmas dinner, nearly no electric on my meter and my washing machine went bang at the beginning of December and the stress had taken its toll on me so much that i was barely sleeping and barely eating. I thought christmas would be horrible but bf reminded me that the fact we were all safe and well mattered more even though he was blind at that point. A kind OS member (total stranger to me i might add) surprised me with a £40 tescos delivery which got us through the christmas and new years season. We found lots of free things to do like our local town turned on the christmas lights, we watched the free father christmas parade, our village has a little santa that goes round in a sledge so we took ben out and watched that. We went for winter walks, we baked cakes, we all cuddled under a fleece and watched a christmas film, we played board games. The quality time aspect fo chrismtas is the most fun not the bill sat under the christmas tree babe. In total my son had about £50 and so did his older brother (hes 6 - my step son) either way they enjoyed it because we did family things together. My mum gave me a few good words of wisdom and said 'Remember christmas is a time to be thankful not greedy' and thats stuck since with me - after last year we will definately keep up the traditions we started last year and maybe make a few new ones of our own. Dont feel disappointed or sad babe just be glad you are all well, healthy and safe. I have to add too that the next year will probably be so much better, ours improved vastly after christmas, bf got a transplant which regained most of his sight, he found a new job, i was able to get credit to be allwoed a DD for the gas and electric and everythgin seems to be goign well. We are happy and content and i think this will be the first christmas in about 3 years that i can actually say im looking forward too. Lots of hugs, Sam x x x x

sammy_kaye18

I forgot to add - many of the MSE members are also members of the organized christmas site - i know theres a few of you lurking here!!! It si a brilliant site and has HUNDREDS of ideas for craft thigns to make for christmas for all family members, baking gift ideas etc - id recommend it to everyone and anyone.

Fourcandles_3

Wow, I guess I am really tight as I ony spend £50 tops on my children. Having said that they don't have playstations etc as we cannot afford them so no temptation there.

Really they get a main present for around £30 to £40 and then some bits usually from the pound shop or book sales.

ktflosspot

:j How lucky am I !!! I dont spend anything on my kids coz Santa brings it all !!!!!!!!!!!:j

Not really ! My 2 ds write a list of 3 items that they really want and post it to Santa, they know that they will get ONE of the items but not which one.
I aim not to spend "an amount" but to get something that they really want and fill up with stuff from the sales and poundland .
Last year the 2 main presents ( 1 each) came to a total of £95 with about another £30 in fillers each so about £75 each child . Reading through some of the posts I feel a right tight fisted so&so now!

My neice however gets EVERYTHING on her list from my brother and sil and last year got a tv/dvd psp & xbox 360 !!!!!

ds2's list last year consisted of
1 power rangers dvd
2 mp3 player
3 shrek selection box

So I suppose I am lucky that none of the items were too expensive I could have bought all 3 items (he got the mp3 player )but its fantastic christmas morning to see the anticipation as they open their prezzies to see what Santa has brought from their list.

Oh & to get them to bed Christmas Eve ( sorry it is going off on a tangent)
Santas Elves deliver pyjamas whilst we are sprinkling reindeer dust in the back garden and as soon as the pyjamas have arrived it is bath and bed time !!!!!!