'Count the cost of Christmas' poll discussion

Options
Former_MSE_Lawrence
Former_MSE_Lawrence Posts: 975 Forumite
edited 29 December 2010 at 1:19PM in MoneySaving polls
Count the cost of Christmas

How much has this year’s Christmas cost you?

I'm single

I don't celebrate - 160 votes (6%)
Under £50 - 209 votes (8%)
£51-£200 - 849 votes (32%)
£201 - £400 - 779 votes (30%)
£401 - £600 - 331 votes (13%)
£601 - £800 - 136 votes (5%)
£801 - £1,000 - 62 votes (2%)
Over £1,000 - 99 votes (4%)

We're a couple (total cost)

We don't celebrate - 105 votes (4%)
Under £50 - 66 votes (2%)
£51 - £200 - 352 votes (13%)
£201 - £400 - 727 votes (26%)
£401 - £600 - 642 votes (23%)
£601 - £800 - 359 votes (13%)
£801 - £1,000 - 233 votes (8%)
Over £1,000 - 287 votes (10%)

We're a family (adult(s) with kids at home)

We don't celebrate - 180 votes (5%)
Under £50 - 40 votes (1%)
£51 - £200 - 186 votes (5%)
£201 - £400 - 578 votes (15%)
£401 - £600 - 703 votes (18%)
£601 - £800 - 650 votes (17%)
£801 - £1,000 - 527 votes (14%)
Over £1,000 - 953 votes (25%)

Voting has now closed, but you can still click 'post reply' to discuss below. Thanks :)


[threadbanner]box[/threadbanner]
«1

Comments

  • minerva_windsong
    minerva_windsong Posts: 3,808 Forumite
    Options
    Couple, and I'm hazarding a guess we were in the £201-400 region as I spent at least £150 on my family and we don't do joint presents yet.
    "A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge." - Tyrion Lannister
    Married my best friend 1st November 2014
    Loose = the opposite of tight (eg "These trousers feel a little loose")
    Lose = the opposite of find/gain (eg "I'm going to lose weight this year")
  • stevemcol
    stevemcol Posts: 1,666 Forumite
    Options
    I daren't add it all up. I guessed at 400-600 but I bet it's more. (Couple).
    Apparently I'm 10 years old on MSE. Happy birthday to me...etc
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
    Holiday Haggler
    Options
    Christmas is a lot cheaper when you don't celebrate it.. although we probably spent a couple of hundred quid on chanukah
  • JodyBPM
    JodyBPM Posts: 1,404 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Options
    We're a couple with 2 children, and I put £400-£600. I reckon we come in at about £500, but that includes everything - presents, food, work dos, decorations, wrapping etc etc

    The biggest spend was on presents for the children at about £100 each total, probably £100 for food, £50 between us for work dos, about £130 for all other pressies, and then £20 miscellaneous.

    It sounds like a lot of money when you add it all up, but I'd actually say we're quite frugal compared to many. Given we have two children, two siblings, two sets of parents/grandparents plus friends etc to buy for, I think £500 all in is quite reasonable. And we won't be stinting on anything food/drink wise at Christmas either - we have goose, beef and gammon, plus chocolates, nibbles, etc etc plus a fair few tipples, too!

    All very affordable for us too, paid for out of our monthly spends money over November and December - no debt etc.
  • PasturesNew
    PasturesNew Posts: 70,698 Forumite
    Name Dropper Photogenic First Anniversary First Post
    Options
    I'm single. £51-100.

    There are no kids in our family. So I buy just for 5 adults. I also do all the running around for everybody else, getting all their presents together for each other, so have to add in petrol costs there. Tomorrow, for example, I'll be spending about £8 on fuel in the car doing a big Round Robin to visit 3 shops to find/choose/buy various presents to/from all the other family members as the others are either very old, or working.

    My costs are presents for 5 people, buying the turkey and a some of the trimmings and a few items that are only for me. There's no booze, no sweets, no cakes, no goodies, no clothes, no meals out. Xmas is just like a big Sunday dinner + some gifts.

    You can therefore put me down for:
    £50 presents
    £20 food
    £20 fuel
  • pink_princess
    pink_princess Posts: 13,581 Forumite
    Options
    Were a family of 5 and spent £1200 so far with a few little bits and the food to go.We both have big familys :cool:
    Life is short, smile while you still have teeth :D
  • Mobeer
    Mobeer Posts: 1,851 Forumite
    Academoney Grad First Anniversary Photogenic First Post
    Options
    Over £2000 - didn't want another Christmas at home without anyone special so off to Russia to see <real> cold weather
  • DavidHayton
    DavidHayton Posts: 481 Forumite
    Options
    Three children: presents @ £100 each. Put in another couple of hundred (presents for each other, food, £20 beer (3 packs for £20 from Tesco) and we get into the 400 to 600 bracket. I hope ... I am watching my gas meter go round in horror at the moment. Perhaps some more days out in the local library are called for.

    David (family with 3 children at home)
  • penny1973
    penny1973 Posts: 45 Forumite
    Options
    About £1500 for 2 adults and 2 kids main presents. Large pressies for parents as they take no money for babysitting, 12 other small adult presents, 15 small children presents, food, alcohol and parties. Also included in this total is another 4 birthday. No debt accumulated as we both have well paid jobs and this has been planned and being paid for since August. However we had agreed a no adult presents next year for Christmas to help bring this total down further. Large family on my side !!!:rotfl:
  • Angelfeathers
    Angelfeathers Posts: 376 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Options
    £548.85 for a couple with one almost five year-old child (his birthday is Christmas Day, but the £100 for his birthday is a separate budget).

    £269.49 of that is on presents (£80 for DS, £30 per adult).

    £279.36 is on other things: food (we're hosting Christmas Day this year so we're splashing out on a decent turkey and ham from the butcher), drinks (Christmas is always the time to stock up the drinks cupboard), crafty bits for making and wrapping presents etc.

    This is the first year I've had a proper budget and have been saving up over the year, but it's still come to a fair bit more than I expected. So I'll be upping the monthly savings for it next year, because I do not want to have to stint on Christmas. :-)
    I'm broke, not poor. Poor sounds permanent, broke can be fixed. (Thoroughly Modern Millie)
    LBM June 2009, Debt Free (except mortgage) Sept 2016 - DONE IT!
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.3K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 608K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173.1K Life & Family
  • 247.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards