i have no idea how much ive spent on our girls we dont buy much during the year so tend to splurge a little at christmas time..
the only budget i have is for our family KK pressies.
So do you have a budget?
I'm a bit like you for our baby boy. oh o. Lol. Yeah pretty naughty but we really like to spoil our little man and we buy things as we see them & add them to our little stock pile for him. Can't help it lol for each other though we do put a limit so we buy each other similar value things (about $100 each) and relatives we only buy gifts for who we see which aren't too many but we only buy small gesture type gifts (hampers etc) - no more than say $30 a couple, but it's around that and not exactly budgeted as much.
i tend to find a present that is appropriate for one of my brothers kids, and that sets the budget for the other two!
Family KK (adults) is set based on what my aunt can afford. She has intellectual disability, on the pension etc, so would like to spend around $10 per adult - so we decided a few years ago to make it a combined value and all do the KK thing. it works pretty well - provided you can work out what to buy! my bro and his wife are painful to buy for!
Not really but within reason. Our kids well DH says i am OTT but pfft I love it and can't help it, I buy lots during the year and add to a stash that gets bigger and bigger! I still have stuff in cupboard that I bought last year for kids and never gave them as they had plenty at Christmas!
With family I tend to pick a gift for someone and go with it and not worry to much about spending more on someone else, as if the gift is right thats what matters.
on this topic - what do people spend on friends?? close friends and their kids? last year i bought for four very spesh friends (all from BB), and their kidlets - this year, we're just not in a position to buy for many people at all, but i have one very close friend here, and her son. we have an idea for a gift for him, but no idea what to do for my friend! just looked for something similar to what i got my BB friends last Christmas, but there is just nothing that has the right meaning this year!
I'm actually sitting down writing my christmas list right now....normally I'd have a list of people we're buying for and an approximate budget for each then hit the shops to see what grabs my fancy, but with a newborn this year am tryong to be a bit more organised - so am coming up with ideas and sourcing where to get stuff from on the net. Have also bought a few pressies online this year
In the past we have not had a budget, but this year we do. It is more of an overall Christmas budget, so includes food, the tree, presents etc. Not allocating any set amount per child, as we are getting what we think they will like, getting the right gift for each girl, as opposed to just spending a set amount.
I have to budget myself or it could get way out of hand
I spend about $100-$150 on each of my kids (and with seven that quickly adds up)
$20-$25 on my nieces and nephews.
Usually a $20 bottle of wine for each couple (sisters and parents)
I don't buy for many friends as tend to just buy for their kids instead as it all adds up. But the friends I do buy for spend $20 - $50 depending what it is and if its a joint pressie with partner.
Friends kids $5 - $30 depending on what I just bought some awesome gifts in Riot art and craft that are on special and got great sets for $2.99 and $4.99 normally $10 - $20 each for these sets!
I don't budget for DS (and DD now, but she isn't really getting much), but really should as I end up going way over the top.
Like some others, my DS has never gotten much during the year so it doesn't hurt to spend a little extra at Christmas time.
I think I have been good this year and probably spent around $500 but I wouldn't have a clue without actually looking. A $300 trampoline in there started it off...
I tend to spoil my sisters if I can as they are same age as DS and mum spoils DS so it's fun to spoil back, think I have spent bit over $100 on them each.
My brothers normally get $30 ish gift cards to rebel sport because I lack any creativity.
Then, extended' family (on my side) gifting has been ruled out this year because it is too financially demanding on those who really can't afford it.
I have never really brought for friends either. Wouldn't know where to start. I am in a SS with my Belly Buddies and thoroughly enjoyed spending money on my giftee as these wonderful women are my village and I don't know what I would do without them. Every one of them (and there is 25 now i think ) deserve a present more than any of my 'tanglible' IRL friends so it was well deserved and spent.
Last edited by The[cookie]Doctor; November 28th, 2011 at 12:13 AM.
For DD...no budget but what DH doesn't know also doesn't hurt...he is a bit of a scrooge when it comes to Xmas (don't think he had much of a family Christmas celebration like I did).
We buy her one main present (a bike this year) and then stocking fillers which can be from $1 to $15 but they add up!
As for others we now only buy for our parents and then the kids now we all have children.....its a $50 limit on each present but its really up to $50 so whatever you can find is fine....
We don't really budget but we tend to buy 1 big thing for the girls to share (swings last year - trampoline this year) and then maybe 2-3 smaller gifts each for x-mas morning to unwrap.
This year we have to get ther tramp before x-mas so we are saying thats a mummy & daddy present and we have bought a few more gifts to unwrap than normal (pj's each, $10 barbie for DD1, a dress & shorts for DD2, some swimming gear like floaties and pool toys).
For nieces and nephews it's normally about $50 each and then my 4 younger brothers are about $50 each, BB KK and a kids KK for our out north group around $10 per child.
i have no clue how much i spent on the kids this yr, i just kept finding things!!!!
$100 between my parents $100 between his and $50 for our siblings
i buy for my bestie and her hubby and my little godson, i spent about $30 each on them i think.
and i buy for a few friends kids, no real budget just depends how much money i have on me at the time
We don't really have a budget for our kids - we just try to keep it reasonably equal between them, and try not to go too over board because all the birthdays are reasonably close to christmas too. For everyone else (ie, our parents and siblings) we budget $20 each (big family - we are both one of six kids) for neices and nephews $10 ea. And we only buy for those family members we actually see on the day.
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