What do grandparents spend on your dcs for their bdays?

[skippythedogfromthesea]

Just curious really....amounts spent from rich poor and in between grandparents would be interesting...

Post is triggered by disparity between what ds's grandparents sent him for his bday despite the fact I'd guess they are very similar in terms of wealth (probably fairly average I'd guess).

[Tommy]

MIL spends about £50

my Mum spends whatever is needed to get what she wants for the present - e.g. for DS1's 4th birthday she bought him a new car seat but then will get a much cheaper present for another birthday

[brimfull]

about £20

[ajandjjmum]

£50 into their savings account, and something to open, which can be big or small, depending on what is wanted at the time.

[hairycaterpillar]

Both sets gp's probably spend between £15-25 depending on age of child and wether they really need/want something.

[cadelaide]

£20ish, £30 max.

[fin42]

I'd say that my mum spends around £20-£30 on my DS, my MIL spends around £50-£70 but then again he is her only granchild whereas my mum has 5 grandchildren.

[seeker]

Just be thankful they send anything. Thay don't have to, you know. I can't bear competitive present giving, or resentful present-price checking.

[skippythedogfromthesea]

Forgot to mention mine:
grandparent 1: £60
grandparent 2: £15 (this is what raised eyebrows - don't want to sound ungrateful though)
great gran: £100 (but she is really quite well-off so it's different)

I guess though that the point is that a young child doesn't need much to buy something they love so maybe that is where GP2 is coming from - maybe there's sense in that and grandparents typically spend/ handover too much?

[Quattrocento]

This is a bit of a bone of contention atm

On DD - £200+
On DS = £50

[DanJARMouse]

My dad spends anywhere from £15-£50 depending what we ask for.

PIL - as little as possible, one year was £5

PIL much better off than my dad.

[seeker]

I don' thing ANYONE should spend £100 on a child's birthday present!

[skippythedogfromthesea]

Seeker - I am grateful but I suppose I am curious as to why there's such a difference - trying to understand GP2 thinking....see comment below about how little children can have a present costing £10 and love it (in fact ds's faves are often the cheap ones!)

[brimfull]

when you add it up it's quite obscene the amount of money spent on children

[cafebistro]

My mum will spend about £30-40 on birthdays. My MIL who is 74 yrs and living largely off state pension goes completely over the top and spends £100's on birthdays and also buys things for them throughout the year too. It is quite embarrassing as we cant afford to spend the same sort of money....but it is appreciated also for the same reason.

[skippythedogfromthesea]

Quattro - that's out of order isn't it - I think they should spend a similar amount on siblings. Did your dcs realise?

[nancy75]

my parents spend between £100-£150 on dd, we dont ask them to , its up to them

[ChasingSquirrels]

mine: £15-£20, pretty well off.
ex-inlaws: £30-£50 or more, again pretty well off.
us (now separated, but no b'days since): around £20.
dc's are 5 and 2.

[Pavlovthecat]

rich grandparent - £5.00 max on book and £5.00 on posting in from USA.

Poor grandparent not alive, but if she was, probably 3-4 times that!

[showoutthefool]

My parents £10ish toy plus outfit (almost allways TKMax (slight obsession on mothers part)

PIL £40 cash. They are from a culture where money is a normal gift.

[TheFallenMadonna]

My mum and partner, dad and PIL all spend somewhere £15 and £25. They are pretty even in terms of lack of wealth.

But we will often spend quite different amounts on them. We get what we think they would like. They don't have much idea about money yet, so it doesn't bother them. I suppose it will have to change as they older and more money-aware.

[gemmiegoatlegs]

my mum spends about £20 on each child and gives £100 into their bank account, my dad gives them £50 for their bank account, my ILs spend about £50 each on plastic tat. None of them are rich!

DH's family all go mad at christmas, everyone buys several presents for everyone else, not just one. My family go less mad at christmas and slightly overboard on birthdays generally. The latter makes more sense to me cos at least all the birthdays are spread throughout the year!

I wish they would all spend less as we have lots of extended family who also like to give gifts. i prefer the money for their savings really, as my house is starting to look like a raggy dolls reject bin!

[seeker]

But if one of them wants something that costs £15 and the other wants something that costs £25 where's the problem?

I'm actually curious about how you know how much they spend - and a bit shocked that so many people seem to tot up.....

[ChasingSquirrels]

I don't tot-up, I have just sat here and thought about the gifts they have been given. I know how much my mum spends as I am usually with her, or buy it for her (because I will be near the relevant shop).

[Quattrocento]

My DCs are 8&10 and yes they do realise. I think this is unfair. It started at birth. DD got £1k for her savings account. DS got a teddy bear. It was a nice teddy bear, a steiff one, but couldn't have cost more than £100. It's not the amount that's at issue, it's the inequality of it.

Take this set of birthdays. DD got an exquisite bracelet in 18 carat gold with her birthstone set around it. It's truly beautiful. DS got a second hand camera.

[sweetkitty]

MIL = £50 plus presents to open like clothes and PJs

My Mum = £25 in a card

My Dad = usually about £25-30 on a present that I "advise" him about and he buys.