How much do you spend on your child’s birthday?

Exactly, yet we hear about so many families struggling to afford just the basics

I’m baffled as to how many spend hundreds on here, then at Christmas often a lot more. Seems Mumsnet parents are mostly very high earners!

That's just presents not going out ect
I thought mine was a lot some of you children get a lot

£160ish I only have one child though

For years, not a lot. Couple of token gifts like books and art supplies and all decorations are reusable (fabric bunting for example). Presents are usually theatre tickets.

But this year, we spent £3k...

£500 does nt go far.

!!

Op we save each month for bday and Xmas but only once saving and essential and everything else is covered...

You may be well off, you maybe struggling. Nothing can help our dc more than a secure financial future. 300 on bday is fine if your really well off.

Usually we say £200 max for our teens. DS is 4 and hates opening presents or having a different routine for birthday/Christmas so we don't buy a lot. £70 this year but that includes a mini trampoline, usually it's about £30.
We've blown budget a bit for eldest as she is 18 this year. Main present is about £300 plus a few cheaper bits (mainly books). She also wants to go out for a meal and drinks so that will probably be another £100 but you're only 18 once.

This thread just gives me another reason to be one and done! How do you afford all that x2, plus holidays, Christmas, and general life?!

What do you buy though? Children like different things.

Mmmm..

DS about £500
DD about £300

DD's will increase as she gets older - she's 2 atm and we do not need anymore than £300 worth of plastic tat in this house

DS is 10 and £500 doesn't go as far as you'd think

Around £200 ish quid

Without meaning to offend, whenever these threads come up I’m always baffled as to how people spend £50 on presents. I spend around £300 which I’m aware is not necessary but I can’t imagine being able to get much for less than £150.

I don’t think it sounds unreasonable if you take out clothes and books. I don’t count those as birthday presents (from us- they make lovely gifts from others) as I figure books and clothes are essential and my job to buy them so if you deduct the cost of those (but obvs still wrap them if you want!) then you’re all good 😂

I make their cakes- probably £10 ingredients and reuse decorations year to year with a few normal balloons thrown around the room, so haven’t bought any new for a while. This year DC turned 8 and 6 and we spent £125 each on presents from us. That was 5 or 6 things to open. I go a bit overboard on the day out/parties really- but that’s what I enjoy most!

Daughter will be 8, last year and this year we spent:
Didn't do a proper birthday party, we pay for her and friends to do an activity (think trampoline centre) which is c£120 for 8 kids, i make a party bag, last year i put in a sweetie cone at @£2.25 each, a mini maze game which came in a pack of 10 from amazon, a space activity book again pack of 10 from amazon, i buy a pack of Mini cupcakes so they had 1 each and a bag of mini party rings each.
Presents we spent i think £80ish, varies between £60-£90.

Homemade cake, not many presents as get so many from friends and family - £40-50 this year (got some new things as well as second hand) which was most ever but now they request what they want more and I had a salary raise so could afford a bit more. Party depends what they want to do - last year over £200 at a venue, this year outdoor picnic at local park so spent on food and a bit more on nice stuff for the party bag. Next year will probably encourage a smaller number of friends and some kind of trip/outing

Presents- depends what they want.

Cake- I always make one. Probably spend about £20-£25, plus we usually get a bog box of doughnuts from a place near us which costs about £20

Balloons- don't really bother with them anymore for environmental reasons.

At 6, it was under £100 all in, including presents, cake and some friends round. Now as a teenager it is a lot more; enjoy the cheap years!!

at that age, about £50 in presents. Cake is homemade so not a lot. Doesn't have to cost the earth. Gets a bit more £££ when they are teens though .

Depends what they need. Last birthday DS1 (11) was given (a much needed) new cricket bat. Plays at a county level, cost several 100 pounds. If he hadn’t needed a bat it probably would have been a big Lego set, much cheaper.

Birthday outing (just the family) is often similar but that’s because it’s an excellent excuse to go to the theatre.

Party, to be fair, was the cost of Dominoes for him and his two best mates.

£250 (from me & her Dad) on gifts/cake/balloon then usually £50-60 for meal at Pizza Express with a 4 friends

My son turned 5 today. Made him a cake. Maybe £6 on ingredients. Spent about £40 or £50 on presents and took him to the local swimming pool which had a wave machine and floats (also slides but new rules meant he wast allowed on it).
Trip to the pool cost about £35 for 4 people.

Every year is different. I may spend more in the future.