PlayStations VS food

People have different priorities but it's natural to question other people's and I think it's an interesting thing to discuss.

I understand budgeting ahead of Xmas but I can't believe what some people spend on their kids when they still have mortgages etc to pay off. I think it can set kids up for disappointment (and potentially lots of debt) later to give them too much when they're young so I try and be a bit modest in our lifestyles and gift-giving for this reason.

Whilst I wouldn't buy three Playstations, yes I would economise on food to finance other aspects of my life. I could shop every week in Waitrose or M&S but instead I shop in Aldi so we can go on holiday and buy presents. To some people who value food quality over holidays and presents that might seem like a strange choice but I think it is a fairly mainstream choice these days. Would you think the same of her if she was saving up to spend £6000 on a holiday somewhere or is the the decision to buy three Playstations that you are questioning?

I think it's unnecessary to have a ps5 each but that's just my opinion.

What's a yellow food packet? I'm assuming it's the supermarket value range.

Lol the yellow packaging food items are just normal food!- I buy them. Not because it's 'a lifesaver,' but because its good value and I want to.
Your friend sounds like she's being quite organised to me.. budgeting accordingly and getting her 'big presents ' in, whilst she has a lift and it's only September! Good for her.
I think you'd have different reactions to this post if it was a case of your friend having no food, spending on credit cards, asking you for food, going to food banks- and then buying 3 playstations. But, as it is, she sounds perfectly reasonable.
3 playstations wouldn't work for me, they'd have to share.- and don't have 3 televisions,a But, we're not all the same. If she has an 8 year old and a 16 year old, to be fair, they'll need very different games!

If the kids are old enough for PS5, they are old enough to know they are expensive

How do you know a conservation hasn't taken place along the lines of "no other presents, cutting back on brands and trears) etc?

We had a similar conversation last year with ours, but opposite... less presents to pay for the various school trips, scout camps, rugby tours etc.

I'm talking about my own childhood and I'm definitely not that old (29). Even though consoles came out 30 years ago that didn't mean they were expected - at least in my circles. More of my friends didn't have a console than did. I remember going to play at a friend's house who had a playstation (there were six of us gathered around the same one). My post to the OP was to highlight that parents are under more pressure to keep up with tech, especially as it is progressing so fast. I've lost track of how many iPhone models there are now. When I was a teenager everyone was raging about the Sony walkman phone, or blackberries and they definitely didn't cost £2000, even adjusting for inflation.

Oh no not the yellow food packets what a scumbag. The level of privilege on this site sometimes astounds me.

I think good for her she's trying to give her kids the things they want for Christmas. You can't share a console they will all probably want to play together and split screen is a thing of the past now every game is online multiplayer. She's making sacrifices so they can have what they want and don't go hungry. I think it's none of your business and you shouldn't be judging a mother doing the best she can. Bit arseholey of you to be so judgmental if you ask me.

She isn’t choosing PlayStations over food. That’s nonsense.

She’s buying budget options to feed her family in the run up to Christmas. The basics range isn’t “for emergencies,” OP.

Which gifts she buys and how much she spends is her own business.

Playstation first came out thirty years ago, so I don't think we were all having ye olde Christmas with an orange and a colouring book twenty years ago.

You're maybe thinking of the 50s, even in the 80s and 90s there was pressure to get the big expensive cool thing for Christmas, whether that was tech or not.

OP, better to cut back than get into debt I guess! Maybe she can't stand the arguments that would come with sharing consoles.

Very excessive. I wouldn’t be buying them one each, but guess she is prioritising that.

I personally find that excessive but everyone has different priorities. I don't think it is that unusual to save up for Christmas presents, if that means cutting back on the food shop then fair enough. You can still create balanced meals with low cost ingredients. I think the most worry things that comes out of this is how much pressure parents are under to buy the latest tech thing, whether that's an iPhone, tablet or playstation. Expensive things like that weren't expected 20 years ago. For Christmas we'd get a pogo stick or a skateboard, a few books, maybe a soft toy, some toiletries and a board game to share and that was more than enough!

Im not going to judge that mum for her choices. Maybe she is only telling part of the story?

A console each if they all live under the same roof is ridiculous! Why can they not share?!