How much do you spend on school friends presents?

[allgettingtoomuch]

OH seems to think £20 a time DS gets invited to a birthday party is too much and that we should put a fiver in a card.

How much would you spend? DS is 5 and in reception.

More than £5, less than £10 round here in the North East. I have done £5 in a card with a £1 book and a small box of malteasers. Asda have loads of gifts in about that price range.

For primary whole class parties, I often used to get things in the Argos 2-for-£15 deals or keep an eye out for items which were reduced. I had a stash in a cupboard and just showed whichever DC was going to the party two or three options and they chose the one they thought the birthday child might like the most.
DC now at secondary so the parties are much smaller and more selective and I spend about £20, usually on a voucher

I put £10 in a card or bought a gift in the £8-10 range.
£20 is too much.
If you'd come to my child's birthday party and gifted £20 I'd have felt obliged to do the same for your child but really it's not affordable for most families and it would get ridiculous pretty quickly and probably start to cause a lot of resentment among parents iyswim.

Around £7 - £10, sometimes I put £5 in a card abs give a book so they have something to open.

I will spend £10 - £15 on the best friend though.

For a 5 year old invited to all the class parties I’d spend between £5 and £10 for my 8 year old dds best friends I’d spend between £10 and £15/20 as there’s fewer of them and they have been friends for a good few years now.

£5-£10- averaging around £7
£20 is loads and way too much

I was going to do £5 and a packet of sweets in a card but on MN most people seem to spend closer to £10. I feel like that's a lot but maybe I'm a Scrooge.

About a tenner. Definitely not £20.

I mean I would usually spend £20 in total present, card probably some sweets and a bag to put them in.

I've got some nectar points though so will use them instead.

Forgot to add this is for young children- when older ie. 10 and has a few close friendships and mess birthdays I’d up it to £15

Something like £10-£12 for a class friend, £20 for a best friend.

£10

£20 is way too much around here. Up to £5, maybe up to £10 for their very best friend. It would always be a gift though I have never given / received cash in a card like that for a child.

Usually £10-£15.

@allgettingtoomuch

I mean I would usually spend £20 in total present, card probably some sweets and a bag to put them in.

I've got some nectar points though so will use them instead.

Card factory is like 10cards for a few quid- reuse bags people give you gifts in. Embrace The Works for presents

Put a tenner in the card... forget bag etc
Get the cards in asda for 50p

£5 in their card.

All class parties in Reception/KS1: £5-£8
Bit older smaller parties/better friends: £10
Top end primary/best friends: £10-£15

Some people clearly spend more but this is what we can afford. By secondary I expect them to budget from pocket money, might contribute if feeling generous!

£5-10 total, that includes card.

At that age I'd spend around €10. At that age & for the next few years you'll be invited to so many parties where they invite the whole class, so it's not a best best friend.
When they get older in primary & the parties get smaller & they're for closer friends I'd spend up to €20 (even just cash).

We do 7-10 quid+ card. I tend to look for deals and have a few presents ready ( board game, Lego, arts and crafts )so I don't have to rush and buy one at the last second.
I didn't realise people gave money in a card.

£10 in a card or something from the gift box (the extra things I pick up if on 3 for 2, duplicates of the kids xmas/bday gifts).

Now that dd is in Y6, she goes to fewer parties but the friends are closer so I usually spend £15.

Forgot to say I try and buy big presents. I look for size/prize ratio ☺️

I didn't realise people gave money in a card

I didn't really either until my son got a few cards with cash in them and LOVED it. He was really excited putting it his piggy bank, getting it out to take the shops etc. He also got an Argos gift card once and the excitement was off the scale

Approx £10. Sometimes more, sometimes less.