Mean Uncle

[Eve4Walle]

Here's the story....DHs brother split with his Fiancee a while back and is now married to another woman. He has a child with his ex, and while they were together, we had a £20 per present limit for the kids at Christmas and birthdays. We always stuck to it, even when things were tight. Anyhoo, on DDs birthday a few weeks ago, she received a £10 gift voucher from BIL and new SIL. I was a bit and now don't know how to handle it with regards to gifts for his little boy? Do I stick to the £20 or buy a gift worth £10?

BTW - BIL works and earns a lot and so does his new wife, so money isn't the issue.

I'd go for £10.

why were you does it really matter if it was £10 or £20 - I wouldn't say he was mean.

Isn't a £20 per present limit a limit, not a must-spend-this-much rule? It sounds as though you've been interpreting it as a "spend £20" while your BIL has been interpreting it as "don't spend more than £20".

Buy the child what you want to buy him and don't get so hung up on exact parity, IMO.

ffs!

FFS what? Hardly a valid contribution is it?

I used to get hung up on what to spend, I suppose I do a little bit, but with money tight now I shop around for something on offer that actually looks like it cost more. Someone gets a good present for a fractions of the price. Just spend what you wnat. If you want to put it down to £10 then do. I wouldn't really think too much on what other people spend. My (12 year old!) sister does that and I find it an awful attitude to have.

Spend £10, unless BIL and SIL have little money and that's why they have reduced the price.

TBH, I think it's all a bit churlish to expect a present of a certain value. We set limits because we all spent too much.