To ask how much you typically spend on birthday presents for your child's friends?

[Jinsei]

It was dd's 7th birthday party today, and I am and at how generous some of the presents are. Just wondered how much people typically spend?

I always look out for good bargains for birthdays, so I'm well aware that some things will have been bought on offer etc., but still, some are exceptionally generous. I'm starting to wonder if I am a bit mean.

I normally aim to spend between £5 and £10 for dd's classmates or perhaps up to £12 for a close friend. Is this a bit stingy?

£5-£10 sounds fine. If it is a close friend then we might go up to £15

About £5 if it is one of those parties where the whole class is invited and DS does not really know the birthday person very well. About £10+ if the birthday person is a good friend.

£5 when they were smaller and went to huge parties (and might not be particular mates with that child).

More like £10 now they are older and have a few good friends.

We tend to do £10 - 15.

I go up to £10 ideally. Sometimes that includes card and wrapping paper, and sometimes not, and sometimes I get a discount from a family members shop. But i always spend around £10.

£5 - they're only 3/4 so they don't know they love all sorts of cheaper things. Good job otherwise we wouldn't go to parties!

up to £5 if its just someone they vaguely know from school/pre-school

up to £10 if its an actual friend

up to. £20 if its a best friend

about £6/7 for a regular classmate and £10/12 for a good friend, but some of those things might have been bought on 3 for 2 etc or in the sales. Occasionally I have regifted if one of the boys has been given a dupe of something they already have. Or you can get a couple of nice books quite cheaply on Amazon or from the book people but obviously look more expensive given cover price.

Big party with lots of kids. I tend to spend £5 or just over.

Smaller party with about 8 - 15 kids - I tend to spend about £8 ish

Older kids with just a few friends invited - £10

£5 for big parties. £10-15 for good friends.

When ds turned 4 he had 30 kids come to his party - some we knew well, some we didn't. He got 30 presents which, if not on offer, would cost about £25 each. I was very grateful but a bit mystified.

My kids are much younger but I bought a stack of funky kids baking stuff that was all reduced by at least half in a supermarket sale and that's my presents for this year, along with some funky tights reduced in the M&S sale for girls. The average is about £3 total. Mind you, there isn't a culture of spending much in our group of friends so I don't feel my presents are lower in value - just bought when on sale! I'm hoping I can get away with this strategy for a loooong time!

Class parties £5 if I can get away with it. All my friends have agreed not to buy for each others' kids' birthdays, which is great!

Nope, I aim to spend the same as you.

Same as most others on here, about £10 on a classmate or £20 for close friend or family. We also regift any duplicate presents our DDs might have received for birthday or Christmas.

Now that our oldest DD is starting school I will be looking out for good cheap bargains as she is starting to get lots of party invites!

I was invited to a "friends" party when i was in upper school to be honest i didnt really know the girl and she seemed to invite the entire year, My Dad gave me £20 and told me to put it in her card as a gift. I thought that it was too much as she was a very distant friend so i said just put £10 in. If she was one of my close friends i would have no problem with buying them a £15-£20 present.

Actual present £10- £15 for close friends and £5- £8 for class mates. Then card and wrapping paper.

Thanks all - I am reassured by most of the responses that I haven't been exceptionally stingy. And I do look out for offers, 3 for 2 bargains etc throughout the year, so hopefully our gifts are nice!

Of course, I'm very grateful for the generous gifts that dd has received, was just a bit surprised at the level of generosity!

I'm with you OP.

I have been quite surprised and embarrased at the generosity of some of my DDs friends' parents - she has been given presents that usually cost £20 on a regular basis, and not always from really close friends. I just hope they got them in sales!

I usually spend about £10 on a present, maybe a little more if its a very close friend, and I find something I know they will love.

£. But I am going to cut back from hereonin. Times are hard!

damn no numbers lock £10

About £10, maybe more for best friends. Look for bargains, use the Entertainer etc to make the money go further

I've been overwhelmed by some people's generosity, too - though maybe they are excellent bargain hunters too

I am frustratingly going through a massive toy de-cluttering and so I have started to put £10 cash in the card.

When hosting, I really don't mind just a card or token gift. DS had a pen with his name on (cost £1) and it was one of his favourite gifts.

DS1 is lucky with an early January birthday...he gets loads of regifted fron Christmas up to £20 presents!

I think the figures on here are about right.

£10.00 in a card is what the 9-12 year olds round here get and they are pretty happy with that..and still overly impressewd if its a crisp, new note!