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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To only spend £7 on a birthday present? child's party

61 replies

MrsMotherHen · 08/10/2018 17:44

Its my sons first "school" party all his nursery class have been invited. Its a little girls party.

I havent got a clue how much I should spend with out looking too cheap or being a stinge bag or being completely over the top.

I have seen this from argos its a polly pocket tiny set.

www.argos.co.uk/product/8623654

I am going to pick it up later and get some sweeties and a book or sticker book from poundshop.

Does this sound ok? AIBU? am a being a stinge?

OP posts:
Leeds2 · 08/10/2018 17:46

Go for it! Not stingy at all.

sleepismysuperpower1 · 08/10/2018 17:46

that plus a sticker book and some crayons sounds lovely

BetsyBigNose · 08/10/2018 17:46

It sounds fine - if my kids have a couple of parties coming up I'll sometimes get the 2 for £10 toys from Argos; I'm on a tight budget!

OutPinked · 08/10/2018 17:47

I have a £10 limit all in so card, present and wrapping paper. Refuse to spend any more.

NancyDonahue · 08/10/2018 17:47

That's perfect. I usually aim for the same sort of amount.

The parents won't bat an eyelid about presents. It's not the reason they are having a party.

Zampa · 08/10/2018 17:48

I've recently bought books for the 5 3rd birthday parties we've recently attended. I guess they were £6-£8 each.

Only had 1 thank you out of 5 gifts so guessing that they didn't go down well!

ChodeofChodeHall · 08/10/2018 17:48

That's a lovely present and £7 is plenty.

cestlavielife · 08/10/2018 17:50

Buy stacks of multipsck books from the bookpeople and give those.
..
£5 is fine and if that got you a BOGOF it s fine too

StartingAgain1 · 08/10/2018 17:50

10 is usually my limit. Polly pocket is all the rage again so I'm sure the little girl will love it, my Dd would be very happy!

mackerella · 08/10/2018 17:51

That sounds perfectly normal - I normally aim for somewhere between £5 and £10. When my children were in reception, they were invited to so many parties that we would have been bankrupted if we'd spent any more than that! (The whole-class parties tailed off by years 2 and 3, fortunately.) Plus, I'd be embarrassed if my child received a present from a schoolfriend that was obviously very expensive!

NancyDonahue · 08/10/2018 17:52

The best present my dd ever got was a swimming bag as I'd mentioned to her mum the day before the party that we'd lost dds and she was really upset! It was so thoughtful and is still going strong years later.

SoyDora · 08/10/2018 17:57

Sounds fine to me. I’ve just spent £6 on a 4th birthday present for a party my DD is going to ok Saturday.

Annabel7 · 08/10/2018 17:58

It's fine. I used to spend around a fiver ..

FemaleDilbert · 08/10/2018 17:59

For a friend but not mega close friend I aim for a fiver or just over. Closer friends maybe a tenner. From the gifts we’ve received over the years that sounds about reasonable

Aeroflotgirl · 08/10/2018 18:01

That's plenty, the number of parties ds was invited to in reception, I would be totally broke if I spent £10 each time.

Doofas · 08/10/2018 18:01

We don't spend more than £5 on birthday presents for school friends, try and spend less if I can get something in a sale! I know someone that always used to buy a bottle of bubbles, was often the birthdays child's most played with present!

Chrisinthemorning · 08/10/2018 18:02

I spend around £5-8 but try to buy in the sale/ TK mass so worth a bit more.
Sounds fine to me

Figgygal · 08/10/2018 18:03

Yup £5-£10 £10 if a friend of his

Sometimes do the 2 for £15 at Argos or 2 for £10 at the works

autumnnightsaredrawingin · 08/10/2018 18:04

Totally fine!

3in4years · 08/10/2018 18:07

Why do you need a sticker book and sweets? Theme gift is fine. She'll get mountains of tat from all the invitees. As her mum I'd want less not more!

KC225 · 08/10/2018 18:08

I have a present box and do bulk sake shopping. Current ones are flip sequin long t.shirts when they had 40% off the sale price. Current giving that plus a tapestry kit on sale for a quid from Rex. Comes to 5.50. Kids look at something they love jot how much it costs. Sounds like a great gift OP.

Drummingisfun · 08/10/2018 18:23

I do a fiver. DS went to a whole class party last week. Tbh the pile of presents looked a bit obscene and the kid seemed pretty indifferent about receiving them. (this was before unwrapping, so not indifferent due to bad gifts)

I decided then that if I ever do a whole class party I'll put on the invite that presents aren't necessary.

GreenDinosaur · 08/10/2018 19:57

Only £7? Confused Crikey! I'm dreading my DC starting school, I'll be bankrupt. It's bad enough trying to keep up with friends and family birthdays and bloody Xmas coming up without adding another 30 gifts to buy!
I would have thought a fiver maximum but I'm obviously out of date. Sad

Gingerrogered · 08/10/2018 20:02

greendinosaur some of the most used and appreciated presents my DS has had have been pound shop colouring books and scissors and crayons. Half of the rest of it is just plastic crap that’s played with once and chucked.

Anyway, if someone was that bothered about the value of a present would you care about their opinion anyway.

WelliesAndPyjamas · 08/10/2018 20:03

Polly pocket would be enough. The child will love it.

I aim for £3 max by buying books in bulk from bookpeople and giving them with a big bag of sweets, also bought in bulk on offer. Maybe a bit more personalised and pricey for best friends. Birthdays soon add up over the year with primary aged children!

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