Amount spent on birthday presents

[Silbury1967]

I've made the big mistake of reading threads on here regarding how much people spend on christmas and birthday presents. It's made me feel really tight and stingy because I only spend around £30-£35 on birthday presents for our kids.
They've never asked for much for birthdays, even when they've got older and they do get things throughout the year.
Am I being incredibly tight or are there other families out there who don't spend a fortune for birthdays, either because they can't afford to or just don't feel it's necessary?

If you're happy and your kids are happy then just carry on. You dont have to do the same as everyone else. Some people spend a heck of a lot for christmas/birthdays while some people spend a lot less. It's never going to be completely fair between all children in the world.

There are many posts where people don’t spend much. Have you read those?

Whatever works for you and your family.
I'm different in the fact that I tend to overdo it at Xmas. My kids get very little all year and I say No to most things a lot, except for Xmas time.

Thing is you need to spend what you can afford.
Some people will spend £1k on a kids birthday party. We can't afford that so don't

If you can afford to spend more than £30 and there is someting which is more expensive that the children would really like then spend more.
i don't think you should have set rules on amount other than to only spend what you can afford. .

Everyone has different budgets.
Some don't spend during the year and spend more at Christmas.
Some do things throughout the year.
Some view a bike as a necessity so bought when needed, other view it as a big present.

You need to do what seems best to you, within what you can afford and wish to prioritise.

I think it all depends on your own family OP. As the kids get older the gifts and wants tend to be more expensive.such as teenages with tech and fancy just has to be the latest trainers etc!! I wouldnt worry about what anyone else is doing just do what feels right for you and your family.There is no right and wrong way to celebrate birthdays and christmas and anything else for that matter.Money has never nor will it ever be a substitute for love. Just do your own thing and don;t give it a seconds thought!

Thankyou all. No, I haven't found any threads where people don't spend a lot. Does anyone have any links?

I think its different if they do gwt things throughout the year as you say, then they dont need things.

Mine typically get books, felt tips, lego, stuff related to their sports. This adds up to over £30 but I have other friends that buy this kind of thing all the time so they dont consider it part of a birthdsy cost.

Similarly we replace bikes as and when they're needed as their birthdays arent the right time of year for when they need bikes. But for some that would be a xmas/birthday present and quite expensive!

How old are your kids? It’s easier to keep to a smaller budget when they are little.

Do you keep the cost down because of need or because you don’t place much emphasis on birthdays?

I found as my kids get older the things they want are a lot more expensive. Spend what you can afford, as long as your kids are happy.

Sounds like the poorer people are here the more they try to prove they are not by flooding the kids with tats. Just my observation. 35 is fine. Your kids will appreciate what they get more than those who have to open 100 presents.

Around $200 (£100) is our birthdays budget + birthday kids choice of dinner.

We keep birthdays pretty low key though, Christmas is a bit more extravagant.

Do what suits you not what other people do. If you're happy and they're happy, I don't see the issue. You say they get other things throughout the year, so maybe it all evens out in the end.

If you have spare money, put it in a savings account for them, so it can provide a nest egg for their future or be used if they start to want more expensive things when they are older.

What I find really odd is when people say things like 'what else can I buy for DD/DS/DH as we have a £100 present budget and I've only spent £60 so far' as if they don't care about whether they want or need anything just spending up to the arbitary budget.

Ours range in age from 9 to mid twenties. Neither me or dh have ever put much emphasis on birthdays. The kids have their choice of tea and a couple of friends round or their choice of a trip out. We've never done parties as the kids never really liked crowds in the house. We could never spend a lot in the past as we never had much money but even at times in the past we've had more to spend we've spent it on going out instead, like a trip to the fair or suchlike. I guess I was always worried if we spent a lot one year they would expect it every year and our income has fluctuated so much over the years.

I just can't help feeling mean that we don't buy a lot but dh says I've never worried in the past so why the concern now? I think it's probably down to being menopausal and starting to worry that I've never done the best for our kids!

£30 on a teenager is tight if you can afford more- look if your kids are happy who cares.

They seem happy but I wonder if I should have spent more over the years at the times we could afford it.

YANBU I think those threads encourage the big spenders to come out of the woodwork. I remember a thread where someone was worrying that £200 wasn't enough to spend on a 9 month old baby! I've definitely made the mistake of over spending in the past and regretted it. The kids just end up opening gift after gift and instantly forgetting and moving on to ripping open the next. I tend to go for a few presents they'll really appreciate rather than mounds of plastic tat. In terms of money I spend no more than I can afford - if there's something more expensive they want (e.g. good quality bike) I'll spend more but this year neither want anything like that so we won't spend much.

We can afford to spend more, but DD doesn't want a lot, so we don't. She's happy with a pile of secondhand books and a new pair of pyjamas! She's not into clothes, or perhaps I'd get more of those. When they're younger its fun to have lots to open - we wrapped up the dolls house furniture separately, for instance.

I think they cost more the older they get. When they’re very young they’re happy with very little but as they get older they want more expensive gifts (usually technology or designer gear). It doesn’t really matter ultimately, do whatever is right for your family.

Spend what you can afford and want and let others do what they want. Threads like this always drag up people who spend fuck all and those who spend thousands. It's all relative ... I dont give a hoot what others spend their money on, nor do I care what people think of my spending.

Down to you how you celebrate. Everyone does it differently.

As an adult looking back on my childhood where birthdays weren’t really recognised I wanted different for mine. They had parties with the friends and family birthday teas. Gifts varied depending on what they asked for.

Sounds sensible to me OP. We do similar - no point whatsoever in buying things they don’t actually need just for the sake of it IMO.

I had difficult birthdays as a child and didnt feel special, so we always do a party, not expensive as such but its a priority for us too. I find little gifts like onesies/pjs they need but get ones I know they'd like etc.