I know some hate these threads but how much have you spent

[Brighteyedtriangle]

Finally finished my christmas shopping and have added up everything ive spent on presents. 1 child, dont buy for siblings but plenty of neice and nephews and buy for some adults, partner, parents etc.. and its come to just under £900. I cant do that again next year. I need to plan better.

My child has accounted for 1/3 of the costs but i dont buy toys other than christmas birthdays.

Im sure it was around 600 last year. Has everyone elses christmas budgets took a hit

AIBU - too much and ridiculous
YANBU - its my money i can spend what i want

@prynaithda21

Think of those who cannot spend the amounts of money referred to on this thread. Or those who will be without a loved one who has died this year.

THIS.

My circa £600 total to date will probably be nearer £1800 total. Most will be for extended family adults , I am actively encouraging my DC to add to Christmas lists etc as I prefer spending money on them than grown adults (making requests -demands-).

Strike through fail.....

Presents wise about £200 in total which is more than I planned, thats between 2 kids, my mum and my cats and dog. Just me and my youngest for Christmas so my siblings and I have agreed as we’re not spending it together not to buy for each other or their respective partners this year so thats saved me a few quid.

Wow lots of varied replies. It shows how quickly things can add up and sometimes get out of hand.

I think just seeing the cost and realising i could nearly book a holiday with that amount just shocked me.

Anyway hope everyone has a great christmas

Time to wrap up now and enjoy it

If you can afford it, it doesn't sound too bad.
so far I have spent £20 on each of my children but that is because I am really behind with my shopping!
We do splurge at Christmas but in my defence I am quite strict the rest of the year and if the kids want (rather than need) something they are told to save up or put it on their Christmas/Birthday list.

It does add up to a lot (I can afford it though) and it is all stuff they want/need/will love, not extra stuff for the sake of having a big pile to unwrap.

About €600 on everyone,2 kids, siblings,nephews (3), & my dad. Majority on my kids I've kinda gone overboard this year as it's the first year without their dad here(he left during the summer) and granny passed away last month so trying to keep it happy for them. I did it bit by bit,ordering a few bits every week. I've a few stocking bits to get but that will be done in the shopping next week maybe €20/30 and that's it

I would be very surprised if I have reached £100 on DD and would actually expect it to be closer to £50. I haven't added it all but I have bought second hand, small items to support a local independent toy store, and then some bits from poundland/primark for stocking. She doesnt have 2 sets of grandparents and we don't see most of our wider families so doesnt get the masses of family gifts others refer to.

I havent spent anything on my DH or my sister. We all agreed that we wouldnt bother. None of us need anything and it's a bit pointless. DH and I usually treat eachother during the year when the opportunity presents instead or on birthdays.

I will likely spend about £70-£100 when finished on SIL as she is on her own, doesnt see any other family, and is very generous with us, our daughter and my family.

I have spent about £100 on parents and about £35 on my Nan.

I would guess around £30 per child on my nieces and nephews by the time I am done.

I have spend around £50 on my SD and £30 on her partner.

For Christmas food, we usually go to family and contribute alcohol. This year we are contributing to the food as going away for longer so we are sharing costs but not sure what those will be yet. I would be surprised if more than about £50.

It's the Christmas based experiences that add up for us which I don't keep track off. All the craft fayres, fetes and childrens activity days in surrounding villages where you're spending £5 here £10 there. Also we do a panto which is about £50 and are going on some activities when away. That will likely all add up to more than I would spend on my DD but I prefer memory making to gifts.

For context, as it is all relative, I am higher rate tax payer.

Alot, things seem so expensive now. We have two kids age 7 and 10. We've spent £1k on them, £500 of that is on just two presents, a barbie dream house and a mobile phone , another £500 on the rest of their stuff.
I only have my parents so £50 each on them. Husband has about 5 people to buy for again £50 budget each so £250.
Xmas shop including meat usually costs about £150 but we don't buy/drink alcohol.

@prynaithda21

Think of those who cannot spend the amounts of money referred to on this thread. Or those who will be without a loved one who has died this year.

I don't ever really understand this attitude to be honest. There is a difference between actively rubbing someone's nose in something and just having a general discussion like this which people can choose to read or not. Unfortunately we live in a society which is unequal. To pretend otherwise would be to ignore reality. In any discussion there will always be people who have more or less of whatever is being discussed or have a worse or better situation. If the people with less and worse were never aware of what others have, then I'm not sure how that helps either. Personally, I have been upwardly socially mobile and knowing what others have makes me strive for more. Not only that but it makes me realise when I'm not getting a fair deal on something and to fight for it - like with pay. It's also worth bearing in mind that what people spend doesnt necessarily correlate to earnings or capability to spend more/less. There will be people here spending far in excess of what makes them comfortable and also people spending far less than they could. It seems absurd that it could be suggested the ones overstretching are rubbing it in people's faces when they actually cant afford it themselves or that those spending less are being kinder towards people who can afford less when actually it isnt kindness it's just a different life choice.

And many people lose people all the time. It is a very sad reality. It doesnt mean we should never enjoy anything again or that other people arent allowed to discuss or enjoy things either.

An absolute fortune if I'm being completely honest.

I've saved throughout the year and DD has been thoroughly treated (she only gets presents from me and my dad though, so I buy more than I would do if we had a large family.)

If you can't go mad at Christmas, when can you?

I've had many a year where (before DD was born) Christmas was just ignored because I was dirt poor and had absolutely no spare money. I spent little when she was a baby, but now I go OTT.
She's such a grateful little girl too, never expects anything. If I had any inkling that she was becoming spoiled it would stop.

I didn’t even add it up this year. I spend £30 on parents and brother, sil and nephew each then £10 on an uncle/aunt and cousins so that’s not too much but then dh is probably £200 and dc £250 ish including stockings but it’s high this year as they got 2nd hand iphones. Usually more like £150 each. But we can afford that to the point I’m not really budgeting. Everyone’s situation is different and I used to keep a note book of every spend.

@prynaithda21

Think of those who cannot spend the amounts of money referred to on this thread. Or those who will be without a loved one who has died this year.

My mum is one of the ones who won't be here.

I've spent into 4 figures but it still won't bring her back.

Spent approximately £950. About £700 of that is on 3 DC, the rest on family (14 people).

Never use credit cards, but start shopping in summer

About £650 on my 3 young children, 2 adult step children, my mum, godchild, my grandad and dp and i have spent £60 on each other this year.

I spread it out though so started shopping in september. I spent more on the 3 young children this year as they got an expensive joint present then a few cheaper gifts each which i dont usually do we usually spend £50 on each child including step children.

£1,500, including around £200 on wrapping paper, cards, stamps, and posting parcels abroad. £200 each per child (2 children), £200 on husband, he spends £200 on me, then £50 each on parents and £15 each on 16 nieces and nephews. Then bits and bobs like £10 vouchers for teachers, etc.

£2000 on dp and 2 dc and still need to get for a few more people but we can afford it. A lot of it was stuff the dc were going to get for our caravan anyway (we use it so they have somewhere after school and weekends up at our business) like smart tv’s, laptops and clothes etc but I was also brought up having a parent spend a lot at Christmas on us so I have fell into the same trap.

Spend whatever you can afford. If I couldn’t afford to spend that much I wouldn’t get into debt for it. Though now starting to worry that dd6 notices my designer goods and asked for Gucci and Chanel clothes (not getting!) already so teenage years should be fun if I don’t want my nice items to go “missing” in the future.

I don't understand how people only spend £50 on one child in total. HOW??!

I've just bought 3 girly art type presents for my daughter - cost me £40 (they were buy 3 for the price of 2).

I can hardly just give her that and no stocking can i?!

@CoastalWave

I don't understand how people only spend £50 on one child in total. HOW??!

I've just bought 3 girly art type presents for my daughter - cost me £40 (they were buy 3 for the price of 2).

I can hardly just give her that and no stocking can i?!

Neither do I.

One of my DDs presents (Vtech Kidizoom Studio) was £49.99 on its own!

Like people say it’s all relative and adds up remarkably quickly.
I find we spend as much on trips/activities/eating out as we do on gifts/hosting

3DC, two young adult and 1 primary aged. 1 has a partner too.
4 parents plus grandparents.
3 nieces and nephews.
7 friends children we send a book and sweets to.
£1750

DH is another £250 and he spends roughly the same on me so £500 in total.

On top of this there is nights out x2 £300
Weekend away with friends £700
Festive afternoon tea £120
Night away with family over holidays £450
Brunches, dinners, bowling, cinema etc £500
Hosting Christmas and NYE/NYD £400/500

It’s disgusting really.

£225 - £250ish

£50 mum, £50 dad, £50 child and about £50 on kids friends. Nothing for partner yet but probably £25.

Ive tried to avoid present mountains and bought one high quality gift each and something nice to eat or drink.

@CoastalWave

I don't understand how people only spend £50 on one child in total. HOW??!

I've just bought 3 girly art type presents for my daughter - cost me £40 (they were buy 3 for the price of 2).

I can hardly just give her that and no stocking can i?!

Depends on the age of the child. A lot easier with younger kids. Also depends if you just give toys or if you wrap up everything I.e. clothes you would buy anyway etc. And also depends if you are getting exclusively new or not. It is amazing how cheap you can pick things up from Facebook marketplace and even some new unused items like craft sets. Someone on my local page was selling 6 unused craft packs the other day including stuff like bracelet making sets £2 each or a 6 for £6.

Have you thought about toy loan subscriptions? That way you can borrow loads over the year and just buy a smaller gift at xmas (and save the hassle of the bog clear outs!)

@Brighteyedtriangle is ot worth a family piss up and moan about the cost and an agreement not to buy for nieces or nephews? Its just and obligation to exchang £15 each plus the £300 presents is just so much stuff to pack away 🙈

Probably nearly £650 on two dd’s, husband, my mum and my sister. Not done in-laws, friends or dd’s teachers yet