To think these things don’t matter and you should save money for dc instead?

[leapgro]

Genuinely interested as to whether it affects them etc.

DC coming up to 1, lots of people having big parties, even balloons costs 20 quid let alone everything else. Hiring venues etc. Same with expensive baby clothes, trips to legoland etc. Surely unless you enjoy this yourself/have enough money to waste, it’s not actually beneficial for the child? Or is it? Am I wrong?

See, keepsakes and special baubles are not things I would ever spend money on. I would have had no interest when I was younger and I wouldn’t now be interested in a bauble I got for my first Christmas.

Everyone has different tastes and not everything is done for show 🤦‍♀️

@DdraigGoch if I could hire a whole theme park for an evening I would! Imagine not having the queues, the noise, the crowds and all the other awful parts of theme parks.

oh, you hit a sensitive spot for some, didn't you. Yes, these things have value to some people, but no, it is not for the sake of the child. I mean, in 50 years they may look at the pics of them in cute clothes or trying to eat a $20 balloon and smile, but up until then they aren't going to give two shits and will in fact be embarrassed by it during the early teen years. But, people like doing things for their kids, having parties, etc. So, it has value to the happiness of the parents
For some of us, we just don't care about stuff like that, it doesn't make us happy, so we may have a hard time understanding. but no, it is not a requirement to spend a bunch of money on your children to enrich them or make them happy. Because 50 years from now, the child that just had a simple, cheap party is also going to smile at the pictures of their childhood.

Of course it's not a requirement, but again, who cares if they don't remember everything in 50 years?

Will you remember all your nice meals, all your holidays, all your haircuts in 50 years, any non-essential "luxuries" you have? Of course not, but does it mean you don't bother with non-essential?

We never splashed out on our kids and we saved every penny they ever received. Their friends were so jealous when at 18 they were driving BMW’s. I mean we still are out and had lovely holidays with them but not on ballon’s, loads of presents etc. I think it’s all a show for social media.

Yes we are all wildly jealous of terrible financial choices.

A new 18 year old driver blowing 18 years of savings to get insurance on a BMW which has zero return in a desperate attempt to claw 'cool' point with a brand name... ultimate stupidity.

I think life is short. I think short of buying a house it's pretty hard to save money anyway. If people want a party, just let them enjoy it.

Wow, jealousy knows no bounds. My oldest son is 34 now so insurance was cheaper back then. He had enough for all of it. Do you’d rather I’d spent it on stupid present and ballon’s? He friends have all said they wished their parents had done the same. They both also had deposites for a home, I’ll bet you’re flaming now.

Ah yes, because clearly buying an 18 year old a bmw has nothing to do with showing off. They really really needed a stupidly expensive powerful car, and showing off to their mates never entered into it 🤦‍♀️.

I've never driven a BMW in my life (not great cars anyway, I worked in the motor trade) but I had a fabulous childhood and all the other cars I've owned have done the same job admirably.
What kind of snobby fool trades a childhood of fun and great experiences for a BMW at 18? That's exactly the sort of thing I hope my kids do not spend their money on at 18. What a waste.

So same age as me... not that cheap.

Yes I would much rather have 18 years of memories with friends than a quickly devaluing car with extortionate tax, parts and insurance.

I can't imagine cutting back and going without your entire life then blowing it on something so material that could be done for far less.

I also can't imagine a grown woman would think another grown woman with a house, car, family kids could possibly be jealous of an 18 year old throwing money after bad choices. No one is jealous of bad money management and that what you are bragging about.

I could easily own a BMW but I deliberately don't (up here you can pick up a secondhand BMW for next to nothing because the associated costs are ridiculous) because I'm smarter than wasting money on empty status symbols.

It must be sad spending your whole life feeling inadequate about being normal and cutting your face off to desperately chase the Joneses and 'pretend' to be better (especially when everyone can see through it and cringe).

😂😂😂

is that the new version of "cancel Starbucks and you can afford a house"?
Don't buy balloons and you can afford a car? 😂

Imagine if you hadn't wasted money on a BMW, they would have had a house, or at least a bigger deposit. What a shame.

I’ll reiterate, they had a deposit for a house. Every penny anyone gave them was put away for whatever they wanted when 18. What will your kids have? I didn’t waste anything it was their money. It’s ok you keep spending on loads of presents etc , they can go live in a council flat 🙄

Who said we went without. I said every penny they were GIVEN was put away for when they were 18. I didn’t waste money on stupid presents etc. they have probably been to more countries than you have. Ridiculous comment assuming we didn’t have a life. Do you use money GIVEN to your kids on going out? How you can jump on me for giving my kids a great head start in life. 😂😂

My kids will have a deposit, a pension and a wonderful childhood.
Why do you think it's always got to be one or the other? Do you honestly go through life sneering at people who give their kids balloons? My one year old is still playing with his birthday balloons a month later, happy as Larry.

I will yet again reiterate, I didn’t buy him anything it was his money that I had saved from all the people who were generous to him from the time he was born. Both sons had cars and a deposit on a house. Will yours ?

So all BMW’s are super fast 😂😂😂😂 I see your knowledge on cars is a good as your knowledge on finances.

You really are dense, my kids had a great childhood, I just didn’t waste money on loads of presents, parties just for social media. They had holidays and days out just like most. I saved every penny that were Given to them from day one. My children have everything you’ve mentioned and more. You mention a pension, are you buying it for them 😩. If I thought it was going to turn into a completion I’d be sitting here forever listing what they have. 😏🙄

If your oldest son is in his thirties you don't win any prizes for not throwing parties for a medium that didn't exist when he was a child.

Why are you so dense that you assume anything other people do for their kids must be for social media but its fine for you to spend money on yours?
It's not a competition, you asked what my kids will have and I told you.
Yes, I'm saving into a pension for them, mostly because I don't want them to get everything at 18 and spend it on a sodding BMW 🤦🏻‍♀️

A council flat... lol are you 18 yourself? you know NOTHING about the real world.

I had a court ordered saving account that my father (who never spent a penny on me) was legally required to put savings into for me equivalent to what he should have paid in child support. I never saw a fucking penny of it... that saved money vanished into thin air when it came time for me to collect my 'deposit for a house'.

Thankfully I had a WONDERFUL childhood with my mam who dispite being a low income single mother made sure we never went without (not just basics but every experiance). I had a childhood full of experiences and great memories and a party every year that was priceless.

As for 'what will your kids have at 18?' my DS has had a birthday party every year and has a trustfund (these where set up automatically for all kids born before 2010, literally not a magic thing EVERYONE has them) with spare money put in here and there (like the £5 people attending his party would often gift in a card).

Its enough to do his lessons, driving test, buy a car, pay insurance etc... its also enough for a deposit on a starter house. It isn't 'unique' stand point that only you have, its pretty fucking standard + most people can buy balloons too (they cost £1 ffs).

You robbed your kids of a most basic childhood experiance that doesn't actually cost much and I'm sorry it hurts you to hear it but they really aren't that far ahead of anyone else at the end of it all.

Savings are standard, its not that most 'can't' have a BMW its that they where raised financially smarter than that. Just because you don't 'see' other having something doesn't mean they 'can't' and thus your special, it simply means its 'unpopular' (usually for a reason).

I would be disappointed your child has pissed all the well saved money up the wall.

What a snobby attitude.

My kids will have a healthy and happy life, they are not so bitter they fail miserably try to impress random strangers on the internet about a car.

I am not regretting the 2 parties that could have paid for a BMW 😂

@threatmatrix its a bit rich you calling other people dense when you have misunderstood the thread 🤦‍♀️ it isn’t about what people did with all the birthday/Christmas money their kids were given by family and friends (and btw if that is what has paid for the cars etc you don’t need to feel smug, you haven’t provided those things for your kids, the people who gave the money have)-

The thread is about whether it’s a waste for parents to spend their own money on parties etc, so what you did with other peoples money that was given to your children (namely let them waste it on rubbish) is irrelevant.