Birthday money for class friends - how much?

[Blueberrymuffin8]

Hi,

My son has his second class friend's birthday today. I put £20 in a card for the first one and wondering if £10 would suffice this time? He has another to go to in a couple of weeks and it's all starting to add up.

YABU - £10 is too little?
YANBU - £10 is ok for a primary school child!

Thanks!

£20 is the norm near us but I wouldn't blink an eye if my son received £10 in a card. It's a nice amount. I wouldn't ever give £5 though x

@YaCannyKickYaGrannyInTheShin 🤣🤣🤣 Your comment truly did make me laugh. I remember years ago one of my children had a birthday party and a new boy who had recently joined the school gifted him a £100 Amazon voucher for his birthday! I messaged the mother to check that it was intentional and kindly say that it was too much. As they were new to the school and it was their first experience of class party, they assumed that is how private school parents gifted 😅 She refused to let me return it but it is definitely not the norm in our school.

£5 plus a bag of sweets for a general classmate. £10 for a good friend.

said tfresh in a hopeful voice, aged 9 and 3/4.

OP, I thought you were talking about reception/year 1 age. For a 10 year old, £10 sounds fine.

@Obeseandashamed depends where you live though. If I had put £20 in DDs friends cards I would have risked making the parents feel uncomfortable and £10 would have been pushing it.

Depends on the cohort your child goes to school with. All professional parents £20 might be fine, a more disadvantaged area with lots of single parents or people working PT or in low paid work and with young children and siblings to cater for to, they aren't going to be spending £20 per child and may well feel uncomfortable receiving it.

Yes it could set the bar high. A fiver risks being a bit on the stingy side without something nice with it.

Ten pounds is a happy medium I think for a large class party. Possibly a bit on the light side if it’s a select group invited.

£15/20 for us, but in reality most enjoy unwrapping presents more than anything! DD got a £5 once and to be honest it felt like quite an insult considering we always put on on a big party and pushed the boat out on presents for others..

A fiver and a box of Maltesers was my go to present, I think even a tenners too generous!

Actually for a 10 year old £10 is fine. I too thought you meant 5/6 year olds.

WTF? 20 quid?!

Last month I would've said £10 was absolutely fine. But it was my son's 10th birthday recently and most gave him £20, some gave £20 and a token gift!

I was shocked although grateful, I feel I might have been a thought to be a tight up until now and will need to up my giving!

However if it causes financial hardship don't do it, they'll just be pleased your son can attend.

I think £10 is great!

Hardly wtf worthy. Perfectly normal at DD’s school.

A fiver. If it's a best friend I'll spend up to £15 on a gift.

Another vote for 5.

Someone I know selotapes the number of pounds coins of the birthday child’s age into the card which is a good idea I think. (Up to the age of 10 or 11!)

I think £10 is absolutely fine.

At 10 years old £10 is plenty for a class friend. If it's more like a best friend then I would do £20 or £10 with some sweets to go with it

Could you do a gift voucher instead of cash? Maybe for a bookshop?

😀

Primary we do gifts, like something physical to open. But since the end of primary I've done £15 in a card

£10 perfect 👌

DS is that age and £10 is definitely the most common amount given, £15-£20 only from a best friend.

No wonder some kids are so entitled.