How much do you spend?

[skybluepearl]

OK it's been done tons of times before I'm sure but how much do you spend on gifts for immediate family unit, extended family unit, friends, xmas food etc .. Am I the only one who keeps things low key? Everyone I know seems to go crazy.

Kids - about 30 each (but they get 25 from each set of grand parents too and smaller gifts from lots of aunts/great uncles/my close friends. Sometimes we pool money to give bigger gifts but more often larger items are second hand anyway, so cheaper)

Partner - about 30

Brothers/sisters/parents - about 10 per couple

Neices - 5 each

Three best friends - between 3 and 15 pounds

Cars - we make them and deliver by hand or send second class.

we've spent more on the dc's this year than usual, it's usually in the region of £50.

Approx £180 each on the DDs. A mixture of things they will like and things they need (DD, 6 - new coat for example).
DH £80
Parents approx £40-50 each
Sisters and their partners £20 each
Nieces and nephews £10 each

Plus teacher gifts, panto tickets, Father Christmas visit and a slightly more luxurious than normal Christmas shop.

About £900 all in....which is bloomin scary and more than I spent last year. The majority of things were bought in sales or with vouchers so are worth more than they cost and we could afford it, but still.....when it is written down......gulp

dds (aged 6 and 4) both have about £200 each
£100 on dh
£100 each on the 4 GPs - they help with childcare throughout year
£15-20 on each niece/nephew - 10 in total - try get 3 for 2
£40 friends son - she buys my 2 dds so i spend more on her only child
£15 between 2 teachers
£10 each for nan/aunt/neighbour

I think we've spent a fair bit this year,

about £150-200 each on ds1 and ds2
£30 on mil and fil
15 on bil and his gf
30 on db and dsil
30 on my grandparents
8 x 7 on nieces and nephews
15 on gm in law
80 on dp and he spent about the same on me
200 food shop, which includes party food for entertaining.

I know I've missed some out, but this is the general gist, we no longer buy for adults who have children. We haven't gone into debt, have been known to spend less or more depending on what we can actually afford.

100 each on dds(4+6), plus about 60 on ds (2), but some of that are preloved things, so looks more, and dds each have expensive presents - scooter and camera which swallow half that budget.

dh and I probably spend about 40 on each other (some of that on presents from children to us), plus we have agreed to get new camera in sales, as ours is broken.

About 35 on each of our extended families

40 on friends

so about 450 not including camera. Food is less as not at home, but have to pay petrol instead.

i was meant to be keeping to a budget this year, but i have gone over again.
dc's 1,2 and 3 have had £260 spent on each of them
dd1 has had £500 [she is older and her things cost more]
my mum £110
my sister £50
my nephews and cousins £30 each [there are 4 of them]
stepdad £20
dad £20
mil and fil £45
dp sister £40 and boyfriend £20 and dc £20
dp sister £20 and boyfriend £15 and dc £20
friend and dc £15 each
dp about £500
have not got a clue how i afforded it all, but i did start earlyish

£1,100
Mostly on stocking presents

I trump you all(?)

£2200 on nuclear family, about £300 outside.
£100 on stocking fillers alone (4 DC, that includes stuff like socks & chocolate, mind).
About £79 average on main gift(s) for DC.
£1350 or so on mutual items between me & DH (this is about 10x more than most years).
Nothing special spent on food.

We have loads of plans of other things to buy, too. We are single-handedly attempting to kick-start the economy.

DH £750
DS(1) £200
DPs £150 (Just bought them £1000 trip to Paris for their anniversary so cut back a bit on xmas pressies!)
DPILS & family £200
DB&P £100
DB&P £50
Other family (hampers) £250

Food shopping etc £300

DH £200 in all (£50 stocking, £150 gift)
DS 1&2 £200 each (£100 stocking + gift)(DH put in £100 each for each of them)
DM, DB D s-i-l & DN £30 each
I have a cousin who helps my mum a lot so I spend about £25 on her and buy £10 to £15 presents for her children and their spouses and her grandchildren. - we only get very modest present back, but that is not the point
Friend £15
work secret santa £10
Boss £10.
This year I had £150 on top of my normal shopping money of £90 for extra food and non alc drinks, it was more than enough for 4 of us, DH buys the booze and the tree. This year I felt I should have spend a little bit more on my brother and his family and maybe a little bit less on the cousin's lot but I hate being mean, I'd rather spend a bit more on something nice than trek around trying t stick to a meagre budget and ending up with boxes of biscuits.