Is my budget for the children too stingy?

[BretonStripe]

We have two dc, approaching 3 and 6. We're ok for money, plenty of savings. Have always thought £100 for Christmas is plenty, but am going to struggle this year as dc1 would love an £85 Micro scooter, to replace his battered cheap scooter (which he uses almost daily).

By the time I've bought nice pj's/onesie, pants, books, a bit of Lego and a board game etc my budget is nearly gone, so wouldn't be able to get the scooter.

I grew up fairly poor; council house, Mum struggled to pay rent/didn't have fancy things etc so think I struggle with being spendy sometimes.

What is an average Xmas budget for people who are not poor, but don't want to spend loads? (Can't understand people who have to spend £300+ on each child each year).

He wants a scooter but you are prioritising new pants and pyjamas over his one request? I don't think the budget is the issue. Why do pants have to be a Christmas present? And why are you being so judgemental of how much other people spend? It is none of your business? Spend whatever you like! Personally though I would get the scooter.

If he has only asked for the one gift I would go for it. DD has discovered the smyths catalouge and has developed a passion for every toy in it.

I give bath stuff at christmas though it tends to be festive themed and DD receives that on 1st dec to see her through the festive period. same with underwear/socks/pjs all themed for christmas.

Most stuff is sourced in sales throughout the year so there isn't really a budget just what I see when I see it cheap and if I have the money to spare on the day.

korma probably not but I'm nervous a bit about saying how much we spend tbh. Although, within our friends I'd say we spend less than most.

We don't have a budget for the dc.
I don't agree that you have to spend the exact same amount on them down to the last penny.

Dd is 5 and massively into our generation dolls, we've already spent around £350/400 on two dolls and 3 accessories plus a light up scooter and dolls house another £100 so there's nearly £500 before anything else and doesn't look a lot.
I actually don't want to think about the cost now!

Ds is 13, he's getting a gaming chair £175 and new TV for bedroom wall which we got for £150 down from £500. He will get aftershave, football shirts, games for Xbox one etc, again not a lot of presents but the cost is high.
This is one of the reasons we didn't want lots of dc, I've seen so many people struggling with 3/4/5 dc to buy for at Christmas and obviously at other times of the year.
We're not rich by any means and weren't rich growing up but both dp and I had lovely Christmases as children and never went without.

We will probably spend another £200 each on coat/ shoes/2 outfits.

I know people who spend much more.
Ds best friend got in the region of £5000 spent on him last year
His clothes cost around 2k of that.

Older ds's. About £100. A £80 Fitbit as a main present.
Can't understand these families who spend £300-£500 on each child. How? Why?

Just posted a long post which disappeared.

In summary, big fat yes to buying a scooter/ heart's desire for a small child at Christmas if it's at all possible. Different if you can't afford it if course, but doesn't sound like that's the issue.

Opening your heart's desire from Santa on the big day when you're little is about as good as it gets, isn't it?

Money is still an abstract concept for your son - he hasn't chosen that particular scooter because it's especially dear and he wants to push the (arbitary) budget you've set. It's not like when they are older and they know it's parents who have to pay for it all.

Btw We've previously had 4 Micro brand scooters and they're excellent. But at beginning of this year we bought 2 Maxi Micro 'dupes' off eBay and are chuffed with them. 21st is the brand - shipped from China/ Malaysia or suchlike. Virtually identical, most importantly with same quality build to them. But for half the price at £40-50. We've had nearly a year's use out of ours and still in excellent shape. Maybe worth a look on eBay?

I haven't ever really budgeted a set amount per child.
I tend to keep an eye out all year round for bargains and start Christmas shopping around august so I can spend more and go all out. Christmas is huge for us, so it has to be extravagant!
I'd say around £250 per child... my youngest thought around £75 as he is 15 months and doesn't need much, has millions of hand me downs

We would buy it but use some xmas money from grandparents or some birthday money to keep things fair

I can't understand you wanting a budget but we have a flexible budget. In your case you know your eldest would love the scooter, it would get masses of use and you'd get a huge kick out of him unwrapping it on Xmas day and taking it out.

Christmas is extravagant for us. We only spend 30 per child (they also get 20 from grandparents and aunt) but the big thing isn't the gifts. It's the food, the board games, the winter walks, the snowman/den building, the cosy communal food prep, the late night chats by the fire, the snuggle under fleeces to watch films. I guess it's more about being with loved ones then material stuff.

I don't spend much more than £100 per child all in but some of the figures and expectations on here are mind blowing. Part of my job is debt recovery and I'm very aware that some families stop paying bills from October to February to fund Christmas. Maybe if we didn't have the mindset that a child is hard done by if they don't get the latest and best of everything there wouldn't be so much pressure on people to give more than they can afford.

"£100 is very little and it sounds like the children do need things. Of course everyone on here is going to tell you to spend 50 max per child. In real life ppl spend hundreds."

I don't spend hundreds, and I have plenty. They don't need it.

If I buy what looks like too much (to me, I don't have a specific £ amount in mind), I save some for a birthday.

DD is only 1, we've spent around £150 and she has a decent heap of prezzies! Haven't paid full price for anything, most of it was less than half price!
We only buy toys at birthdays and Christmas though so I feel a bit more justified in her little heap of prezzies!
Everything comes in giant boxes at this age though, she's mainly having happyland and stuff for the kitchen her GPs have bought her!

I don't understand why when you can afford the scooter, he'd love the scooter, you want to see his face when he got the scooter yet you won't buy it because it goes over the magical £100?

Our kids are spoilt rotten at Christmas, even now at 22 &20. I don't care. They've been my absolute rocks for most of their lives due to my disability and DH's job. We can afford it and they deserve it. They get pants, socks and PJs, they always have. They used to be novelty ones, now they're White Stuff socks with ducks and sailors this year. It's a tradition and we all laugh about it.

I think life's too short to be worrying about £30 that you can afford at Christmas, I really, really do.

Oblomov, because we want to. It's easy to spend under 100 on a small child but if I never spent any more than that then my now teenagers wouldn't have anything such as laptops or phones.

It's also possible to have walks, nice food etc and spend money on gifts, it's not a one or the other situation fir most people.

I don't want to spend £100 on my kids.

DS2 is at uni, he said he'd like a Nutrition-bullet type thing and some clothes. He can't afford to buy himself clothes all through the year and £100 doesn't go far when you're 6'3, with a 34" inside leg and size 12 feet.

DS1 is in the army. This is the 3rd Christmas he's asked for stuff that he needs to make his life easier. They get given a stove to take on exercise, but it's shit so one year we bought him a decent one. That was much more than £100. A decent daysack is well over £100, decent webbing you're looking at £300. We get him stuff like that, or help him buy it and then buy him some presents that we think he'd like.

I save up for Christmas each year and spend quite a lot on the dcs, this gives me and them great pleasure. It's not all about the presents though and we go to carol services, make decorations, visit Father Christmas. I can understand not buying something that will be a waste of money or you can't afford,( I talked dd out of asking for a hatchimal) but I would definitely buy the scooter .

I agree with ^ wanker I spend over a £1000 on each of my children at Christmas not including what they have Christmas Eve or their stockings. It doesn't mean we don't do other activities, we are going to Christmas fantasy at butlins next week, then build a bear at cribbs causeway on the way home. Panto on Christmas Eve. I buy throughout the year also and birthdays are also a big deal.
But we have no family, my children get no other gifts, no parties or invites, no cousins etc. We both had shit childhoods and we can afford this amount. I don't judge the amount anyone chooses to spend, each to their own and all that. I'm sure we all have equally good times
please don't give me a flaming like last year

Korma, Squoosh, fuck et al...have you actually read any of my posts? Especially my last update at 09.32 yesterday?

I am getting the scooter. Just because you wouldn't see it as any kind of dilemma, doesn't mean someone else wouldn't. As I've explained before to some far kinder posters I had a poor childhood and struggle to spend what I would deem a lot of money on small kids at Christmas. Everyone's different. This thread has made me realise that I need to relax and know I am not my childhood.

I don't remember judging anyone else's spending? This is a place for support...

My post wasn't aimed at you or anyone in particular Breton I did see your update, I bet ds will be so happy on Christmas Day

Glad to hear it.

But if you think people are bring unkind to you just say it, can't bear that petulant strike through nonsense.

Sorry, squoosh consider my hand slapped

Squoosh

Calling OP petulant for using strike through in a typical MN way is unkind.

There you go.