Thread for expensive teens

[LucheroTena]

What are you getting your teens? DD’s tastes have become very designer, I totally blame all those chumps on Instagram. She likes Gucci belts so might get her one plus some perfume, bare minerals skincare and Victoria’s Secret clothes.

She doesn’t expect anything but I’d like to get her something nice as opposed to loads of cheaper stuff.

What you getting your teens this year?

I have set a £100 limit for each of them. Told them to research what they would like. Have had no feedback so far 🤔

Just spoke to DH about our Teens stockings. Teen DD said 'a few bits from Mac would be nice'... whatever happened to a satsuma and chocolate coins 🙄

We have paid for a trip to NYC for college so will cut right back on prezzies for my dd.
I will give her perfume, cash plus a nice stocking and the M&S beauty advent calendar.

I am sure all teenagers would like loads of expensive stuff but parents need to be realistic, set a budget and give them the cash or ask for specific ideas. Don’t be guilt tripped into spending more you can afford and don’t buy the ‘pile of presents’ because it’s what you’ve always done.

M&S beauty advent calendar

Aren't these close to £300 unless you spend loads to get it cheaper? Think they've sold out now anyway. Ridiculous amount of money

The M&S calendar is £35 with a £35 spend to qualify

I like how people are saying to not be over indulgent with teens and money- yet the other threads are full of lists of LOL dolls and playsets and plastic tat adding up to WELL over £100 so people have their big present piles.
🙄

My kid wants a £200 lego, a £80 lego, £42 worth of movies, £100 worth of marvel concept art books, £100 worth of smart home tech and about £50 cash, About £520 worth of stuff

My DD has had her main present - BTS tickets - went in Oct

So I’ve got her a Body Shop advent calendar (£45) and that’ll be it bar a few small items

DS - Gaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh. For his 15th birthday the other week he had a customised XBox controller from the States. I’ve got him a few stocking fillers but am stumped for main gift.

DS (14) will have more spent on him than younger 3 siblings as they are mainly getting second hand toys/books etc (as he did at their age).

He has a list that amounts to about £500 but fully understands his list is just suggestions and he won't get all of it. He has asked for money, computer games, Google lights bulbs, clothes, a new phone, subscription to PlayStation live.

In reality he will get: about £100 cash, joggers/hoodie (one 'named e.g. Adidas, the other just Primarc), pjs, books, board game and a stocking (which normally totals about £12) with chocolate coins, satsuma, magic trick (this year is a buzzer when you shake hands), brain puzzle (little wooden cube thingy from charity shop), toothbrush, mini size toiletries, a bottle of low alcohol coder (0.1% from Morrisons).

I don’t think I would buy my dd anything designer as it’s unrealistic that she or I can afford to buy designer gear, it’s something she can maybe buy when she’s earning a fortune in a top end job. I think it’s a lesson in life that only certain people (mainly celebrities) can dress head to toe in designer gear. Luckily my dd is happy to shop in primark and Emp, she prefers to be different and hates designer gear. I do spend a lot on Christmas if there’s something practical that they need such as a laptop. Smaller gifts will include pj’s, pants, slippers and food items.

Luckily she hates makeup too as that’s another thing I would hate to spend big money on (I don’t even buy it for myself).

My thoughts exactly Isadora

Watching with interest I have 4 teens to buy for and financially things are very difficult this year ( a business partner went bust owing us over 25 grand). Even so I would only spend between £150-£200 each. With my 7yo DD I can buy cheap stuff and she’ll be just as happy but really no options on what to get for the older ones. Luckily they are fully aware of the situation and will totally understand. In fact DS 19yo has said the only thing he absolutely has to have is a lynx gift box - apparently it’s a ‘meme’. I also bought a fair bit in the sales in January ( a lot from Boots and Waterstones) so I’ve got most of the small presents and stocking fillers already. I’m actually quite looking forward to a Christmas where I’m released from the pressure of expectation - ( which I totally put on myself btw)

Superdrug are doing the Lynx gift boxes for £2.49 at the mo sayhello

You may blame the chumps on Instagram op but I blame the chumps who indulge their kid's materialistic sheep like mentality.Spending nearly £300 quid on a tiny piece of leather is crazy!

I think some of been hard on Op. of course we all want to give our kids what they wish for. I remember being a teen and the pressure to have the ‘in’ or designer things. I didn’t always get them. Bit will never forget that feeling when I did and I’m grateful to my parents for that.

Mine wants ugg Boots, a phone, a PlayStation, Adidas stuff, pandora stuff the list goes on... I’ll probably get the ugg Boots, I have a refurbished phone put away, the rest I’ll get what I can.

My 16yr old ds hasn't asked for anything but we'll be getting him some hollister clothes and a custom made PS4 controller.

We’ve always spent around £100 on our DS (only child) regardless of his age (well, nothing like that when he was very young) so it’s not just about having a pile of expensive tat, why is it so hard to just a budget & stick to it? As a teen he now gets the cash.

Budgeting is fine, I do budget, you just don’t get much for your money when they covet specific designer stuff- that’s all I’m bemoaning. Mine doesn’t get dozens of high end presents.

Adults spend thousands on all sorts of unnecessary stuff, stuff I wouldn’t necessarily buy. I’d rather spend a few hundred on something she wants than the same amount on a volume of stuff she doesn’t.

A friend of mine has decided to get her DC experiences rather than stuff - that way they often also get 1:1 time with a parent and a memory they will have forever.

I have 7 children to buy for (aged 20 down to aged 4) as we are a blended family. The teen girls are having Birchbox subscriptions for year, 1 nice handbag each (Michael Kors and Kate Spade) and make up, the boys are having Beats wireless headphones, (ugly) Adidas coats that they covet and PS4/Xbox things. Everyone gets trainers. Christmas costs us an arm and a leg but we don’t buy throughout the year unless things are properly needed so I don’t mind too much

My DD is 13 and so far she has some £100 platform trainers from YRU, clothes from WC and WEGO in Japan and a 72 set of Copic markers. She also wants KPOP albums, some make up, smellies and Manga which I'll get and some other art stuff. Luckily she isn't into designer stuff but what she wants instead is also quite pricey.

Another idea for teens that like designer goods is outlet shops and shopping centres. I’ve bought some really expensive all saints leather jackets for £50 - £70. Ralph Lauren stuff at less than half price. Jimmy Choo shoes for under £100. There are also online outlet shops. Last year DS16 got an Armani watch ( definitely genuine) for £120. It’s just about spending lots of time looking for it all.

@Taffeta - thanks I’ll head there tomorrow

And in a couple of years you'll all be moaning about how entitled and ungrateful your kids are when you can't keep up with their ever growing demands anymore.