How much do you spend on each child?

[BirthdayKake]

I have five DC. At Christmas they'll be 11, 8, 7, 3 and nearly 6 months.

Just wondering how much people spend? Thanks :)

It varies depending on what sort of things they ask for, but I make sure I spend equal-ish on each of them. Something my parents always did, right down to the nearest pound apparently! (I'm not quite that strict with it.)

I'd say usually around £150-200 each

@LoonyLunaLoo

My reference to the Harry Potter LEGO was about the cost - in that Beats headphones, a macbook, and HP LEGO was a lot to spend on a 10-year-old. Not sure how you missed that.

As for my comment about the inverse ratio of income to Christmas spending - I was actually referencing a PP but I do tend to agree. While acknowledging that the plural of anecdote is not data, just a cursory glance at FB on Boxing Day shows the disparity. My wealthy friends don't feel the need to buy lots for their kids, but my family and friends from home (typically working class, living in council estates or in terraced houses) take a lot of pride in how much their kids got for Christmas.

It's clearly a class issue - when you have modest means it's often a big source of pride that you could afford to buy e.g. brand name trainers, tech, etc. Whereas if you're wealthier (as evidenced by, e.g. where you live or what you do for a living) you don't need to prove to the world that you have money by splashing it about.

It's not a novel concept.

@omafiet to be fair you picked @LoonyLunaLoo post to criticize as madness when there are plenty of other posters spending large sums. She listed three items and I would think it's pretty obvious that a MacBook isn't being purchased as a toy (unless you imagine the child is using it as a frisbee ).

If you think your £750 across three dc ticks the frugal, sensible MC box then you haven't been on MN very long! Don't you know it's strictly £50, I could afford more but why on earth WOULD I, anything more = piles of plastic tat with accompanying face? According to the ridiculous "rules" of the cats bum faced here your average of £250 per dc actually places you very firmly in the same class that you're so determined to place others in so perhaps you shouldn't be quite so quick to criticize or hold forth on class signifiers.

Looney could at least claim to have been guided by the awful, twee Want/Need/Wear/Read poem that so many MC MNers love...

I have 3 kids, 10 & under.

Last year i spent around £160 on each of them for their under tree presents & another £30-£50 on stockings each.

This year i want to spend less, probably on the stockings. Ideally i want to start to tone down the gifts, previously we've always got them loads, but what they want is getting more expensive so I'm gradually broaching with them that the piles will get smaller iyswim.

2 DC 8&9.
Aim for no more than £200 each.
Luckily dm goes overboard with gifts and easily spends another £100 on each as well as gifts from other family members.
I feel very fortunate as we don't have a lot of spare cash.

I suppose about £50. Including stocking but I only have 1.
She's 16 and I want to avoid clothes,(as she has an allowance for that)and there is no point giving her money because she will save it so I need to be a bit more creative this year.

@CantSleepClownsWillEatMe If you think your £750 across three dc ticks the frugal, sensible MC box then you haven't been on MN very long!

Ha! Point taken - but I actually don't think that. As I mentioned in my post, it was all very OTT once everything was wrapped and under the tree. We plan to scale way back this year.

Mine are teens so presents get smaller but more expensive lol. Probably around £300 on each but that includes a main present (probably some tech or trainers/jacket) pjamas christmas eve box jammies etc. Seems such a lot but they both have sports hobbies so usually get some new sports kit/gear and they both get some clothes for xmas day so doesn't actually equate to loads of stuff. I buy bits during the year and save up x

I have one DD who is 3. I pick up things I think she would like when I see them, I don’t really know the exact amount and I don’t really set a budget either but that’s not because I have money in abundance, I just buy what I can afford and what I think she will like.

This year she has asked for the LOL Glampervan (£99.99) and I wanted to buy her a trampoline for outside or a battery operated car but she hasn’t asked for either of these. She’s a Feb birthday so she could get one of those for her birthday.

This year I’ve seen so many things I think she will love, lots of really good educational toys that she would enjoy too. It’s difficult because I want to buy it all but I don’t want to try and store it for the rest of year 😂

We have a large family and my mum likes to do her a whole Christmas too but we’re trying to rein her in a bit too.

I absolutely love Christmas. I’ve done it on no money and lots of money, just depends what kind of year it’s been.

Our budget is £170 each for our 2, which includes a stocking, present from Santa and presents from us. We only really buy stuff on birthdays and at Christmas.

Between 400 and 600 each on 3 adult children. Income around 60k in total. Every parent on here does what what they think is best for their offspring according to their beliefs and income to do their upmost to give them what I am sure will be a lovely Christmas whatever the budget and traditions . Let's all be grateful that we have our children young and older to love and enjoy the season with. While its lovely to exchange ideas about gifts and things to do over the season the cost and number of gifts is of no relevance and is no comparison to the vibe of the season in general 😁

@Longbarn5 well said ☺️👍🎅🏼🎄

Thank you 😁 and a Happy meteorological Autumn to you 😊

I have one DC I have spent silly amounts over the years (8) but now I'm seeing how crazy I've been. I'll spend around £200 max this year. This includes Santas presents

3 kids. £250 each under the tree. £70 each in (large!) stockings.

Mine varies year to year depending on what DD asks for. This year it’ll be £350-400 including her stocking and Christmas activity box.

Last year I only spent about half that but this year she’s asked for the LOL house and that’s £180 on its own.

I probably wouldn’t usually spend so much on one toy but she loves the dolls and plays with them every day so I feel like it’ll be great value.

It depends what he has for his birthday (Aug). If he needed a new bike or PC (£250), then Xmas is less, maybe £150 including stocking presents.

Ds (6) wants a Nintendo switch this year so he'll be getting that and maybe 100 extra worth of stocking fillers.
The baby will probably be 150 max, he'll be 6 months old

Around £200each plus Christmas Eve box which totals £20. I only have 2 DC... so can afford that, but have no idea what to get DS 11, he has most of the things he wants so I’m clutching at straws and he ain’t helping.

I don't want to spend more than £100 each on my kids (I have two). Eldest actually told me not to buy her anything as she's sick of tidying her room!

I can't believe people spend £500+ per child. Our budget is about £60 for our one child

We do have a large family though, so she won't go without.

@BeanBag7 it's easy to spend that amount especially if you have older children. £60 wouldn't get much of anything. I can't believe people would just spend £60 on a child unless that's all they have and are short of money or if they have a young baby/child. I also don't agree with the excuse "well they get lots from other family". It's your child, you shouldn't be relying on other people buying most of there gifts so you don't have to. Each to there own I know but it. We all have our own versions of what's right to spend and what's not.

Agree with @mummymahem18 its so much easier when they are smaller £60-£100 buys a whole pile of toys & games. My DS is a mans size 11 so one pair of trainers is £60-£80, any tech that they want is usually at least £100 and often more than that and looks tiny. I got my son a download pre-order game for his birthday and it was expensive but nothing to show for it or wrap up as downloaded onto his xbox. At least they do understand as non believers when they are older and I add in cheaper bits like pjamas from primark etc toiletries underwear etc . Starting to save up now lol x

£250 each on my 9 yr olds, and £30 on stockings. I save £15 per week and it covers it without noticing. I’ve done my shopping as I hate the mad rush in November and December.

£400 each. I have two. Sometimes goes over but normally stay within that limit. Includes stockings.