People with two or more children, do you set a budget per child?

[Loobieloo27]

Hi just that really i have a ds7 and dd4 and struggling.

The things ds wants are expensive tech whereas dd still enjoys toys.

Do you have a budget per child or do you have same amount of presents? Dont want it to seem unfair and one have more then another gift wise but ds would easily be more expensive.

I aim for a roughly equal number of presents, but as long as all of them get something they really love, I absolutely don’t add up how much I have spent on each or try to make it equal. I figure over the course of their childhoods it all evens out, and it’s more important that they get what they most want or need when they want/need it. DS1 (14) needs a new laptop this year, DD1 (5) is desperate for a particular Lego set, and Ds2(3) wants a rocket. They will all be over the moon if they get those things, not looking at price labels and comparing.

I would be devastated if any of my children was so spoilt as to complain that i had spent less on one than the other.

Thanks all, my 2 would never count gifts and just be grateful for what they have i think.

We have a budget per child and explain to older DD that her presents are more expensive so it’s even despite one having more actual number of presents

Yes we have a budget. Do you have family members who would usually buy for your kids? Could you ask them to all chip in for a more expensive gift? I dont know if a 7 year old is old enough to explain that an X box is a very big present so if he would like one he needs to understand it will probably be his only gift this year, whereas his sister will get many.

My dds are 10 years apart, so dd1 was teenage while dd2 was still pretty much a toddler. I definitely didn't keep the budget the same for both of them as even a fairly cheap electronic gadget would buy a houseful of plastic toys.

What I did was spend a similar amount on dd2 as I had done on dd1 when she was a similar age. So when dd1 was 3 she got a load of Playmobil, so did dd2 at 3. At 7 dd1 got a Wii, dd2 got a tablet when she was 7. Stuff like that, rather than a yearly budget for each, it's a childhood budget each if that makes sense.

My two are 4 & 6 and until now the budgets have been fairly similar. This year, though, they are getting bikes (second hand Isla/Frogs) and there is quite a difference in the cost of the two sizes. We won’t even that one out - they both just get the bike, plus the few other small bits, which will cost about the same (books, helmet & stockings). I suspect this will become more common, but will even out.

I make sure they have the same number of presents and they appear equal but I don't worry too much about the actual cost. I will when they're older but they don't really understand that a bike is more expensive than a swing ball at the moment. DH thinks we should equalise the budget and that DD1 will be more aware next year if not this year. Kids are 6 and 4.

My two were only a year apart and had very similar interests so it was easier to be broadly equal. I'm your situation I would necessarily spend the same on both but would keep it looking equalish as they are both still young. I agree I'd make it a family gift though even if dc1 used it more. The cost to you is the same, dc2 won't really care but it does set a precedent for expensive gifts. Otherwise, id get dc2 something that on the face of it looks like a large expensive gift but that doesn't cost a lot.

DS1 will be 7 and DS2 3. I doubt we’ll spend the same. I also internally factor in that DS2 inherits a lot of DS1’s Xmas presents (e.g. his first scooter) when DS1 grows out of them. DS1 remains remarkably relaxed about this so for now...I realise this won’t work much longer.

I only have a year between my two boys (8 & 7yo) and have the same budget for them but kight spend a little less on one child due to the gifts they've asked for etc but never a big differnce.

Yes I cut down this year as I will have 8 kids at Christmas. The baby no budget, just age appropriate things they need eg bouncer.
The primary age dc £100 each plus stockings
The teenager £200
My young adult dd £150 .

I have a set budget but i leave some wiggle room. I have big age gaps and often the much younger ones had less spent on them because the stuff they wanted was just cheaper, while the older more techy stuff was more expensive. I never felt guilty about it at all, I made sure they had the same number of gifts under the tree. Last year the youngest was 10 and desperately wanted a switch so she had the most spent on her, it evens out over the years ime.

I've a 6 year gap, so trying to keep the budget the same is silly.

I will make sure they have the same number of things to open. Mainly because we try to open gifts in turns so we can all watch. So it would become very obvious if the eldest had opened everything and little one still had stuff to open.

If I had a one or two year gap I'd probably go for the same budget.

I have a maximum limit per child, but if I spent well under it wouldn't matter - for example if I got something second hand, I wouldn't then try to spend the remainder.

I also do the same number of presents each.

Always spend the same on each dc to the £1.

No, I generally go one big present each (which could be a phone so doesn't cost anything as such just the contract and the other a bike - depends on their 'need') a few medium presents, clothes, pyjamas, and small presents. Their small presents could differ ie notebook that costs a tenner as it's a naice one and a £6 reading book.

I try to keep the presents even and not the cost.

When they were younger & it was just toys they wanted then I'd pretty much spend the same & get them the same number of gifts.

Now they're older (10,8,7) their tastes have changed. So i have a max budget for each but work more towards getting the same number of gifts.

Approximately equal number of gifts here, they are young teens now and understand that sometimes one gets something more expensive like a new phone but their turn will come, its similar with birthdays as theirs are very close together. All our games consoles are shared though, they belong to the family rather than an individual, same as tvs and laptops until they needed one each for school. So when we bought the Xbox we bought it as a family gift but the DCs got a game each to unwrap.

My two still believe, So they get whatever they ask for from Santa (within reason) This year one is £150, the other is £99. Last year both were under £10.
Santa also brings their stockings. Usually these are around £30 each, But thanks to the bargain threads here, This years have cost £22 for both.

From us they get 4 gifts each,Something you want, need, wear, read.
I set a £100 budget for each child for these.

We have a budget set for each of them. The oldest has asked for something which makes up most of the allowed budget. We explained that if he gets that then he won’t get much else, while the little ones have asked for lots of cheaper things. He was fine with that. He’s beginning to understand the value of money now. My parents always spent the same on me and my brother, almost to the penny.

The same budget for each

The youngest won't understand the cost and that your eldest is having more money spent on them.
However the eldest will notice that he maybe has an Xbox and game but the 4 year old has lots of toys. I doubt the 7 year old will really understand that his present is significantly more than what the youngest got spent on her.
. Me and my brother always got x1 big ticket item, then lots of other bits, I think mum always made sure we have the same amount of gifts, bit ticket items were normally things such as bikes, TV for room maybe, iPod, mobile etc.

Set budget but try to buy the same amount of presents too. This hasn't taken too much effort, mine are 9 and 6 and still into toys over expensive items so it isn't too difficult. Obviously the year will come when my eldest will probably have less due to higher cost, but he will be old enough to understand. He would now I'm sure.

I'm planning on buying a switch as a joint gift even though I know dd(15) wont really play it and ds(3) will be a bit on the young side so it will be mainly enjoyed by ds(10) and ds(7). But it's still for the whole family.

We budget £100 each for xmas but not super strict on it (if I spend £20 more on the eldest but £20 less on the youngest I'm not going to loose sleep over it)

I have a limit but it is not a target to spend. No more than £60 per child so if they want something for £20 that's it - one gift from Santa / us. A further up to £10 gift from each other, so 2 things to open at home. They also get a present from their grandparents and a present from their Uncle.

In addition, we do stockings that are identical but with personalised variations (eg different coloured of toothbrush) and a joint gift - such as a load of second hand Sylvanians / Lego / Paw Patrol toys. This year it may be a Wii.