Budget per child?

[MsMiaWallace]

What is your budget per child?

I was thinking around £200 for mine. Once you add up everything including PJs, chocolate, stocking fillers etc it really adds up.

I'm interested to hear if mines about right compared to others?

In my mind I always imagine a starting point of £200 but realistically it's closer to £500 by the time I'm finished. This year my eldest wants a Switch Lite so that's £200 before we've begun (without a game!) and as much as I told her if she gets that she'll get nothing else I'm not going to leave an 8 year old with only one gift.

DC are 10&11 so coveted items get a bit pricey at these ages but no more than £400 each MAX.

In the nicest possible way, there's no such thing as right. The most important thing is you can afford it as Christmas shouldn't cause money troubles.

I don't have equal budgets for mine, just try to make sure they both get something they love. That could be something expensive or niche. Probably end up £3/400.

Factors affecting budget

• how much you can afford
• how many children you have
• how many people they get presents from
• other things like Santa visits
• how old the children are

When one of mine was a toddler, her main present cost a tenner. She used that present for several years (as did her sister). They are 9&7 now, budget about £100-£150, but we haven't really thought about what yet. We may get eldest a laptop, which will obviously be more. It may be less. They get loads from other people, they are close in age so a lot of stuff ends up shared, we pay for trips out around Christmas as well. But stuff costs more as they get bigger.

@latticechaos

In the nicest possible way, there's no such thing as right. The most important thing is you can afford it as Christmas shouldn't cause money troubles.

I agree

I have £150 set in my head but that doesn't include all the extras so could work out more. I'm more comfortable this year than I've been in a long time so not worried about going over budget. Haven't decided what their main presents will be yet so it will depend on that probably.

Look at what they need as well as a budget. Some years one of mine got a specific gift that meant more was spent, another year another would be in line for a special present (like bikes, laptops, mobile phones). Otherwise I stick to circa £150

I’ve done my Xmas shopping and have spent around £350ish each on my two.

Agree, no such thing as 'about right'.
It's what you can afford and sits comfortably with you.

Depends on the ages of the children.

A person with a teen and a younger child may spend very different amounts - you can get a ton of stuff for a toddler or younger child for £100, trickier for a teen who may be into tech and brands.

I agree it depends on the age. My 5 year old probably about £200 as a lot of the stuff she likes is only about £20 so that will get her loads. My teenager wants branded clothing (and he's in adult sizes now so they're pretty expensive), music equipment, driving lessons etc. so I don't see paying less than about £600. There is no "right" amount though. We had years where we paid a lot less for Christmas presents depending on where we were financially.

It depends on age - for DD age 3 it was £100 (probably nearer £130 in end) and for DSD age 12 it was £150 as we couldn’t have got a main present and anything else for £100. If they were closer in age we’d do the same budget but I’m not overly worried about the difference as probably even out

How do you define ‘about right’? For some £20 per child will give an amazing Christmas, others have an expectation of spending 000’s. Some spoil their DC’s, others have a different set of values. There is no overall right.

Last year was £200, this year dd has asked for a switch, so that including a game we’re looking at £300.
The only other presents will be bath bombs etc, no more than £20.
Do what’s right for you.

Probably around £250 to £300 per child. Ds (5) wants a playmobil castle and some bits to go with it so that's £160 to start. Then matching advent calendar at £20. Another £30 to 40 on books. £20 on his stocking. It seems to add up very fast.

What we can afford that:

• gets DD presents she would like and enjoy,
• which are possibly what she asks for (and possibly not if we see something we know she'd love or she had no ideas),
• includes her PJs, stocking, Christmas present from us, and birthday (26th).

As a mid-teen, things are now generally smaller but more expensive. But she knows still not to look for extortionate items - no latest iPhones in this house for example.

Going to be a financial nightmare if schools close due to Covid outbreaks after all this spending on uniforms. Perhaps schools should have had a more relaxed policy this term.

Sorry wrong thread!

I think it works out about £400ush each in our house. I agree it shouldn't really matter how much you spend and should only be what you can afford. A friend of mine majorly over spends, whacks everything on credit card and complains that she's still paying for last Christmas in July.

I try and not get them too much. They have so much shite already that they don't play with that I've realised that less is more. We also always get second hand stuff as can't bear thinking about all the waste .Saying that it still adds up to about £80 to £100 each.

I've limited myself this year to get in practice for next year onwards when we have to factor in childcare etc and change of my work hours due to having another child (4 weeks to go!)

Me and OH have decided £130 on each of our boys (age 7 and 6), £50 on his nephew. Baby will only be 3 months so we have put aside some bits for her.

As pps have said there really is no “right” amount. Even knowing what other people are spending doesn’t really tell you as much as some might imagine.

For example there are parents (like me!) who would only buy expensive items like iPads, phones, driving lessons etc as Christmas or birthday presents. Others might limit spending to £50 per dc and express surprise at what they consider excessive spending, yet they do actually buy those things too but ‘as needed’ rather than as presents.

Some parents may spend hundreds on dc but they don’t have extended family giving gifts, another might spend very little but their dc receive as much or more because they have generous relatives.

Besides budget, so much depends on the norms in your family and wider circle and the ages and interests of dc.

Yes without being rude it is a bit of a pointless question. To some people on a tight budget £50 is loads, to someone well off they might think nothing of £500.

There are too many factors to take into consideration.

Trying me best to stay at around 300-400 each on my 2 DS but it'll probably be around 500 each