How much do you spend on your DC

[whattodo2019]

How much do you spend on their stocking?
How much on presents?

@Kez0777 I agree with that in principle and once both my DC are young children, I will be doing that but a 18 month old who has no clue what's happening doesn't need as much as a 3.5 year old who understands really well and is very excited.

@Kez0777 I think you would find that by the time they were 18 each child would probably have the same spent in them, but if kids are different ages and with different interests and needs, what is the point of making up the difference with things they don’t want or need?

@Kez0777

I'm surprised how so many seem to spend a lot more on one child than another. I could never do that and they always have the equal amount spent on them for Christmas, birthdays and any extras throughout the year

I think it depends how people view things, some view it as when DC1 was 3 I spent £100, but DC1 is now 6 and I'm spending £150 and DC2 in 3 and gets £100.

Say someone is buying two bikes,
One is £150 the other is much bigger and £300. But both kids got bikes.

My kids are 3 and 5 and, the younger one especially, don't really consider the value of things. They're both getting a much wanted present so they're equal value in their eyes. I'm sure that will change in time.

Ah see all your points of view, mine are 2 years apart and similar in tastes so always have the same spent on them. They would know if one got more too and would just nag me about it 🤣

Inequality doesn't come from how much kids do or don't get at Xmas.

Children's life chances are affected by whether there is any abuse at home, where they live if their local schools are under-performing, whether they can afford out of school activities, whether their parents can help them with school work and they have a quiet space with access to books/tech to help them study, even what sort of holidays their parents can afford because that can help with social development.

It is the worst form of virtue signalling imo to say you earn 7 figures but spend two fifths of sod all on your kids because you have 'Christmas traditions' and the moral high ground.

It is more than fine to spend what you can afford on your dc at Xmas, whether that's £50 or £1000. It is so much more important to be a kind, loving and supportive parent which costs nothing.

Also, unless you are never going to buy your child a laptop, phone, significant Lego kit or ipad, then at some point in their lives you will spend more than £30 and a tangerine on them.

Kez0777, if I had a two year gap I'd probably try to keep spending the same too but with a six year gap it would be complete madness to spend the same.

I'm sure as mine get older, I will spend the same but for the moment ages 4 & 10 it would be madness.

I've spent about £30 total on each child. Cheapest thing in the stocking with some choc coins. Other gifts under the tree.

I would only buy an expensive console if i had 2 kids that would use it together...we had to buy a 2nd hand laptop for school work in lockdown so they already have a lap top each plus a gaming pc they share...

Maybe I am just super tight lol

I've spent about £950 so far, still need to get 2 more things but waiting for black Fri. Total will be just over £1000 I imagine. He’s an only child and I don't get into debt.

You may not get into debt but when he’s 18 will you be able to make up the maintenance loan at university so he can actually afford to go to university (if he wants)? If he wants to learn to drive, will you be able to pay for lessons? If he wants to learn an instrument or go on a school ski trip, could you afford that?

You may very well be able to do this, and your money = your choice, but children become very expensive in their late teens.

If that was aimed at me then yes I save monthly for him. Anything else needs he’ll have to get a loan. My folks gave me 2 grand when I went to uni and that was it. I had to have a loan and get a job. I never had driving lessons.

@Nonamesavail

I would only buy an expensive console if i had 2 kids that would use it together...we had to buy a 2nd hand laptop for school work in lockdown so they already have a lap top each plus a gaming pc they share...

Maybe I am just super tight lol

So if you had an only child or a 9 yo & 3yo too young for console you wouldn't buy the only or older child a console?

No, I was referring to what my set up is. I have 2 that are 10mths apart and then 2 younger ones. I wouldn't buy a ps5 just for one person. Thats what I meant.

@oneglassandpuzzled

You may not get into debt but when he’s 18 will you be able to make up the maintenance loan at university so he can actually afford to go to university (if he wants)? If he wants to learn to drive, will you be able to pay for lessons? If he wants to learn an instrument or go on a school ski trip, could you afford that?

You may very well be able to do this, and your money = your choice, but children become very expensive in their late teens.

Surely the same could be said of any non essential spend though? Plenty of people have no safety net savings yet drink, smoke, have beauty treatments, buy takeaways or coffee daily etc.

There is only 16 months between my youngest two and their lists have been exactly the same for the last 5 or 6 years, even though one is a girl and one is a boy. Dd will only wear clothes and trainers from the boys section and they both like the same stuff. This year escooters, last year chrome books, year before phones, year before tablets and scooters, year before PS4 between them. They don't agree on much else.

More than I should!!!

I’m happy to spend different amounts on my dc depending on what they want/ need. No way would I spend an extra £200/£300 on dc who already has a phone/ iPad just to make it even
They both understand that it’s swings and roundabouts.

Trying to stick to a budget this year as have just cleared some considerable debt.

DD is 16 which makes it trickier as everything she wants is more expensive but it's going to be £100 - £150 on main present and £100 on stocking.

Would normally be slightly less but main present was originally going to be a birthday present which didn't happen due to circumstances at the time so is a bit of a bonus.

Our budget for "Christmas list" presents is £300 per child (they are aged 13, 16 and 20, so not exactly children). But I spend a bit extra on stocking fillers which I tend to pick up with my weekly shop from around September - I reckon about £30 each?
I yearn for the days when they were little, and you could pick up a huge toy for about £25. As they get older, the gifts get simultaneously smaller and more expensive. This year, my middle child in particular, has asked for trainers, ear buds, a poster and money/credit for 2 PC game downloads. It will take up their whole budget, but will look like next to nothing on Christmas morning

We are buying a family Nintendo switch and a few games; other than that each child will have about $150 (so, around £115) spent on them. They are 12, 9 and 6. They each already have a laptop or iPad, as they haven't been in school since March. I think they're too young for cellphones (oldest has my old one) so they don't really anything expensive.

So it's AirPods, a framed Hamilton poster and a box set of books for the 12 year old, popcorn maker, books and some other bits for the 9 year old - and goodness knows what for the 6 year old.

We don't buy clothes or shoes for Christmas; we buy them stuff as they need it. Of course, they're too young to be interested in brands, so if and when that happens we will reassess.

We could afford to spend much more, but don't really want to spend for the sake of it - and we are fighting a constant battle against clutter!