How much to spend on each child.

[fl68]

We have 4 children two teens and and 8 and 12yr old.
I'd say we've always gone a bit overboard and I've explained this year that we will be cutting back (more the older ones), but can I just ask, how much do people generally spend per child for Xmas?

It's quite pointless asking what other people give to be fair
Some parents will give 50
Some parents will give 5000
I don't think it's going to be very helpful

Realistically about £200 each for 2 DC (6 and 9). I save £100 a month Jan-Oct so I've got £1000 budget for DC, family, Christmas food, calendars, santa visit and then buying the following year's panto tickets when they go on sale.

15k in the bank?! Is that a joke 🙈🙈

It all depends on you!

What is 'overboard' to you? and What can you afford this year? and What else do you want to use your money for?

I spend less than I can 'afford' but more than I could get away with.

I usually spend 300-400 per child (I have 2) I will probably stick to that this year as I don’t think it’s overboard

About £250-£300 but on the occasional year we have gone far over (if one has wanted a new laptop or console etc).

@Gentleman1 why would you have £15k in the bank? Ideally you should have 6 months expenditure in an easy access but that will vary for each person.

I've got 1 teen and always go overboard he gets about £600 worth of stuff but there's been xmas' he's had £1000. I'll be spending less this year probably as I know it's excessive but he doesn't have a dad and only has my side of the family so I overdo it. I don't get into debt though.

When we had little spare money, it was around £60 to £100 per child, now £500 plus each, we give what we can comfortably afford.

Woah, woah. Hold the phone.

15k in my bank because I own my house? Why?

Interested to know what your stocking fillers and Santa sack gifts are for only £6 and £8?

I have always really disliked these threads. In the past when I've been hard up they have made me feel inadequate and guilty for not doing enough. It's so personal and so dependent on circumstance.

£100 cash gift and about another 30 in sundries

I'm hopeless at this, was easier when they are younger.
I do try and keep track of cost but I think it comes down to what's manageable for you.
Not Xmas gift but teen DD wants a PS5 for birthday coming up . Way way over normal budget so I said she'd need to contribute to cost but truth be told my friends who proclaim one thing in reality actually do.another so I know none of my friends have asked their DC to contribute to PS5/ ipads etc so feel guilty about expecting her too do so, so will probably tell her it's OK and I'll pay for it.
I think it's easier if they have Grandparents aunts uncles etc who treat them and contribute, takes some of the burden off but in our family it's pretty much down to us.

Althea I never feel inadequate just because some people spend a lot more than me ... I am perfectly happy with my spending levels, I don't feel it's necessary to spend £££s on gifts and my DC has never 'commented' on the amount spent/value of his gifts ... he's 21 now, he clearly knows that some people get lap tops, mobile phones, designer trainers etc etc for Christmas but he also knows that many get a lot less and Christmas isn't just about 'presents'.

Runner if it helps ... my DS had to pay half towards a PlayStation the year he wanted one.

I assume for emergency repairs and to cover mortgage in the event of job loss.

This year we will spend £100 to £150 each but they are young, don’t need a new bike or similar and have family who also buy for them.

We usually spend around £300 each on our dds. This year I want to get it in under £200 each. They are 14 and 10 this year, dd1 doesn't want anything, apparently she has everything she needs!! And dd2 is very much in between stages, she loves toys and dolls still but also wants things like make up/bath bombs etc.

Normally around £60 though his birthday is the month before so we tend to spend much more on that. This year will be a cheaper year for us too, I’m sure they won’t even notice!!

Usually around £150-£250, eldest usually gets the upper end of the budget as his things are more expensive like branded clothes etc, the other 2 we could get away with spending less but now they're becoming teens I imagine we won't get away with it for much longer.

I posted on the stocking thread the other day, stockings aren't as big a deal to us as many other people, they get:

chocolate orange - £1
chocolate coins - £0.50
3x other sweets - £2.25
panda biscuits - £0.25
sticker sheet - £0.50
2 small pocket money type toys - £1
A game split up and shared between them (encourages them to play together, they usually get competatitive lol) - £0.50

Santa sack is 'classic' toys which are cheap. Santa brings 12 items here (1 for each month) and doesnt give big/expensive/modern stuff, included in this years sack:

Kazoo
Magic eye poster
Hotwheels type car
Bug catcher
Colouring pad
Wind up a go racing toy
Friendship bracelet
Pincher pal
Paddle and ball
Snake toy
A thing that fires discs
Sound tube

Full cost = £8.16 (I usually budget £12 but already bought and came under this year)

Our stockings are similar - chocolate, 'fun' things they aren't usually allowed like bubble gum or a can of coke (last year was a little pot of some american cereal - froot loops or lucky charms I think), lego mini figs, stickers, pokemon cards, bath bombs, character socks or fancy hair clips, a comic or magazine.

I could spend 40p or £40,000 or anywhere in between. These threads annoy me, it's. Its not a competition and is what you can afford.

FWIW we are ok financially, I can afford a chunk but teaching the value of money is v important to me as we had fuck all growing up. If Mike want a big ticket item it's joint birthday and Christmas or they get money from other relatives and can pool their resource.

£50 per child + their spouses or £100 per couple,
Plus £25 per grandchild

We don't budget per a child. It's silly as it doesn't work for all circumstances, we have 4 children ranging from 14-2 years old.
Take for example last year our eldest asked for a iPad Air for Christmas. After buying the pen as well we was set back £700. But our youngest was only 2 and when cost of a average toy for her was £30. It's impossible to spend the same.

This year she's likely to have the least spent on her because our younger 2 have complex needs and the toys that suit there needs are much more expensive. That and her only request is Oreo's ? So she hasn't really asked for anything.

We don't usually spend that much on 1 item though. We usually just have a total Christmas budget and not a individual budget and try and make sure the children have the same amount of presents.

What does all this mean?! What is 12 days and st nicks day?!