How do you reign yourself in (present buying)

[welliam]

I've been looking at presents recently/keeping my eye out for ideas for the DC. I've seen soooo many things that they'd love. How do you restrict yourself?? I know they don't need (and certainly won't be getting) 30 presents each, but how do you decide which ones to get? Do you just get their most asked for ones/ones at the top of the list?

I have a running list for each child for ideas when I see something they will like (for birthday or Xmas). I save a bit aside each month and usually don't buy until quite near the time (except stockings for Xmas). I look at my list plus whatever they have asked for and try and get a good balance of gifts for the budget- also the same number of gifts per child as they are all young still. the list usually gives me a range of size and price gifts. I tried buying in advance one year, then got the twitch near xmas, and ended up spending more and getting far too much!

Just thinking about my mortgage payments is reigning me in. Not in the spirit of the thread but its terrifying and seriously making me think if we need to spend so much just because its christmas.

Well, same as above. Sorry if it’s a bit Bob Cratchit but my literal bank account with less in it is going to be reigning me in.

Mine is still very little though, so not a lot of pressure there yet.

@noscoobydoodle has this right. Unless I see something perfect/ very heavily discounted I’m trying not to buy yet as I’ll continue wanting to buy up until mid December. Plus it’s early for the kids to be sure on what they want. Wish I was thinking about it less.

It have been hard. Both dc are moving away from Lego and there have been so good deals!!!! Now o need to find a deal on sewing machines instead.

I try to go for variety and set a number or budget. Looking at the running list I keep a lot of the toys are quite similar so I pick one. Then they might end up with one that's like figures, one like lego/building, couple of books, an edible, a big or main present, a game - not too many of 1 category.

But honestly I get it I could shop for my kids for days! And 2nd hand bargains are hard to say no to.

O keep an ideas list and share it with the grandparents etc when they ask.

Then look at what they will use rather than just want.

If i buy too much i keep some of it for birthdays.

I know what you mean. I've been picking up bits and got it out the other day and was already surprised by how much I had, so I'm holding off for a bit or there'll be an overwhelming amount by Christmas.

I try to keep to a present formula which is roughly:
One decent gift from Santa
One decent gift from mummy and daddy

One or two books
A puzzle
A game
Something practical (eg backpack)
Something crafty
One or two smaller toys
Pyjamas
Sweets

It’s tricky. I have to do it consciously as have bought way too much in the past which I and kid then struggle to keep tidy and find. I’m a bit of a bore/child development nerd so I try and give things that address different areas of skills development. So something for fine motor, something for gross motor, something for visuospatial perception (not always separate things - Lego does both fine motor and v-s), something for non-verbal reasoning, verbal reasoning, working memory etc. So kid has different kinds of toys to play with. And things which address particular sensory preferences in our case. Every year I write down what we get and observe how the day goes and then what gets played with for a good while.
and I avoid playmobil. Apart from the pyramid it isn’t played with and takes up an enormous amount of space.

I set a budget and buy a main gift from me and several smaller gifts for stocking from Santa and mix in a few bits of clothes they might need anyway eg PJ's, Marvel character socks and a few sweets/chocolate selection pack. I don't go over budget. I am very disciplined. Priority is keeping a dry roof over their heads and food on the table.

The stark reality of my bank account ! 😀

Seriously, I've learnt, with DS, that there are usually a few key things he wants, and then anything beyond that is ignored, so I concentrate on buying those key things and then make sure the house is well dressed and cheerful, and we have lovely food.

Endless presents don't make a better Christmas, they just make more mess.

Also, I tell Grandparents a suitable gift as they always ask. I usually send them a link to make it easier for them.

I have a spread sheet and record everything I buy for them including the price. I set a budget of £50 per child (3 children all under 5 so I know as they get older they will need more spending on them). I buy the majority of presents pre owned for economical and environmental reasons, so I start looking for presents in late August to make sure I can source what I want to get them. I save their stockings until December as these are from father Christmas so I wait until Christmas lists

I have a rough price limit in my head and I just... stop.

There is always another birthday and another Christmas and another chance to buy.

I also write everything in a list and mark the price so I know what I have spent as I go along.

My tip is to have a spreadsheet and don’t buy anything not preplanned. If you have multiple DC it’s tempting to buy one a little extra something you see but then the other has less so they need something more, then it looks like the first one has less etc etc and you end up spending a fortune just trying to make it fair. Better not to have bought the first thing.

Also with little DC it’s all a bit overwhelming and I genuinely think they get more pleasure from one or two well-chosen things than from huge piles of presents.

I have a set budget (different for 2yo&4yo & the 14yo&15yo) and create a table. Every purchase is logged and once they hit their budget we are done. It works in principal and within £10 in practise!

I've been taking photo's/screen shots of items I think they'll like, then I add them to a 'Christmas' photo album on my phone so I can see all my ideas and think about them. I've also made a table on my notes section of ideas too

Set your budget. Then rank their list. If they've been asking for something over and over, it's less likely to be a flash in the pan interest. I'd go with what they've asked for rather on what YOU think they might like.
If you've reached your budget but there's still a couple good things - maybe their grandparents can get the gift.

I've done things differently this year, I don't want my headspace taken up much by the present side of things. I've noticed prices hiked up alot now especially on places like Vinted and lots of items out of stock, I just can't do with the stress of buying for five children spread over the next three months. I've already bought all their presents, others buy for them too should something new randomly come up that 'they must have' but besides that, I only have stockings left to do.

Yeah. Absolutely terrifying thoughts of no money or pension is doing it for me.

I'm using Pinterest to keep a running list, and I've got a rough budget in my head. There's more on the list than I really want to get for them, so a couple of the items are earmarked as ones to suggest to grandparents etc. For DD1 I found some nice pyjamas in the sale so I've got those already, and a few bits of stationery, and I'll wait until closer to the time to choose her a couple of toys once she's had more time to think about what she really wants. DD2 is only 1 so easier as she doesn't want anything IYSWIM - I'll just pick a couple of things and have her gifts sorted by November.

Easily… because I don’t have enough money to buy everything they might like. Set a budget and stick to it, that should reign you in.