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Original poster

What's your budget for young (ish) DC's?

99 replies

amisrong · 09/09/2023 11:07

I have 2DC, 6&4. I was going to budget £250 each to include everything (and a lot of books/crafts included in that), however I realised that a few things that DC1 has said she's going to ask Santa for already take her over that budget. DP has suggested £300 each but I'm trying to reign it in, as last year I went over that for each. How much do others with DC this age budget for? TIA Smile

OP posts:
Bearonthestair · 09/09/2023 19:16

How is it mental? £100 does not stretch very far. Maybe 3 good quality toys for younger childen. The toys we bought last year are still played with frequently. I know plenty of people that spend upwards of €1000 on each of their teens. Between new trainers and tech it's not long spent. People have different income levels and different spending priorities.

YourNameGoesHere · 09/09/2023 19:22

CornishGem1975 · 09/09/2023 19:13

But if you have a kid who wants some big ticket item, I dunno, like a Nintendo Switch or something, so £250 + they're going to need games which are £40 a pop, do you just say no? And they can never have it? Or are they expected to save for it? (Which if it was my children, it would come out of my pocket anyway so swings and roundabouts). Stuff is expensive these days.

I'd get it second hand from somewhere like cex with a few games and yes they would have to wait for more games but they would be older and better able to understand that these things are not cheap and not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to just spend so much on presents.

I get that it's all relative to someone's income but honestly no child this young needs hundreds of £££ worth of stuff, no wonder so much gets left unplayed with.

WaitingfortheTardis · 09/09/2023 19:22

I agree @Bearonthestair £100 just isn't what it used to be. For us our budget is always just for one main present and a stocking. If the main present is something like a bike/trampoline/games console/Barbie house then it does cost a bit more and is not necessarily going to mean a massive pile of presents.

HauntedPencil · 09/09/2023 19:24

I don't set a budget as I think that's spending money for the sake of it. Last year one DC needed a computer but I didn't spend the exact same amount for each as the younger one just wanted a toy which was a lot cheaper. One year one had a switch, and it think they'll all have a turn of having a bigger ticket item. Little things do add up for stockings though don't they. I bulk it out with some things they need anyway and try for the want/need/read thing. Eh fancy socks jammies just slightly nicer than usual! Clothes etc.

On another note I hate peoples coning ok these threads to have some faux outrage on what someone else is spending.

Callmesleepy · 09/09/2023 19:28

Depends on what you're including. I like to get them an activity which costs money and things like letters from father Christmas. The presents are generally nicer versions of things they need, e.g. new trainers but with flashy lights and cost maybe £50 more than what I would have bought anyway.

ShineBright1209 · 09/09/2023 19:30

I don’t really do a budget put it definitely gets more expensive as they get older my oldest at 13 probably had about £800 last year, saying that my youngest at 4 probably had not far the same but my middle 2 at 6 and 10 had less because there was no main expensive present needed/wanted for them.
That said I save all year for Xmas and it does include clothing and footwear. Also mine don’t just have random stuff they want throughout the year, they know they have to wait for Xmas and birthdays.

Whinge · 09/09/2023 19:33

That said I save all year for Xmas and it does include clothing and footwear.

I'm interested in how this works. What happens if they have a growth spurt during the year?

Oliotya · 09/09/2023 19:36

I don't set a budget. We don't make lists either. They just get a few bits in a stocking and a couple of things from us, some of which may be second hand, some might be cheap, some may be more expensive. At that age you really don't need to be buying stuff for the sake of it, or setting up expectations of loads of stuff.

wellingtonsandwaffles · 09/09/2023 19:39

£100 for stocking and tree presents, often including things needed too like clothes! Nearly everything is second hand though and bought when I spot good offers over time. I asked family members then to contribute to an annual subscription cost

wellingtonsandwaffles · 09/09/2023 19:39

£100 for stocking and tree presents, often including things needed too like clothes! Nearly everything is second hand though and bought when I spot good offers over time. I asked family members then to contribute to an annual subscription cost

Onceuponatime56 · 09/09/2023 19:43

For my almost 3 year old I will spend no more than £100 including £20 on a stocking. For that I will probably get a playdough set, a digger, a duplo set, stickle bricks/magna tiles and some pretend play toys (kitchen accessories or doll accessories)

Oatsamazing · 09/09/2023 19:43

I would just get maybe 1 or 2 small toys and then any clothes my DD needs, maybe £50 max. I want her Christmas to be about the experiences, not about stuff. Anyway, we will struggle to afford the £50.

Oatsamazing · 09/09/2023 19:43

I would just get maybe 1 or 2 small toys and then any clothes my DD needs, maybe £50 max. I want her Christmas to be about the experiences, not about stuff. Anyway, we will struggle to afford the £50.

Chasetherainblownfearsaway · 09/09/2023 19:45

I don't set a budget but neither do I think it's necessary to spend the same each year. At her birthday DD (6) got a new bike, which cost a pretty penny - but it will last her a few years. But at Christmas there won't be any obvious big ticket items so I plan get her something to play with (Gravitrax) a couple of craft kits and a few books.

It's often the small things that get used most: the biggest success from last Christmas was a mini microscope for £11 from Amazon.

evtheria · 09/09/2023 19:52

Ok, curious to know: when people are saying budget do they mean a target/goal amount?

Because I mean £120 like 'I'll buy what I buy, but overall I really cannot go over this amount' so might spend £80, might go up to the max £120. I've got the money already saved, if there's anything left (ha!) it'll just get kept in pot for birthday money.

ShineBright1209 · 09/09/2023 19:55

I save all year and then buy the clothes and footwear just before Xmas. Obviously they have clothes when needed throughout the year but all the branded expensive stuff is bought for xmas and how all their birthdays fall means that they will also have summer clothes for their birthdays.
My older ones are slowing down with their growing now so their clothes are lasting a lot longer.

evtheria · 09/09/2023 19:56

evtheria · 09/09/2023 19:52

Ok, curious to know: when people are saying budget do they mean a target/goal amount?

Because I mean £120 like 'I'll buy what I buy, but overall I really cannot go over this amount' so might spend £80, might go up to the max £120. I've got the money already saved, if there's anything left (ha!) it'll just get kept in pot for birthday money.

PS. Only asking because it sounds like it varies from a few of the comments here. And I know my PIL feel very strongly about 'being fair' and spending the exact same amount on each of the grandkids... which has sometimes ended up with DS receiving some filler presents he never cares about.

LovelyLilies · 09/09/2023 19:56

YourNameGoesHere · 09/09/2023 19:22

I'd get it second hand from somewhere like cex with a few games and yes they would have to wait for more games but they would be older and better able to understand that these things are not cheap and not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to just spend so much on presents.

I get that it's all relative to someone's income but honestly no child this young needs hundreds of £££ worth of stuff, no wonder so much gets left unplayed with.

Show quote history

Even at cex you will pay over £150 for a Nintendo switch and over £125 for a Nintendo switch lite without any games.

Whinge · 09/09/2023 19:58

ShineBright1209 · 09/09/2023 19:55

I save all year and then buy the clothes and footwear just before Xmas. Obviously they have clothes when needed throughout the year but all the branded expensive stuff is bought for xmas and how all their birthdays fall means that they will also have summer clothes for their birthdays.
My older ones are slowing down with their growing now so their clothes are lasting a lot longer.

Oh right, I thought from your post you meant you didn't buy them anything through the year, and new clothes / shoes were only purchased as presents. It confused me as I wondered how anyone gets through a year without buying new clothes / shoes as children seem to grow like weeds. Smile

Ponderingwindow · 09/09/2023 19:59

I don’t set an arbitrary budget. I look at what my child wants and what might enrich their life and buy appropriately. Some years I spend very little. Some years I spend an obscene amount of money. Partly because I only spend what feels necessary at any given time, I don’t feel guilty about going overboard if there is something really worthy of a large price.

ShineBright1209 · 09/09/2023 20:05

Whinge · 09/09/2023 19:58

Oh right, I thought from your post you meant you didn't buy them anything through the year, and new clothes / shoes were only purchased as presents. It confused me as I wondered how anyone gets through a year without buying new clothes / shoes as children seem to grow like weeds. Smile

Show quote history

I can see how it could have read like that. I should have been clearer.
I suppose it’s more that I don’t spend unnecessarily on them through out the year. I know many parents who often just go and buy their children new toys for no reason at all and then tell me I go to mad at Xmas. In reality their children are probably having just as much as mine but just spread throughout the year.

Callmesleepy · 09/09/2023 20:18

@ShineBright1209 we're definitely like that. I try to focus on making Christmas about experiences rather than presents because I feel a bit guilty about not seeing the kids as much normally so worry about going overboard on presents but quite happily get bits and bobs when I see something they like. There's no wrong way to do it.

housethatbuiltme · 09/09/2023 20:19

evtheria · 09/09/2023 19:52

Ok, curious to know: when people are saying budget do they mean a target/goal amount?

Because I mean £120 like 'I'll buy what I buy, but overall I really cannot go over this amount' so might spend £80, might go up to the max £120. I've got the money already saved, if there's anything left (ha!) it'll just get kept in pot for birthday money.

No it means I have this much too spend and no more... at £130 for everything it would be pretty hard to come under.

Many of us aren't rich enough to say 'I don't have a budget' because we do have to budget everything in life.

When people make a household budget do people think they are just making up a random number then aiming to spend that much on electric and food... like 'oh we're £20 under budget this month lets just leave all the lights on while we're out to reach the budget'?

Chatsworth364847 · 09/09/2023 20:46

Mine is 4 and still at the age where she doesn't really know what she wants/is happy with what she gets if that makes sense. For her birthday just gone she asked for some Peppa pig plasters and a Frozen book when I asked her what she wanted! So that's what she got along with a some other bits some bought on Vinted, some new. Probably around £30 on presents and she was more than happy with what she got.

She also gets presents from family and friend so I really don't see the needs to spend a certain amount of get loads for her. I'm sure that will change once she gets older...! So will be similar this Christmas too

cherrylola · 09/09/2023 20:58

I have 3 kids 4,7,10. I end up spending more on the oldest because he generally wants/ needs a new bike or scooter or something of that ilk that will get handed down to the siblings. Mister 7 usually has a list full of plastic toys so I get as much as I can second hand which saves a ton and he’s thrilled he gets 5 action figures to play with instead of one. Miss 4 has very little want or need for anything much as we have every conceivable toy in the house so the spend is low. Eldest’s list is usually mostly books and cash these days, so they get covered by family! All in it’s around the £600 mark for all 3 kids gifts and stockings and new PJs for Xmas eve. But it’s definitely not an evenly split spend (their ‘piles’ don’t reflect this though so I hope they don’t notice or care!). Very lucky to have family to dote on them at Xmas too which takes the pressure off a little.