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

[amisrong]

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

It depended what we were buying at that age. Usually one big present and then a pile of smaller things from Father Christmas. But if the big present was a bike then that was more expensive than the year it was a Toot-Toot set.

To be honest it’s the same now. DS1 wanted and needed a new cricket bat this time last year. £150 later for a decent one.

Does almost everyone have a an actual budget?

I buy throughout the year, mainly second hand or discounted, then top up what I can afford just before Christmas for the things they've now decided they desperately want but never mentioned before. I genuinely couldn't say what I'd spent any year, I just get what we can afford and tell the kids so.

Are we weird?

We have 1 DS,4 who will get a ‘main’ present for around £100 and some other smaller bits for up to £50. We’ll also have a 1 month old by that point so not planning on getting her much as she’ll not need anything…. Maybe £100 max but that’ll include things she ‘needs’, rather than any wants obviously.

We have started a tradition of going to the panto so we’ll spend a few £’s on tickets for DH, DS and I and that’s it.

Honestly what kind of a budget are people going to have when their children are older?

More to the point will their children ever accept the word "no"?

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

So you need to save all year for Christmas but even then do not set a budget? I do not see the sense in that.

Does almost everyone have a an actual budget? I buy throughout the year, mainly second hand or discounted, then top up what I can afford just before Christmas for the things they've now decided they desperately want but never mentioned before. I genuinely couldn't say what I'd spent any year, I just get what we can afford and tell the kids so

Do you not budget for anything in life? I could not live like that. It is not saying the budget is X so we will refuse to spend X + £1. It is more like having a rough idea of how much value you put on any commodity.

My eldest will be two this Christmas, and I'll be peeved if I spend more than a tenner 🤣 he'll get plenty from friends and family, he'll have no real understanding of who got him what, and he has no understanding of currency... I'll pick up some little things from the local charity shop, and he'll be over the moon!

I didn't budget I just bought them what they wanted or I knew they'd like

Like a Disney kitchen or Brio / ikea train track

They love a big present

I had no qualms buying second hand if need be

I also often passed on old toys to my friends to give at Christmas or birthdays and vice Versa

I like to keep costs as low as possible

I mean for DS first Christmas he was only 2 months old so I wrapped his favourite rattle as his present

His DD just went and gave me the side eye

DS of course didn't know any better so was quite content

And on the flip side I've just bought DD a MacBook Air for her studies so it's all swings and roundabouts ( this very much is an early Christmas present ) but I love MacBooks so I don't mind the extra cost

I usually aim for £100 for DD from us and £50 from santa but it can be more if there is something pricier she needs.

This year I’m including a Yoto player so
it will be more but her birthday has been far less than usual.

I am in a very affluent area and the really rich young kids don’t get anything like £300 each from one person but they would get presents from others.

DD will get about £750 in cash from family and some small gifts. Most of the cash gets invested for her with a bit to spend on anything she wants now. I know that’s a lot but she is the only grandchild on both sides and it is effectively early inheritance.

My 5yo needs a new bike so I will get one - secondhand but probably will still
cost £300, and will get some other stuff to go with it so he doesn’t just have one present to open.

My 3yo has all of DC1’s toys so I’ll probably just get some expansion things (like a small duplo set, a new brio train to go with the massive duplo and brio boards).

(So basically I’m spending way more on one child than the other but they’re too young to notice/care at this age)

I think I am on a completely different planet here. I've got four, and until they were old enough to realise the value or sense of what they were getting (admittedly younger and younger these days) a small spend, charity shop toys, PJs, sweets, poundshop crafts, daft things bought from shein and the likes (remote control cars and stuff) All wrapped for the joy of opening - happiest times. Definitely under £50. Obviously once they got into the "comparison years", then one good toy that they really wanted and mattered, and the same sort of fillers. 9-11, tech or one item (eg bike). 12-18, mainly money £100 each, but with maybe £30 of other items, often things like dressing gowns etc. They are all adults now do £125 each, and probably do another £40 in fillers, things I know they would like or need. I can afford it, but I would soon cut it if I couldn't. I was quite horrified when oldest (about 16 at the time) showed me photos of what one of his friends got ( a thousand in cash, xbox, and the latest nike air trainers). I said that that there are four of you, and we won't be going down that road at any point son. Mine have always accepted it, and outwardly appear grateful for what they get (although socks and shower gel always get a laugh) . They are not hard done by - even in the early days, the appearance of ski gloves in their stocking meant something to them far more than the present itself. OP - Do what you think is right for you and what you can afford, but be warned, every year the wish list gets more expensive. xx

I'll happily say no to dd, though she doesn't ask for much as she knows that she needs to wait for Christmas or her birthday. At Christmas she also knows that she won't get everything she asks for, but understands that her list is ideas and that she will probably get one main gift from it, or possibly a surprise that she hadn't thought of.

That said, this year is a particularly big main and I do feel it's a lot of money, but I think it will be worth it to see her face and will get played with a lot.

Ours our older now but its still the same...

• a "big" present from us
• a small present from "Santa"
• a small present from each other
• a joint present
• a stocking

Some years that big present has cost £10 (a pop up tunnel) sometimes it costs £100+ (camping equipment for example). Its often practical.

However...

• there's two of them, close in age, so most things end up shared
• they are inundated by presents from family.

Personally... I don't think its just about price. A child who gets a new Xbox is no more spoilt that one who gets a second hand shared one with 2 siblings even though the price per child is a lot lower. Neither is it about the number of presents... some kids have massive families, some just have the parents buying.

The important things are not spending more than you can afford, and only buying things that will be appreciated.

Probably around £100 for DS who will be turning 4 in feb. That includes small stocking fillers.

Used to be around £50-80 each at that age, including stockings and pyjamas. Then £80-100 from ages 8 upwards.
Now they're teens, plus our income is slightly better, probably £150-200 all in as stocking fillers are more expensive (but tend to be more useful/edible). There are 3 of them.
Birthdays are more, as it's personal and they get a bigger main present.

Thinking of getting my DD one for her birthday in a few months, when she's 18. I love mine and I know she'd hugely appreciate it.

I don't think some people talking about spoilt kids have realised how much things have increased in price. Our £85 main present last Christmas was a Little Tikes slide that was discounted from £130. We looked on Marketplace but all the available ones were very tatty plus we'd need a van to transport so wouldn't save money.

Any "big ticket" items such as a play kitchen, bike, wendy house are now closer to £200 than £100 bought new. Swings apparently require a second mortgage. It's why we buy a lot of stuff secondhand where possible but sometimes new or nothing is the only option.

We dont budget, I buy through the year when there's a good deal. Last year was expensive (horrible year including illness and redundancy while on maternity) as I splurged some settlement cash on a surprise switch and games for dp and ds. This year will be much cheaper, and smaller tbh as there was too much last year in quantity. Kids 4 and 1 are getting a joint brio set up with rc trains, then there will be a few items probably less than 150 total. I'm going to get ds4 his favourite Lindores truffles and he'll be over the moon to have his own haha.

Hm well my 6 year old is desperate for a Nintendo switch so I dread to think!

I won’t feel any sense of obligation to spend the same amount on my 3 year old though - just make sure he gets things he really loves.

Depends what they need - I have a Christmas budget of £1000 but that includes Christmas days out etc so the younger two get far more of that and the teenager gets more expensive presents. Last year the younger two got a big wooden playhouse between them which was £600 plus more on furniture/accessories so they only got little bits to open plus stocking. This year they haven't got a big main present so will have a few more things but spend far less - probably around £100 each max.

I can see how you'd spend £300 on a small child if you only buy new and only buy at full price. It would still be a lot of stuff IMHO but that's down to personal preference, but I really don't understand why people shop so badly.

Last year, DD got a huge Sylvanian set, house, two families, car, treehouse, all the furniture, immaculate. £40, FB for sale. DS got a huge car garage with race track attached, and loads of cars, £25, again FB for sale. Two big presents, with the wow factor, ready made and set up, for £65. I know the garage and all the cars worked out at £150 new. The Sylvanians more like £200. And I'd have spent Christmas eve unboxing and assembling. I just don't understand why anyone chooses the latter. We are fortunate not be restricted by budget, but for me, it's a no brainer to get (excellent condition) second hand for DC of primary ages and younger.

They get new things also, but if I could find those things cheap, smart and secondhand, I certainly would.

£250 and thats for five gifts for a five year old. I'm conscious that what I buy is good quality and will grow with her. She's getting an OG doll and a horse, this comes to £80 already. Plus we buy Maileg and Magna Tiles - both pricy. Polly Pocket Keepsake Collection compact, steiff cuddly and books - one of which is one of Emily Hawkins Folktale Fieldguides which are still £15 second hand. So not a pile of landfill tat, but quality items that when she does eventually grow out of can be passed on or resold at a good value if she is so inclined.