Anyone else wincing at the cost of things?

[29andLost]

Nearly £300 for this and there doesn't even look like much there!
That's with shopping around, using coupons and sales 😖

The "how much do you spend" question is a bit pointless really as everyone has different incomes and outgoings, plus different people from outside the immediate family buying stuff. Plus people buy second hand.

So "John" might get 20 presents... but his parents have only spent £80 as the grandparents have bought most of those. "Susan" has 5 presents but just from parents who spent £200. "Charlie" is am only child so his games console is just for him and so the parents spent £300 on him... but "Lucy" is sharing hers with two siblings so the parents spent £100 on her...

That seems quite a good range of presents for £250.

I've just added up what I've spent on my boys.
6 Year Old £145 (Value of around £245)
3 Year Old £118 (Value of around £185)

This is just for their presents, not their stockings or Christmas Eve Boxes.
I have bought throughout the year, got alot of items New With Tags from Vinted etc. The only secondhand items I got were a bundle of Marvel figures for my 6 year old and a bundle of nice dinosaur figures for my 3 year old.

But I definitely agree, money has not gone so far this year, they don't seem to have much for the money, but I've got to draw a line somewhere!

Stockings are a £10/£15 budget each and Christmas Eve boxes probably around £20 each.

I have two Christmas activities for the family booked Which cost £46 and £38 and that will be it.

A drive around to look at the Christmas lights with a flask of hot chocolate and blankets in the car will also be on the books.

Going to focus more this year on playing games and spending time together rather then how many presents are under the tree.

I think your presents look great, op.

We've just had to sell our old iPhones to get a credit for cex to buy our dd a gadget she's after. Wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise

I haven’t bought any gifts yet but I can’t get over the price of Christmas activities this year. We usually do ice skating, a light trail and maybe Winter Wonderland but it all seems to much more expensive now. Just the light trail for 2 adults was almost £50!

YANBU.

DS has grown about 5" this year, and moved from boys clothes to mens. Even things like PJs are three times the price. Jeans are eye-watering. Hello VAT 🙁

He still counts as a child for the gym, thank goodness and for swimming but not for much longer.

We've ditched out local light trail and ice skating (150+ for 4 of us) and booked Waddesdon via national trust instead. We are members so a lot cheaper.

Both kids need tech. One needs a replacement Chromebook and the other their ancient tablet. That'll eat up most of our budget

We budget around £50 for each DC (we have 4 so it adds up fast) we do the (often hated on here) thing of want need wear read. Luckily our DC have quite simple tastes!

No child needs a massive pile like that photo. It’s obscene!

I'd say they are lying 🤥

@liveforsummer I sort of agree, I think many people don't keep track of what they're spending though and often end up underestimating the total.