Ok, how much have you spent on the kids?

[Kibble29]

And did you stay within your intended budget?

I just finished ordering the gifts for my (just turned) 3 year old and is came in at about £250. This was pretty much bang on what I intended, and this also includes the stocking and that bastard Christmas Eve box that I wish I never started.

Of course the amounts will vary wildly in the thread, I’m just curious really!

Those are lovely gifts for young adult children.

About £240 each including stockings and Dec 1st boxes

DD is 12 months.
She's getting an octopus plush I got free from my energy company and a ride on unicorn (£30)

DS is 5 but recently had a class birthday party so got soooo many toys.
I've spent about £100 on a big lego set, stocking fillers and some Number blocks toys.

It'll probably be about £150 each on the DC. I just bought DD her main present which was a Lego set reduced to £70. I haven't bought DS his main thing yet but I imagine it'll be around the same price. Then stockings is about £20 each, and the rest on a few bits I know they'll like. Nothing too crazy or expensive this year.

They're 10 and 6, DD very much grown out of toys (but not into teenage stuff yet), DS only likes specific ones (mainly Lego and cars). We don't really have anyone else to buy for, so we can budget more for them.

Oh God I've just totted it up and I've spent £300 on my 4.5 year old. I meant to budget £200. 😬

He's also getting an outdoor trampoline and yoto box off his grandparents. Wondering if I should hold some of this stuff back for his birthday...

I've not actually added it up, but it's probably in the region of £250ish for everything ,but we haven't bought a lot of presents. The scooter and football kit alone cost £140 , and then I have just bought a few smaller bits and bobs. He will still end up with a mountain of presents from GP and auntie & uncle!

We do an Xmas eve box, but it's second hand christmas Pj's from vinted , a book and hot chocolate. Stocking fillers from temu, so those haven't cost a lot!

We prefer to spend more on his birthday, so big ticket items like bikes, consoles etc are always bought for birthdays.

@SeasonsGreetingsBatFace

what have you bought them??!

Probably around £300 for all Grandchildren/Step Grandchildren and it hardly fills a medium size Santa sack 🙄.

Another £300 or so for our sons and DIL's and parents. We no longer buy for siblings, nieces,nephews etc as we never hear from them or get a thank you etc so drew a line under that a few years ago now.

Another £100 for a 'big' bday in December and £50 for a normal bday.

DH has spent around £200 on me (I picked it out in the jewelry shop and told him exactly what I needed for my hobbies) and so far, DH has probably had £150 from me across one bottle of Whisky and 2 Next jumpers).

I'm pretty much flabbergasted this year with how little I've bought compared to the price. Despite cutting down on the number of presents, it has still cost more this year. Apart from not buying for each other, I would really struggle to cut this down without making a huge sacrifice on quality. I can't imagine my elderly Dad would be keen to wear an acrylic jumper from Primark instead of his usual lambswool from M&S though.

@YourWildAmberSloth
wow! What kinds of things have you bought him?

Three children, about £500 pounds each. They're teens, so a Vr console between them, nice tracksuit each, air pods for one, cricket gear for another, new PJs, new trainers. All stuff they needed plus a gift they'll all play with loads together. Money doesn't go far these days!

Way over budget this year, the money just didn't go very far! About £400 each child including stockings. They're 10 and 14. There's no 'big ticket' or tech items either.

I think people often underestimate how much they spend, I was over £50 just on boxers and socks for the stockings.

About 600 so far on my son. Payday is early this month and I'll use part of my bonus to buy him the coat he would like. I'll spend about 300/400 on the rest of my family/husband.

Good to see such a range. Interestingly, I always thought we were about bang average, but maybe not.

Also, I see loads dropping the amounts dramatically after 18. I will spend the same until they're working & earning well. Mine both at uni, so won't change the spend.

£500 each for DC 20 & 18, £350 ish for DC 12. I suppose we're lucky we can afford it.

But in saying that, DP & I budget to £150 each to keep costs down. My side is a big family, so costs quite a bit.

About £260 on teen. Looks like quite a lot of presents. Gotten away lightly this year, as no tech items needed. Don't usually have a budget but if a new phone etc is needed that will be given though obviously puts the spends up!

About £480 on 13 year old (most i've ever spent but she wanted a new phone).

About £120 on 9 year old, she has more presents than her sister so will be very happy .

Aged 15 - £500

Aged 20 - £60

Aged 25 - £60

Mine get a budget of around £500 until they are 16, they have the christmas after they turn 16 and then its money, aftershave, lynx set, maybe a few other bits - socks and chocolate

My budget was £250 per DD for xmas and another £250 for a DD Birthday. I'm pretty much on budget including beauty advent calendars. They are 17 and 12 and don't get much from us throughout the year so I do tend to spend a bit at Xmas and birthdays. Thankfully my Xmas bonus more than covers it.

This is what we've always done - she has a summer birthday so bigger outdoor stuff has always tended to be birthday gifts - bikes, scooters, garden toys etc and then Christmas the indoor stuff. Things we bought DD at 2 and even younger are still well used here - we didn't have room for a full play kitchen but stuff like that, shopping basket and play food, magnetic tiles, a wooden postbox, doll's pram, bath toys even. I find the idea that a 2 year old 'doesn't need anything' a bit odd - but then I guess if people buy throughout the year, or have older kids so already have a lot of the basics covered, then I can see why it might be.

It's easy to spend small amounts when they’re little. When they're bigger, it gets more difficult even if you don't go for the brands or big ticket items.

I budget around £150 each for 3 children. If I think it's unfair or I've gone over, I do hold some bits back for their birthdays which are early in the year.

I also start to save from January each year which helps.

Well no, mine was fact, as that's how much i spent

Around £350. Only child, I save all year.

That's quite easy to say with a 3yr old and a baby though. When they're teens it's much harder to do it cheaply. When it's something like a phone, games console or trainers or fragrance. My DC don't get everything they want but the costs go up very quickly with even a couple of things.
Of course you don't need to buy those things but that's the kinds of things older children will wanting.

Peak mumsnet, argument for arguments sake. Gold star for you.

Probably $300 each (£230 ish). More on #3, she gets a car this year. It's currently in a friend's garage, and he'll drive it over on Christmas Eve. I'm very excited

Thanks. I'll put it with my Christmas presents