Cant afford to get my parents a gift for Christmas

[hl8]

I have an 8yo daughter and have brought her quite allot of presents this year. Moneys been really tight but still managed to get her pretty much everything she wanted, but that meant I ran out of money and I don’t get paid again until Boxing Day. I feel like maybe I shouldn’t have brought her so much and feeling really guilty that I can’t buy my parents a gift.

Is anyone else in the same situation where they can’t buy someone they love a gift this year?

No.
This is really silly budgeting.

Are you seeing your parents on Christmas day?
Do you have a credit card? An overdraft facility?

No, I've always had to budget really carefully.

Are you spending Christmas with them?

Well yeah that’s quite thoughtless of you. It’s not like you had no money, you’ve just spent it all. A small token gift wouldn’t have cost the earth.

Ask your partner?
Just get something small like chocolates or bubble bath. Something to unwrap on the day.

My parents would care more about making my 8yos Christmas special. They are adults if they don’t understand she’s your priority then that’s their problem. Even my Narc mother would hold her tongue in this situation, well in public anyway.

If it’s that important they get something tell them your going to treat them to something after Christmas.

Can you return some of your DD’s presents to free up cash for a gift?

Sailing too close to the wind if you've effectively bankrupted yourself until payday.

What would happen if e.g your daughter ripped her coat, lost her shoes, dropped toothbrush in the loo, needed a taxi to hospital etc?

Yes I’m spending Christmas with them, no I don’t have an overdraft or credit card can I ask why?
Also I didn’t mention anything about my budgeting, I’ve been buying things for my daughter since around August as she’s been telling me what she wants since then. I’ve probably spent around £200 on her, the rest of my money goes on food shopping, bills, paying off debts, and my daughter

This whole thread is about your poor budgeting?

You've spent all your money on your daughter instead of keeping a tiny bit back for a token gift for your parents.

Make something?

Write out and decorate a “promise” e.g. for a day out in the new year?

If your payday is Boxing Day you might get it early.

I mean I’m not completely broke I’ve got £20 in my bank until payday which I wanted to keep for emergencies? Also has 3 coats, plenty of shoes, spare toothbrushes. I just meant this month I have run out of money to spend on people

You don’t have to buy them EVERYTHING they want, I got lots as a child but I knew I might not get everything I wanted and I was fine when I didn’t. You are the parent and you shouldn’t be spending so much on presents for your daughter that you can’t afford other important things.

As your daughter grows up you, and later she are unlikely to be able to keep up with buying everything she wants, particularly as with SM they seem to go straight into wanting £60 plus beauty products and expensive tech. Better she grows up with it being part of Christmas and birthdays to excitedly wonder which of the presents she’s asked for she might get, rather than expecting everything as a matter of course.

You are a parent, not a fairy godmother.

Have they any hobbies? My mother loved gardening and I got her a subscription to a gardening magazine once, you could do similar, tell them about it and order and pay when you get paid.

If you have spent £200 on your daughter then I can imagine that your parents won’t really be expecting anything. I thought you were going to say a much higher figure that would be silly budgeting but £200 isn’t that much tbh. Your parents will be fine.!

£200 on an 8 year old is an awful lot of money, especially as you can’t afford a gift for your parents on Christmas Day.

my 8 year old has about £120 spent on her in total, including main gift, a few smaller gifts and stocking items. I think that is a lot!!

I could afford a lot more but I think that would financially reckless.

I said pretty much everything not everything

Given they are hosting you for Christmas so presumably you also haven't paid for food then I would be disappointed in their position.

I would also be disappointed to learn that you'd spent £200 on presents for an 8 year old when you have debts to pay off.

OP I would just let them know it’s a bit tight and you focused on your DD.

Perhaps take them out for dinner in the new year? You could write this in a card if it felt more present like.

Don’t let the replies get you down. Many people get into debt over Christmas, at least you have stayed within your means!

*editing to add I would not be disappointed or upset if you were my child. Christmas isn’t about the stuff.

Sorry, I think it’s self indulgent to spend a lot on your dc. It’s about making yourself look and feel good as a parent, rather than about your DC.
Kids love Christmas, they don’t need megabucks spent to be happy.

Might be worth checking for bargains on Christmas Eve? May be lucky and pick up a nice gift. Then only one day till you get paid

Do you have anything in stock that you could regift? Has anyone already given you something?

Could you order some thing for them on a klarna payment. You can’t get them nothing. It doesn’t have to be anything really big. Also you might get paid before boxing day as it’s a bank holiday.

I'm probably as old as your mother and always telling my adult kids a token present is all i need. You can afford to spend a couple of pounds on them. They have some lovely cheap things in the cancer research charity shop that I've bought in the past, 2 pairs of xmas socks £2.99 or cute reusable shopping bags. Or a poinsettia or just her favourite chocolate........I'd be happy with £1.50 box of maltezers😋 your parents know your financial circumstances i'm sure💐

You could do a "voucher" for lunch, coffee, something they really enjoy so you only have to pay when you go together. Easy to draft something festive up on a computer.