Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

any of you have a set budget per person for xmas pressies?

29 replies

lucysmam · 01/10/2008 21:03

& if so what is it? (nosey, sorry )

Does a fiver each seem tight? Just I've been skint for ages but saved a little bit each week & that's what my present shopping money breaks down to per person

TIA

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 01/10/2008 21:04

yes.

is it possible to forgo some presents for adults so you can extend your budget for the kids?

or if you're talking babies or young toddlers a fiver might work.

Lilyloo · 01/10/2008 21:06

you can only get what you can afford we don't buy for any adults with kids so they get bit more other than that ebay etc always get's few bargains and keep eye on here for money saving/promotions thread just got two fakebake lipgloss for £2.95 and a photo print teddy for £5 all delivered!

nolongeraworriedmummy · 01/10/2008 21:09

my budget is £50 for dd and 5 - 10 pound for other people , am skint this year.

Original poster
lucysmam · 01/10/2008 21:58

glad to know I'm not the only one on this tight a budget!

I only need to buy for MIL, FIL, MIL's partner. BIL and his pg gf but they are getting a joint pressy . My dad & sis & my oh.

We're off to car boot for stuff for our lo as she'll only be 13 mo and we got her 3 boxes full last year for about £20 & even ended up keeping some back for her birthday.

Not buying for friends apart from a very close mate of mine & he knows money's tight so doesn't mind that he and his partner only get a token present rather than something huge or expensive. Although, I will keep the not buying for adults so we can go that little bit further for kids in mind for next year as there will be another lo to buy for.

OP posts:
smartiejake · 01/10/2008 22:37

We buy for the kids in the family (6 of them)and a token "tree" pressie for the adults.(6 again)

I would never expect anything from either my dds or myself from even a close family member if money was tight. Much more important to spend time with them and enjoy their company.

Chocolateteapot · 02/10/2008 10:50

I have a monthly budget that gets put aside for Christmas, which means I can buy things reduced as and when I see them.

A fiver doesn't seem tight, it is much more sensible than getting into debt to pay for presents, especially with the increase of the cost of living being as they are.

One thing I found the other day which would be good for grandparents is a calendar in Dunelm if you have one near you. It is 99p and comes with the calendar bit and photo paper to print your own pictures. Haven't done it yet but it's the sort of thing my Mum will love.

ChopsTheDuck · 02/10/2008 10:55

im lucky that I don't have to buy for other adults, but I think it is possibel to do for £5 a head f you looka round for offers. If you check the threads in money saving, there has been a jewellery set free for £4.95 postage, and a lipglosses set for £2.95 postage. I've been scouring Money saving expert and buying offers when I see them.

SammyK · 02/10/2008 13:20

We only buy for children - I aim for a budget of £5-£10, usually works out 5 for little kids and 10 for teens generally.

I have a very maximum budget of £100 for ds, and DP then buys for his two older boys (I leave this completely in his hands in terms of what and how much).

Just before xmas each year I go into boots and use my year's points to 'buy' my mum and nan something from ds as they do so much for him / with him and he adores them.

Marne · 02/10/2008 13:25

we spend a fiver on each child (god child, neices etc..)

isittooearlytogotobed · 02/10/2008 13:38

i have just ordered spiderman pjs for all DDs friends who are boys - with their names printed on £7.50 each

for the girls, there are Dora pjs for the same price but unf no names on them

Original poster
lucysmam · 02/10/2008 22:16

Chocolateteapot, thank-you for that idea, would be ideal for my lo's nanna so will write it down so I don't forget to pop there over the weekend (just need ink to print it with then )
Chops I saw the jewellery set & have asked oh for it for me Will have a look for lipgloss set though for my SIL maybe

£5 actually seems a more reasonable budget than I thought at first after reading this

OP posts:
CantSleepWontSleep · 02/10/2008 22:23

We have over 30 children to buy for every Christmas. Budget for most is around £15. We don't buy for most of the parents.

Flibbertyjibbet · 02/10/2008 22:38

I think my budget usually works out at about £5 per child. But I buy in sales all year round or if I see something nice that looks more expensive than it is.
So I may have spent a fiver but it never looks like it
Tweenage girls in the family are over the moon with a £5 Claires accessories voucher.
I do buy for adults cos I like to give them something. BIL said they are only buying for the kids so we don't get him and gf anything, but sil with much less money still gets me and dp pressies so I like to get her something nice. She knows I shop for xmas in the sales so its a standing joke now that her dds get Next summer stuff in a size too big each xmas!

gingernutlover · 03/10/2008 13:09

i think a fiver is fine

i make fudge and marmalade every christmas, put into jars that i save and little xmas bags from lakelands - this costs very little and then everyone gets a little token bought gift too

was wondering about branching out into other homemade gifts but not sure what

frazzledbutcalm · 03/10/2008 13:16

This thread makes me think i spend too much

SaintRiven · 03/10/2008 13:27

we don't buy for adults or each other. ds1 and ds2 (15 and 13) get £50 max. dd2 nothing cos she's 4.

Original poster
lucysmam · 03/10/2008 18:32

gingernut, I've been reading a thread on MoneySavingExpert.com about a woman living on 50p per day til xmas. Someone on there did some jars with the dry ingredients for cookies in them & tied the recipe instructions to them with pretty ribbon. All the recipient had to add was the 'wet' ingredients. Looked quite nice & would be fairly cheap I think.

OP posts:
TinkerBellesMum · 03/10/2008 18:55

We're making calendars for everyone grown up and then buying as much as possible from Boots on the 3 for 2 Christmas offers for the kids. We say around £5 - £10 depending on the child, but that's before the offer.

The calendars work out free for us because he does them at work. If you want a calendar made for you I'm happy to do a PDF version for free, if you are interested I'll give you my email address.

luckylady74 · 03/10/2008 19:02

£5 per adult and £5 per child that's not immediate family. Our dc about £30 each and I'll probably spend the same on dh.

Podrick · 03/10/2008 19:18

Work out how much you can spend & how to split it - delete as many people as possible from your list - just agree NOT to exchange pressies with friends for instance - perhaps go out together instead.

Christmas should not be about the value of the gift so I don't think any amount is stingy really.

It is bad if someone quite badly off buys you a present for £30 and you are far better off and spent £5 though.

aGalChangedHerName · 04/10/2008 09:16

I am only buying for my parents this year. I have decided to stop buying for my db's children. I never see them and the budget for them is £20 so have told him not to buy for mine and i won't buy for his.

I will prob spend £10/£20 on my parents.

Ds2 wants X-box live and that is £100,and i will buy him an X-box game so that is him sorted out.

Ds1 will get a voucher for driving lessons probably (if he hasn't passed his test already) or failing that aftershave/book/chocs etc.

The dd's will get odd's and sods but not sure how much money we will have left to spend.

AbbeyA · 04/10/2008 09:32

We cut back years ago so that we weren't buying for siblings etc. It got silly and we were spending money for the sake of it.We have a much better time in agreeing to go out for a meal in January with BIL and SIL.
We just do children and the elderly. £5 sounds fine, it is the thought that counts. I was evesdropping on a couple of women on a nearby table one day. One was obviously married to a wealthy man and got super presents but he just detailed his secretary. What she couldn't get through to him was that she would just have liked him to get a very small present that he had put a lot of thought into and got himself. I felt sorry for her because from what she was telling her friend he didn't get her point at all!
(I don't normally eavesdrop-I happened to be having coffee on my own and she had a loud voice!)

teenspirit · 04/10/2008 09:43

We spend no set amount on our children as I buy stuff all year round and don't bother adding up plus neither are old enough for main presents yet. Same with our presents unless one of us wants something particular then just token gifts.
We spend £30 on our mothers - £25 siblings and partners. £20 cash for teenage nieces and nephews and I spoil my 18month old nephew but again have been buying things all year so wont really notice.
DH's friends children £20 each (this is because they spend this much on our 2) My friends children £5-10 depending on what I can get. My friends anything from a £5 upwards, again some friends spend a lot on me so I will get them something nice for about £20 whilst with others it's a token gift.
I am trying to cut back each year and shorten my list but it is hard.
Ideally i'd like just to buy for immediate family and god children and everyone else just do birthdays.
We easily spend £500+ and it's too much

geisha · 05/10/2008 08:06

I spend about £15 per child for close friends children (10 all in all) no pressies for their parents though. A token gift for my brother & SIL (as they buy for our children & don't have their own). This year it will be a framed photo of the girls. Don't place a limit on pressie for my parents but invariably mum wants a top from next or something like that and dad something for his greenhouse. I doubt we spend more than £30 or £40 but this feels tight as they do a lot for us. However, we will spend most of the day with them so that is what matters. We will probably spend £less than £50 per child for our own two. They have plenty from others! We ask brother and parents not to buy for us as they are buying for children. We don't buy for each other - if there is something we desperately need during the year we will buy it anyway.

angrypixie · 05/10/2008 08:16

I go to lots of author book signings throughout the year. They are usually free and a book signed for the recipient from the author always seems so much better than just the book. I was at a children's book signing yesterday and bought signed books for christmas as well as for a christening present.

Swipe left for the next trending thread