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Christmas

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Original poster

how much have you spent on presents per kid?

208 replies

JaceyBee · 02/12/2009 21:33

am going through finances with dh and he was to learn I have spent £300 on presents for the kids, we have 2 so is roughly £150 each, this includes all presents from 'santa' and under tree presents from us. this will be it now though!

Does this sound v excessive to you? How much do you roughly spend per dc?

OP posts:
PrammyMammy · 03/12/2009 12:20

We had a £300 budget between both out dcs, that was including ds birthday, he will be 2 on the 30th.I am happy to say i didnt go over it. :D

colditz · 03/12/2009 12:21

I think I have spent about £40 but not entirely sure as I buy through the year and stash it around the house. It might be more.

upahill · 03/12/2009 12:22

We have spent £300 on each BUT this is the first time we have ever spent anything like this amount.

DS1 and 2 have never asked for much in the past. However DS2 has asked if he could have the latest psp. He offered to put some of his own money towards it. DH and I have agreed he can have it (He doesn't know about it. DS1 doesn't want anything in paticular but what you do for one you do for the other so we have paid for him to have a track day as he loves Formula 1 and car stuff and I am going to get things like speakers for his iTouch and a solar charger for his touch and phone.

If they had been demanding kids there is no way they would have this!

colditz · 03/12/2009 12:23

PS if I could afford it I would fill the house with plastic tat and blow thousands, so I am not judgemental of people who spend a fortune.

nicolamumof3wisemen · 03/12/2009 12:23

I haven't a clue!! i never add it up, i shop throughout the year getting things i know they will like i'd say maybe £100 each child (ds1 10yr, ds2 4yr on 28th dec, ds3 2.4yr) they have a big sack and then a main present each. They get lots from family as well tho, and DS1 gets double as has XH family buying for him too!

mrsjammi · 03/12/2009 12:26

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DwayneDibbley · 03/12/2009 12:26

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ShinyAndNew · 03/12/2009 12:32

It depends upon what they want and how much it costs. Dd1 has been desperate for the Abba SingStar game. Despite the fact that we don't own any of the consoles it is compatable with. DH was offered a 2nd hand PS3, for a very good cause at the price of £215, with games and a chair thing. So we are getting her that, plus the game she wanted.

Dd2 only wanted a furreal puppy and a washing machine. So she is getting considerably less spent on her.

The way I see it is, at the young age they are (6 and 2) they have no concept of the cost of things. They will only be comparing how many things the other has, not the amount of £ that was spent.

Dd2 will probably get more for her bday, as we have decided that she will be old enough for the camera dd1 has, she so covets as well as a handheld Vtech thing.

Dd1 otoh, is getting v little for her bday this year. All she is getting is a music player and a ds game. Because that's all she asked for. Plus, she is getting a PS3 a fortnight later. I think that is more than enough.

maxybrown · 03/12/2009 12:34

Yikes! About £40 on our DS, tops

fluffy123 · 03/12/2009 12:35

i have spent about £110 for each of my three sons (age 21,11 and 10), which is a bit less than normal as we have done/am doing some nice activities instead.
luckily they haven't asked for anything big this year. i started ordering bits of amazon in september and used pound land for stocking fillers.
when my boys younger i spent very little as i knew a time would come when it would be harder to get away with spending a small amount.
i normally try and get big items such as xbox, trampolines for birthdays to spread out the cost as they have summer/autumn birthdays.

cantmummyhaveabreak · 03/12/2009 12:36

so far have spent around £600 between 3 DC's aged 5y (by xmas), 3.7y & 10mths

about half that money has been on clothes to help last out the next 12mths though... i always like to buy clothing aswell so that i have to buy less throguh the year and they dont get all toys either.

not got them a 'main' present though as we took them to disneyland in oct, somehow hasn't meant we've spent any less though

DD2 (10mo by xmas) only has a handful of very nice lamaze toys aswell as she really didn't need anything.

DwayneDibbley · 03/12/2009 12:41

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Romanarama · 03/12/2009 12:45

Mine are getting a trampoline between them (which I was going to buy anyway - they haven't asked for it, but I know they will enjoy it). It's 400 euros. I will buy a little bit of plastic tat to unwrap as well. So about 160 euros each, but I think it will be well spent on the trampoline.

Mrs Jammi, just don't buy it! Tell the older ones you can't afford it, and give them a 50 pound HMV voucher or something, and if the younger ones think it's Santa and comment on the change, tell them there's a recession on. Send DSD1 a card saying that you miss her and would like to be back in touch (if you do/would).

Marne · 03/12/2009 12:45

Around 300.00 between the dd's and 100.00 on each of my step children .

Most of the dd's presents are things they can share, dd1 is really in to playmobil and lego (which costs a fortune) and they both wanted the Go Go hamsters which cost me around 100.00 for almost all the bits + 2 hamsters .

So dd1 is getting the playmobil farm set which was 100.00

dd2 is getting a wheely bug which was 60.00.

Go Go hamsters 100.00 (ish)

And Sylvanian families lodge (also to share) 29.99.

You don't get much for your money .

DSD- is getting 50.00's worth of craft making bits, clothes and boots and 50.00 to spend in the sales.

DSS1- is getting a driving license (prov) and money for 2 driving lessons.

Dss2- is getting DJ hero for x-box (60.00), a x-box controller charger and x-box head set.

X-mas has cost us a fortune but we do save all year and we don't spend much on them during the year (no holidays and we spend 20.00 each for birthdays).

FimbleHobbs · 03/12/2009 12:46

I don't need to spend much on the DCs, (a) they don't need it and (b) we have MIL, money spender extraordinare.

I love finding bits for their stockings though.

colditz · 03/12/2009 12:49

My lovely brother has just rung me to inform me he's spent £40 on Ds1!

I offered to fund some but he woouldn't hear of it.

colditz · 03/12/2009 12:51

Does anyone else find they spend more on the eldest? Ds2 gets free pick of all the toys, but ds1 always seems to need 'an upgrade' in that he grows out of his toys - ie marble run was hot stuff last year but this year he's really too young for it - and needs something older. Whereas ds2 is just getting into marble run, and doesn't seem to need anything!

cantmummyhaveabreak · 03/12/2009 12:51

How lovely of your brother colditz.

Chrysanthemum5 · 03/12/2009 12:52

Not much really, bought a few things in the Sainsbury's sale so probably about £30 on DS and DD. But, DH and I both have large families who buy the DCs a lot so overall they probably receive presents that add up to about £300. Which I think is pretty overwhelming really.

Thingiebob · 03/12/2009 12:53

I'm genuinely amazed at how much people spend on their young children!

I suppose if you can afford it. I have ten people to buy for this year and it's going to be within about 150 -200 pound. Admittedly there is only one child who is 2 and half but there is no way I would waste hundreds on a child whose current favourite toy is a large empty cardboard box and a flight of stairs!

darcymum · 03/12/2009 12:55

Not much at all, I hope I don't seem really tight. Grandparents buy most things and I don't want them to have too many presents. I would say not including clothes it's about £20 each x 3 £60. They are 1, 2 and 4.

Am I the tightest mum on MN?

threeplusone · 03/12/2009 12:57

What you spend should depend on what you can afford.

I have 3 children.. number 4 on the way..
DD 13yrs £300+
DS1 5yrs £250
DS2 2yrs £200+
This is rough estimates.. alot of my shopping has been 3for 2..etc.. so cost could be just under or maybe just over TBH I stopped counting.. and have also stopped buying as could quite easily continue shopping for them all.. and the baby that isnt due till Feb!!

MunchMummy · 03/12/2009 12:59

About £35 on DD1 (3.5) and £15 on DD1 (18 months).

It doesn't sound alot, but 2nd hand buys and lots of little things will keep them happy.

We could afford alot more, but didn't want to - they don't need it yet and will be just as happy with a tube of pink smarties each.

upahill · 03/12/2009 12:59

I spend excatly the same on each child - to the penny. If one has a 'big' main present the other will have his presents made up to excatly the same cost.

It is the same thoughout the year whether it is a birthday or holiday money or whatever if one has something the other will have an equal amount spent.

StrictlyKatty · 03/12/2009 12:59

No! The thing is my DS won't really get anything from anyone else, both sets of parents don't really buy him presents only tiny things.

We've not borrowed or overspent, just bought stuff over 4 or so months. It all depends on who else will buy them things and if you can afford it IMO.

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