Birthday presents

[Southender]

I am redoing the family budget and have discovered that, to my horror, we are spending on average £85 per month on presents. This doesn't include Christmas, nor does it include presents for my DDs nor the cost of their birthday celebrations. I am trying to cut down the number of pressies I buy, and I already have few price restrictions in place with family members. But does anyone have any suggestions as to how to keep the spending on pressies under control?

I seem to spend loads on presents too - this month there were 18 birthdays to buy for! So I've decided to cut it down - so I am only going to buy presents for family, plus children and friends who I see really regularly, and only spend £10 max on each (bit more for family).

Its quite easy to get a nice present for a child for under £10, and I'm buying books, nice moisturiser or something like that for friends, which are also under £10.

I've also agreed with several friends not to buy each other or their children anything for Christmas and just get them a small present for their birthday.