Christmas

[dollypops15]

Hi guys, no hate please for already talking about Christmas. I'm a planner, so like things all sorted in advance. Just wondering if anyone has a budget for prestent for their children and if they stick to it. I have 3 children 15, 6 and 2.

And to further clarify the 'surely not' comment about the Nando's voucher: it was because the amount isn't enough to buy a lot of the menu plus drink.

@00100001

As explained, £10 is perfectly acceptable amount for a nandos voucher.

We don't all have expensive tastes.

I just cross posted with you re the voucher value.

You think it's enough; I commented it won't buy my basic meal. I don't have expensive taste; I do however assume if you are to give a voucher for a food outlet that it would be nice to make it enough to buy a full meal plus drink from the majorly of the choices. That's all.

I'm not attacking you, I just have a different viewpoint.

You know premium you don't have to write every single thing you think down on MN! It would I think have been much kinder to have taken a minute to think about how upsetting such a comment may be to someone struggling for money.

Fine I'll tape an extra £1 to the voucher so he can buy himself a fizzy, instead of having water like he normally chooses.

@Themostwonderfultimeoftheyear

You know premium you don't have to write every single thing you think down on MN! It would I think have been much kinder to have taken a minute to think about how upsetting such a comment may be to someone struggling for money.

Thank you for the advice. I will bear that in mind next time I read a post and think the person isn't being serious.

@00100001

Fine I'll tape an extra £1 to the voucher so he can buy himself a fizzy, instead of having water like he normally chooses.

Now you are being ridiculous. You don't have to change what you do because someone on Mumsnet would do it differently

I'm not really going to do that...

I am vaguely fascinated by people who plan for it months in advance.

Adults are easy to buy for well in advance. All the kids we buy for are currently 4 and under so also quite easy to buy for in advance for the time being, and I'm making the most of it before that changes! I tend to keep a bit of money back for DD (3) to buy something character-based or whatever that she's interested in near the time.

My 6 year old birthday last month cost an absolute fortune. My sons trainers he wants are £105 and that's one present

Well, if one of the teen dc wanted a present that was a ridiculous price to pay for something over the budget, then mine (at 14) were perfectly able to understand that, if you want something costing more than we would normally spend, then we will give you money towards it and you have the choice of
a) saving for months, from pocket money
b) asking Grandparents / others who give you presents to give you cash instead as you are saving for this one item, but understand this means you won't have anything to unwrap on the day
c) both a) and b)
d) changing your mind once you begin to start understanding the value of money, and wearing an ordinary pair of trainers and having other gifts or having money to spend as you choose in addition to a new pair of trainers.

We;ve done this approach more than once when one or another of our dc have wanted to spend a ludicrous amount on something we wouldn't dream of paying. They sometimes think differently when it is their handful of money they are handing over, or when they realise in order to achieve that 'want' they are missing out on lots of other things.