How much .....

[WILMAFLINSTONE]

.....does everyone spend per child/ren? (Their own)

My DD is 16 now but I was thinking more of when this baby comes along as I have vowed it will not be spoilt and get too many presents especially when its a baby as they dont even know its christmas!

And because im not materialistic at all, older, wiser and see christmas for what it really is and for spending time with loved ones and friends etc, rather than a big spendathon I refuse to be sucked into the 'lets see how much; we can lavish on our kids!

Dont get me wrong.....I didnt have this opinion 17 years ago with my first and being an only child she has had a very privelleged lifestyle.....but not in a selfish spoilt brat way iykwim, but now Ive been there and done that so to speak we wont be making it all about how much we spend on the next one!

So was wondering how much does everyone think is an appropriate amount to spend on a child at christmas?

Do we still have old fashioned values and traditions or are we as a nation all about how much we can out do the next kid?

xxx

 

[emmaandamyleigh]

so far on amy i think ive spent 30 quid so far going to get her some more pressies next week but dont want to spend to much as her birthday is in jan

 

[lauren86]

in total it will be about £200 but thats because the walker is £80 so thats a huge chunk!

 

[Lacey's Mummy]

I normally spend about £200. Will have to start Xmas shipping even earlier next year to be able to afford charley too!! lol

 

[emmaandamyleigh]

yeah i thiuoght that if theyget tomuch for xas they turn out spolilt both my sister still get bought for for xmas and my brothers but i dont get anythin im the second oldest i jut feel left out but what i dont have i dont miss ive never really got much for xmas lol my sister are spoilt sme as me bro whtever they want they get

 

[FebMum2Be]

I didn't have a limit on Odhrán this year.. I got really carried away but you know what, It's done.. And yeah he won't know half of it, but I think it's more for me.. I don't want him spoilt, but I honestly didn't realize how much I had got until I looked into our spare room.. I feel silly about it and my family are doing my head in over it But I have saved hard to give my little man a good first Christmas.. Me and OH aren't getting eachother anything this year, for us it's just about being together as a family for our first Christmas, when Odhráns old enough I will teach him the real meaning of Christmas and make sure he doesn't think it's all presents and that's it.. My SIL spends about a grand on her daughter each year.. She's 6.. I think that's really overboard but I guess each to their own xxxx

 

[lauren86]

i'm like you jen, me and oh are not buying for eachother this year.xx

 

[Yodabo]

With the cost of toys gone up its really hard to keep a budget! We probably spent about £500 on each (depends how much their main presents are) The oldest is getting harder now as he wants laptops etc.. We never get anything for each other, we buy something in the sales after xmas if anything.

 

[kellylou]

I haven't bought anything for alex not sure if I will yet as no real spare cash and he will only be a couple of weeks old so he wont know any different.
I have spent less than £10 on each niece this year and nephew and tried to get something they will use rather than loads they jsut throw to one side!

 

[kay126]

What I decided my OH and I were going to do this year was because baby will only be a couple of weeks old and won't understand anything but as first xmas we would want to get him something from santa but would be pointless me an OH buying things, wrapping them then unwrapping and knowing what they were. So I gave me and Oh a budget of 50 pounds each and out of that we were to buy 5 presents for baby each. We don't show eachother what we bought and we wrap them separately, then on xmas day I will open what he bought bubs and he will open what I bought baby so altogether we have spent 100 pounds on babys first xmas xxx

 

[Wobbles]

I think I've spend around £250 on both and Daddys getting a DS for Caitlin with some learning games.

x

 

[x-misspinkuk-x]

i dont know how much ive spent for my DD or have left to spend. ive just written a list of stuff that she wants and needs.
defo starting early next year!!!!

 

[WILMAFLINSTONE]

Thanks for your replies ladies....great idea Kay thats lovely!

Well thankfully our baby will be 9month when his/her first christmas arrives so still wont know whats its all about but I would think I will be feeling the same way then about not overspending on lots of things it cant and wont appreciate.....

DD is going to be 17 next christmas so shes really easy to buy for anyway....Over the years I have usually spend around £300 - £500 on and like I said shes not a kid who makes demands ever, I have to badger her for a wish list which she reluctantly gives me around the week before christmas when Ive usually been shopping and bought her things. Lets see if Im eating my words next year when Ive got a new baby again lol!

Me and DH also usually buy for eachother too but we dont really need anything so its normally token gifts which are sometimes a waste of money so weve got a £100 budget to get eachother something we actually need....Ive hinted that I would like loads of PJs, dressing gown and slippers which he normally gets me anyway but thought they would be great for hospital and something I actually need, so thats on my wish list! David has let me know by bookmarking stuff on MY ebay account lol that he would like a new set of Real Tree Camo shooting waterproofs so thats what hes getting up till now!
xxx

 

[megsmeadow]

We haven't officially set a limit because Ross will get so much from our families (first grandchild on both sides). I think he'll be more interested in the boxes and wrapping paper this year. I suppose my absolute maximum would be £100 but we were looking to be very practical and thinking about things he needed or will need between his Christmas and Birthday which is another 6 months away. I've set a £10 limit with my sister and her OH, and I kind of like the challenge of getting them something they would like within the budget. Not sure about my OH, I can think of a million things he would like but really we don't NEED anything, and just being all together and happy at Christmas is all I want.

 

[Toonlass]

£50 per child this year with OH losing his job and were not buying for each other either
To be fair, our kids are the only granchildren/nephews on both sides of the family so they far to much anyway from other family members. My cousins kids get spoiled rottern at xmas and they dont even touch half the stuff coz they get that much. We have requested that people buy bonds or put money in their accounts rather than fill our tiny house with toys that they are too young to appreciate. What toys they do get we are putting some asside to give them once they get bored with the ones they've got then we will rotate them.

I have been known to go daft at xmas and spend fortunes in the past but i have changed my ways xx

 

[Piglet10]

ive went overboard and spent bout £300 i think but £100 of that is on clothes and stuff that she needs so £200 on toys ... i had intended to spend bout £200 . i dont believe in kids getting too much but my family r giving her money so she wont prob get that much other than what weve got her and i speaced them out age wise so some older toys...

tbh imo i do not want a bratty spoilt child BUT i do want to spoil my princess... i intend to teach her the value of xmas and i dont believe in buying kids stuff all year round for no reason id rather splurge on her at xmas and then put stuff away for during the year...

i think £300 is plenty to spend unless your getting outdoor or educational stuff (e.g. trampolines when the time comes woohoo and laptops and that craic) ... i dont care what other kids have but i dont want my child to ever think that santa got someone more than her as in cos theyre better or something ... is that bad??!! xx

 

[WILMAFLINSTONE]

Totally agree megs DD only played with the boxes on her first xmas when she was 9months old lol! xxx

Great Idea Toon lass putting some asside for when they are bored....love it! xxx

Lisa...I know what you mean its soo easy to go over the top isnt it....but its not a bad thing its a personal thing isnt it...I just dont want the new baby to get as much as DD did simply because we used to have a clear out every Jan and would end up putting things in a charity bag that still had the celophane wrappers on them coz between us, aunties and uncles and grandparents she got FAR TOO MUCH! And although she appreciated what she got as she got older, I just hated the though of money being wasted....xxx

 

[midnight]

mine get £150 each and thats pushing it we dont buy each other either they do get lots of family though so not to bad

 

[Piglet10]

but u have 4 to buy for and another on the way!! so i wudnt feel bad they also have their siblings stuff to use (when allowed) lol so im sure ur house is fulla goodies for the kids!! xx

 

[lauren86]

I just had a right bargain - i thought the walker that i'm getting Ethan was £80 (originally £89.99) but just went on mothercare.com and it's been reduced to £74.99 BUT i had a 20% off code so got it for £59.99! and and and free P&P!

That means i can get him something else?!!

Girls, if you save on a gift do you get something else with the money that you saved? xx