How much do you and DH spend on each other for gift(s)?

[ASusan]

If you exchange gifts with your DH, how much do you agree to spend on each other? (and, if you will share, what do you buy with that money?)

[Denvergirlie]

We don't really buy gifts for each other.

Sometimes in past years we have bought a gift for ourself, but it's not every year.

Last year - Berkey water filter
2 years ago - Nothing
3 years ago - New electric drill
4 years ago - Nothing

[slsurface]

We each get $20 to spend on each other. Usually our gifts are something consumable and frivolous (eg. a nice bottle of wine (we never spend money on alcohol the rest of the year) or a skein of lovely wool). I spend another $20 total to get stocking stuffers for the family.

Before DS, we didn't buy individual gifts, but instead spent $100-200 on a "household" gift (like a stereo or blender or what ever we needed). But we don't do that anymore - partly because we can't afford to and partly because we don't have any real needs in that department.

[StephandOwen]

We've never really talked about a limit. He spends however much he wants to, I spend however much I want to. I have no idea how much he'll spend this year. Including stocking stuffers, I'm looking at close to $300 on him. It's more than I planned, but that's okay

[amyamanda]

We don't have an agreement, but we exchange only one gift and mine to him usually ranges from about $5-40. His to me is usually more expensive, but it depends, and historically he's given me plenty of $20ish gifts. But he did give me a digital camera once, and generally I think his average is about $50 while mine is probably $20. He's not as much of a frugal freak as I am, and often waits until the last minute to shop.

But we only swap one gift, and we don't do birthday gifts to each other during the year.

[brooks97]

We set a limit of $75 for each. Most of the time we don't use that much, sometimes we go over. We don't exchange gifts on birthdays and anniversary though.

[sanguine_speed]

We usually buy family gifts that we both want. One year it was a car stereo, one year a trip to Rome (would have been taken anyway...just happened to be in December so we called it a Xmas gift jokingly), and this year we are having a house built, so we say we bought one another a house for Christmas.

[Koalamom]

W don't get each other anything. But we may go out to dinner or not. We are not big into holidays but don't have a problem with them. We don't even do Christmas trees or decorations.

[Tangled Hill]

We don't have any specific set limits, but we probably spend about $20-$30 on each other, generally. Just a guess, though. Sometimes, it's more, sometimes less, I'm sure.

[ASusan]

Originally Posted by sanguine_speed

We usually buy family gifts that we both want. One year it was a car stereo, one year a trip to Rome (would have been taken anyway...just happened to be in December so we called it a Xmas gift jokingly), and this year we are having a house built, so we say we bought one another a house for Christmas.

OK. That should be us. We just moved into a house we had built and our budget/spending is REALLY wonky these past few months. We should probably call the house the gift, or at least something FOR the house. But if we need something for the house, we've just gone out and bought it (or decided we don't want or need it right now). So maybe we should focus on something we think we'll want in the next few months - like shades - and call that our gift.

I think both of us have mindsets, though, that say some element of a gift should be the surprise. And we both also think - although it's unstated - that the giver should "figure out" what the receiver wants. Like last year, DH thought of several things I might want and got them for me. I totally bombed Christmas ("but I dropped so many hints") and his 40th birthday last year. I feel I need to "make up" for it. (Although I did pretty well for Father's Day with a record player that digitizes his records...but he's not using it yet because we don't have a good place to set it up where DS will stay out of it. Hmmm, maybe shelving for the stereo would be a place to start...)

[ASusan]

Another thing that we "struggle" with is that DH does one big gift (e.g., a leather jacket, a pair of golf shoes) and I do lots of small gifts. I think this comes about because he shops once - and is done with it. Pre-DS, I might shop throughout the season, and see several things that remind me of him or that he might like. They are in the $5-25 range.

[GardenStream]

We always start out with agreeing that we won't buy eachother presents. That never works and we end up buying eachother presents. He is buying me a down blanket this year ($60) and I got him a new tool belt ($15). They are both things we really want and would eventually buy, but this is our excuse to get them before we really "need" them. It makes it feel like a luxury I guess.

[earthmama369]

We've set limits in the past, when finances were seriously an issue. $50, $100, around there. This inclused birthday gifts, too, though -- my birthday is Dec. 25 and his is Jan. 18, so Christmas and birthday gifts tend to be bought at the same time.

That past couple of years we haven't set a limit, but we usually end up spending about the same on each other. Last year I think it was around $150 each. This year is going to be $200+ for my spending on dh, depending on how much other family members kick in toward his big present. He's been wanting a utilikilt for a few years, and it's $300. I also got him a funky hat he liked ($40) and some stocking stuffers.

[Aeress]

Every year is different. I really want an ipod (figure it's cheaper than buying cds and better for the environment in the long run) so I am sure dh will get me a good one. He is getting a digital pic frame, new shirt and something else.

I try to keep costs down but I do go overboard now and again.

[camracrazy]

My last gift to DH cost about $10,000..........








After the c-section!

[onlyzombiecat]

Probably about $30 max.
Usually we each get one thing.

[Mama2Xander]

I voted $100-149. We almost always buy practical things for each other though, things that we would buy at some point anyway - I am giving him some new clothes which he really needs, and he's giving me a new cordless phone/answering machine and something else which is a surprise

I will probably buy him one small "fun" present too, maybe a DVD.

[Mpenny1001]

We don't buy each other gifts. During the year when either of us wants or needs anything, we talk about whether or not it fits in the budget. If it does, we buy it. It seems silly to buy something just because it's a holiday, so we don't bother. Works out fine for us.

[Drummer's Wife]

as of now we decided not to get each other something... but I keep fighting the urge to get him something I know he would like

We are planning on getting a projector (to watch movies on) and hideaway screen after the holidays... so that will be our gift.

[GoGoGirl]

We don't usually get each other gifts. We just exchange cards and go out to eat at one of our favorite places.

This year I might get him a surprise gift for his birthday/Christmas--the same day! He's been secretly wishing for a guitar so he can play it for the baby. We have NO money budgeted for gifts for each other this year, but I figure I can scrounge one up somewhere for pretty cheap.