How much do you spend on birthday/Christmas gifts? - Page 2

[Turquesa]

I tend to pick up Christmas and birthday gifts throughout the year. I try to keep them creative, cheap and fabulous. So far, here is what I've amassed for Christmas:

1. I've pinned down an old Life magazine with DH's all-time favorite baseball player on the cover. Hopefully it's still at the antique store when I go back this week. Cost is $10.00, although I'll probably also hunt for an inexpensive way to put it in a frame or shadow box.

2. DD likes to collect little animal figures. The same "junk shop" had 101 Dalmatians for 25 cents per pup. I'll either stuff those in her stocking or just box them and wrap them.

3. For DS, I found a wooden shape sorter for $2.00 at a thrift store. It's brand new and in an unopened package.

4. For DS and DD, I found unopened calendars for a dollar each at a craft store. They both have themes that my kids like.

5. No gifts for extended family on my side (by mutual agreement). For DH's family, we buy gifts for the kids (we have one niece and one nephew) and the grown-ups draw names. I drew DH's grandmother and am in the process of knitting her a scarf-and-hat set.

[OkiMom]

Turquesa- for the shadow box look at Walmart (if you shop there). When I was back in the states they had frames that were kind of deep (like an inch to inch and a half deep) that would work great for something like that. They were like 5-7 each I think. I didn't really look close but they caught my eye because I thought they would work great for the girls coming home outfit.. I just didn't think they would make it through the 23 hours of flights and connections as well as the security and customs at several different airports.

[Turquesa]

Thanks, Okimom. I've flushed my principals down the toilet and started shopping there from time to time, so I'll check that out.

[zoebugsmom]

Originally Posted by TheSavedQuarter

This year, I've budgeted $100 out of pocket for Christmas and I'm blogging about how I'm making that budget work. I've been really creative with no-money ways to get gifts, like using things I get mystery shopping, drugstore game coupon and sales combos, rebates, doing online reviews for store credit, earning Swagbucks, making gifts, buying second hand, etc. I have 17 people on my list and I think I'll be able to get all of the gifts for the $100 limit. The value of the gifts will be well over $100, though!

We're doing the four gift rule for the kids:
Something you want
Something you need
Something to wear
Something to read

Plus a gift from Santa and a stocking of little treats. It's plenty without going overboard, and they'll surely be spoiled by the grandparents as well!

I would love a link to your blog!

To the OP, our budget varies greatly depending on what is needed/wanted each year. DP and I don't do much for each other for birthdays/Christmas. This year I'm going on a trip by myself that will be expensive so that's my gift for both. I generally knit DP a hat and get him something small from each kid- a shirt, new baseball hat, travel coffee mug, etc. I generally spend less than $30.

We usually spend @ $100 on each of the older kids, less on the not quite 2 yo. His birthday is coming up and he's getting a water bottle ($14), a magnadoodle (10ish) and probably a little school bus or wood trains(@ $5-10). There's nothing he needs or seems to want ATM. We're going to the farm for a pumpkin patch hay ride, too.

For Christmas we're getting a Wii for the family and each kid will get some handknits (hat, mitts, maybe a sweater), stocking stuffers, a book or 2 and a small toy so it'll be slightly more than usual. The Wii is as much for me & DP as it is for the kids, though.

We don't spend much on extended family. We have 10 nieces/nephews to buy for so I try to keep it below $10 each. Easy for the littles, not so easy for the 8, 10 & 12 yos. MIL and GPIL generally get a calendar with pictures of the kids and/or framed pics. My mom gets something knit, this year a sweater. Yarn is only $20 but it's hours of work. Oh, and a hat that's already done. She saw one I had knit myself and asked for the same thing. Stepfather will get either a pair of handknit socks or a gift card or something. My dad will get the calendar and maybe a coffee mug. Small, useful things.

[34me]

We also do the 4 gift rule. And I spend no more than $100 on each child (2 teens and a tween) + stockings. I pick up stocking stuffers all year. My 14 yo ds loves a certain type of pricy pen but they go on clearance after school shopping is over so he gets a few to renew his stash, we live in a college town so target has great deals on the "manly" body wash + coupons make great gifts for that smelly pre-teen boy. I learned how to knit socks this year specifically so I could make "spa socks" for my sister and neices. My maiden name was Mitchell so when we were in Mitchell, SD this past weekend I picked up a HS t-shirt for my dad for $8 - he will LOVE it! I go to the Mountains in the fall and take pics of the kids and the In-laws get a few nice pics. There is usually a free book offer somewhere around this time of year too.


And my ds's best friend gets more dvds each holiday than he gets gifts. We just say that every family celebrates differrently and this is how we do things.

[mommyto4grits]

Would love a link to your blog!

Originally Posted by TheSavedQuarter

This year, I've budgeted $100 out of pocket for Christmas and I'm blogging about how I'm making that budget work. I've been really creative with no-money ways to get gifts, like using things I get mystery shopping, drugstore game coupon and sales combos, rebates, doing online reviews for store credit, earning Swagbucks, making gifts, buying second hand, etc. I have 17 people on my list and I think I'll be able to get all of the gifts for the $100 limit. The value of the gifts will be well over $100, though!

We're doing the four gift rule for the kids:
Something you want
Something you need
Something to wear
Something to read

Plus a gift from Santa and a stocking of little treats. It's plenty without going overboard, and they'll surely be spoiled by the grandparents as well!

[ChristyMarie]

Adult birthdays are usually more of an experience. We'll go out to dinner usually. There might be a small gift (up to about $20).

For DS I usually buy something small for birthdays ($15-30) but I throw a kick @$$ party for him so I end up spending a lot. When he is invited to a party I usually spend $10-20 depending on how close of a friend it is.

For Christmas we usually limit it to $50 for adults. I will spend $50-100 on DS depending on what he wants. For the families we sponsor we spend $100 per person.

We do not buy for extended family.

[cyrusmama]

For the boys we usually do a party and one bigger gift for birthdays. This year Cy wanted a pool party at the Y. We were ok with that but told him that it would be his big present from us. He said ok and had a blast. We did buy him a smaller gift to open though.

For Christmas, we do about $100 a piece for the boys. This year we've done less. I bought J a Sesame Street fish tank $5, an Elmo lamp $5, and a John Deere tricycle $20 at a consignment sale. I've bought Cy several small playmobil sets on sale for $16 and a Phineas and Ferb shirt on sale for $2. Each boy will get a new set of pjs on Christmas eve, J will get fish for his tank, and Cy really wants a lego machines set so we'll probably put money towards that for him (hopefully a grandparent will help with it). We are making a couple of gifts as well.

For dh the boys get to pick out a small gift for him for Christmas, and I'll make something for him. We do a family gift too. Last year it was a camera this year it will likely be a tv or couch.

Extended family I am knitting most gifts. We will make something for my nephew who is 2, and possibly my niece who is 8. I usually do a gift card with $15-20 for my nephew who is 15. We swap names with the kids on dh's extended family so I'll be buying or making something small for a 1yr old cousin and a 3yr old cousin $10 limit.

[kay4]

I think I spent about $800 last year on Christmas. That is for 6 children (including my stepson and his g-friend) my grandson, cards, etc.

Birthdays are about $300 total if there is a non family only party. If it is a family party we do about $150.

Those can very depending on budget but we do use all cash (except my dh! but I pay that off right after Cmas) If we need to cut back we do, but I plan ahead pretty well.

[Marissamom]

for my kid right now I spend probably $100-150, but try to give mostly practical stuff that I need to buy anyway. extended family I try to keep it under $25, but will sometimes go higher. for DF, well, his birthday/fathersday/aniversary present (which was also his birthday present to me) was an $800 TV, we've been splurging on gifts for each-other lately, spending up to $200 per gift, but we'll be limiting this soon I think.

for birthdays, maybe instead of a ton of presents you could go on a special outing? That would make the day special, but would cost less.

[OkiMom]

We do a special outing as well but we have passes to pretty much all the places DDs want to go out to. My youngest only wants to go to the zoo, its either 10.00 per time you go or a year pass for 20 so we just got the year pass (made sense, we go several times a month and it includes tickets to the museum which are 5.00 each if you don't buy the year pass). The other zoo on the island has a 4 person family pass for 15.00 or its 7.00/person to go so I picked up the family pass since it just didn't make sense to pay the about same amount to go for just a day. My oldest wants to go to the aquarium or the zoo. The aquarium its 2.00 more expensive to get a year pass than a day pass so we just got a year pass last time we went. All the places over here are free for children under 6 so the girls don't need a pass. We were planning on doing a weekend vacation for the family over DD1's birthday but 1) the place we go got pretty badly damaged in a typhoon so I don't know if its going to be open and 2) Ill be 39 weeks along and its like 1 1/2 hours without traffic to the hospital. My last labor was only 1 1/2 hours long so might not be the best thing to do.

I talked to DH about it and he agreed to do a small family party with a few gifts (the books I already got, a set of hugely chunky crayons she saw and adored, outfit that she saw the fabric for and is already asking about and maybe a toy from each of us.. Overall its going to cost 50ish which to me is reasonable). We will probably do an outing as a family to the zoo the day before her birthday and DH will take them somewhere on her birthday.. probably the Dam or beach since I volunteered to help out at church without realizing the date. No worries, having a day of Daddy will make both girls very happy.

Oldest we already bought her present so all I have to do is buy the fabric for her dress and make it. DH wants to get her something else small but I don't know.

Christmas.. ughs, lets not go there. I love my husband but sometimes he doesn't think. I really don't want to be making gifts for 16 people plus the girls/hubby.

[TheSavedQuarter]

Originally Posted by mommyto4grits

Would love a link to your blog!

It's thesavedquarter.com. The Holidays category has my posts about my holiday gift plans. I just did a Groupon combined with coupon code to get $200 in photobooks for $25. That rocked my socks - three copies of my daughter's first year to give to DH, my parents, and MIL. Along with some Vistaprints freebies and a few other low cost goodies, they're about done.

My daughter is getting a homemade doll gear set - mini quilt, diaper bag, matching dress for her and her doll, and apron, all made from fabric from my stash. I found a wooden doll cradle at the thrift store for $3.99 and it will complete the gift. I spent under $5.00 total for her gift and I think she's going to love it!

My son is getting a Transformer-style robot-car. He is going to LOVE it! I got free Kohl's Cash for buying a certain amount at the grocery store, which I would have bought groceries anyway. That deal was awesome, too! It was on 75% off clearance and my free coupons paid the remaining 25%!

Both are getting books that I'm getting from amazon.com with Swagbucks, and clothes bought on after-season clearance last year. I still have to come up with something they need...

My mother in law gives the gift of a class for the kids. It's fantastic! Both got swim lessons for their birthdays, and little gym classes for Christmas (indoors for cooler months.) We get out of the house, the kids get the activity and skills, and no clutter. Gotta love it!