Christmas Budget??

**steve-in-kville** · 11-21-2007, 08:51 PM

Tomorrow is the big turkey day, which gets me in the mood for (or at least thinking about) Christmas gift giving and budgets. We have a large family (5 boys, 3 girls) and we tradionally have budgeted about $250 round-trip (fancy meal and gifts for our own family and extended). This number has worked out fine. We budget for this all year. Each child gets a little something and there might be a gift just for the girls (like a doll house) and a gift just for the boys (toy farm equipment). I get my wife something, usually a kitchen accessory she wants.

What's your Christmas budget look like?

**sdrjeolsen** · 11-21-2007, 09:17 PM

We usually spend about 900 total. 2oo/kid (x3) and 300 for extended family, co-workers, mail carrier, neighbors, etc. We usually don't gift each other, but if we do, it is a small useful household item that dh and I want and agree on. I usually start shopping in July or so for the kids and many items are more on the useful side...clothing, shoes, bedding, etc. along with some toys and just for fun stuff.

**latierra84** · 11-21-2007, 10:29 PM

its just dh and i, and i have a kid brother and sister. dh and i usually get things for the house or that we can both use and ive been known to go a bit overboard with the kids but i hadnt really set a budget for myself this year. im thinking a hundred each and dh and i have talked about getting a new computer for the house.

**dianne9106** · 11-21-2007, 10:48 PM

This year we are doing more of a Recycled/Second Hand/On the Cheap Christmas theme. We have a $150 budget for DS excluding his class ring, and about $100 for DD; there is 14 years difference between chidlren so no competition. Most of these gifts will come from Craigslist, eBay, Freecyle, Goodwill, or the local yard sale website. We will do small gifts for MIL, which we always give her $ help from time to time. My mother is in second stages of Alzhmiers and is in an assisted unit - so perhaps clothes or night clothes. SIL and family, a couple of toys for their son - one new and one secondhand. Also when my son was doing a fundraiser for JROTC, he was selling voucher for magazine subscriptions - I bought a couple $10 vouchers, which will make a great gift for aunt and uncle - they can pick their own mag. For DS he wants GuitarHero III-360 and a paintball gun. I got GuitarHero at BestBuy with some bonus bucks I got when we bought my laptop and TV, so I got it for $60!!! WooHoooo!! I am getting his paintball gun from Craigslist. I got my DD a Dora Kitchen from Craigslist, some pretend food from freecycle and some books and dvds from Hastings Used and on store credit from trade-ins. DH - $150 (most likely a new/used weight set) and myself $100 of stuff I really need - new bathrobe, slippers, PJ's, etc... Maybe a GC for pedicure!! Bottom line - all gifts will be purchased either used, handmade, on super sale, with coupons. After having sooo many expensive Christmas' of what to buy and spending so much to get that "perfect" gift - we are happy to make Christmas fun and doing it frugally!
Sorry to ramble!

Think Green - Give Used this Christmas!

**midwestgal** · 11-21-2007, 10:58 PM

I budget about $250. This is for hubby, 4 grown children, 2 sons-in-law, baby granddaughter and 2 mothers. I start shopping really early each year--the day after Christmas and usually finish by late February. I am always so pleased with my purchases and buy everything on sale, as much as 90% off. I love everything I bought this year! It all must be shipped, though, and that adds about $75 to my budget. I hate to sound smug, but everthing is already bought, wrapped, and shipped, so now I can really relax and enjoy the holidays!

**peanut** · 11-22-2007, 10:42 AM

Budget?! I guess ours is shot already. We consider the new bed, which will come before Christmas hopefully, as our Christmas present to each other. Otherwise, I'd say $500 for the entire holidays...for 2 kids and son-in-law, DH and I.

Jean

**AmyMCGS** · 11-22-2007, 11:02 AM

We don't budget an exact figure, so this thread has me thinking about what we do spend. And so I just sat here and calculated it out... I'm guessing around $600, including three name exchanges (various sides of the family), immediate family gifts, and Santa's budget. I've gotten some great deals this year at the second-hand bookstore and Big Lots, so that has helped.

**mikandmari** · 11-22-2007, 11:21 AM

MUCH less than in the past. I used to budget about $2500. We had rental properties and our income was bigger.

This year it will be less than $500. The kids are almost grown, and both work their own jobs anyway. I've also cut out buying for other relatives, except my Mom.

I wish I could have back all the money I've blown on past Christmases! I remember one year when we were younger and completely broke. It was still a great Christmas!

**mmy2grls** · 11-22-2007, 11:45 AM

whatever I make on my next check i'm using on gifts. I have 2 kids and I want to keep things simple. I want to get them things they will enjoy and play with for awhile, i'm thinking about 250-300 plus I need to get something thoughtful for my parents, maybe a gift card to a restaurant they enjoy.

**Kitten20** · 11-22-2007, 01:17 PM

All of my shopping is done and most of the gifts are wrapped. Now that all is said and done - we spent $200 on family members (2 names we drew for adults - an aunt and an uncle, my grandparents, DBF's parents, DBF's sister and her boyfriend and 2 children under 12 - nephews), $120 on myself (books mostly, some perfume) from DBF and $120 on DBF (cologne, DVDs). Soo $440 total.

**Momof4cats** · 11-22-2007, 02:50 PM

I don't set a budget per se. I just decide what I'm willing/able to spend for each person I'm buying for.

My DBF actually set the budget for the spending on each other. We're only allowed to spend $30 on each other, and at least one present has to be 'creative' (aka crafty/handmade). I've spent $25 on him so far; my last $5 will go toward the creative present. I'm debating between making a quick bread, cookies or some mixes and packaging them up. I have to mail it 2000 miles away, so I have to keep shipability in mind.

I'm buying presents for my two co-workers. I bought one a chenille throw that was on sale from $40 to $14. The other I'm getting a DVD of an old movie she's been wanting. It'll be about $20.

My brother and his family have been in Japan for the past several years (Air Force) but moved back to the states this past summer. We didn't exchange presents while they were overseas (seemed silly to) but we haven't talked about what to do now that they're back. If we do, that'll be my hardest/most expensive. There's brother, SIL, and 2 nieces.

**Jenna** · 11-22-2007, 03:10 PM

Around $30 per person ($50 per family if I do a family gift.)

$30 x 5 = $150
$50 x 2 = $100

so $250 total plus another $50 on misc gifts for coworkers or stocking stuffers

$300.

**Mom23boys** · 11-22-2007, 06:19 PM

Our Christmas budget started out small, but has grown substantially. DH found a dirt bike he wanted to get DS#3 at a very good price. We were fortunate enough to pay cash for it. (A friend has it in storage for us.) Now we are looking for DS#2 one as well because he mentioned he also wanted one. I just wish we would come across another deal like we did DS#3's. (A friend has it in storage for us.)I am thinking we will have to dish out at least $500-$1000 more! UGH! I wish that the other one would have been big enough for both of them to ride. We are still debating what to do. We have to money, so that isn't a problem. It is just whether I want to spend that much. I am done with Christmas for all the extended family and friends. I just need to buy this one thing for DS#2.

**ShadowMom** · 11-23-2007, 10:11 AM

We don't have a budget this year. Hubby got laid off his job 2 months ago, and we just got his first unemployment check. We are not going to be able to buy gifts this year, luckily both boys are grown. so I an thinking of food gifts this year. They are always talking about the goods they had growing up that they miss, cookies, etc. Soooo, I am thinking chocolate chip cookies, and maybe a homemade bread, something on that order.

We usually just send cards to extended family that don't have email, ecards to those that do. 123greetings.com, bluemountain.com have nice ones for free.

**freyadog** · 11-23-2007, 11:27 AM

Dh and I both sew. Yep my big Texan loves to sew. We are spending about 10$ per person this year. Everyone gets a quilt. Have collected sales fabric for years and have large buckets of the stuff. Alot we bought on the bolt. We also buy our batting in bulk. So our Christmas for everyone will be from the home, from the heart but not the pocketbook. Number 3 just came off the frame and just 2 more to finish.