How much to do you spend on gifts for children?

[BetterLateThanNever]

HI all!

Well thought I was done with gift buying when i got christmas out of the way. but we've had some new additions to our family unit and now I have to buy Birthday gifts for an 8 year old girl and 9 year old boy. How much do you think is appropriate to spend on gifts. I'm really thinking like $15-$20 each and if I can find something on sale even better.

I learned my lesson whenI bought my niece and skirt and paid $9.50 for tights to match the skirt. She's worn the tights 3 times and they are ruined. I should have listened to my mom she warned me not to spend much money on kids clothes. I'm more angry at myself for gettins sucked into " OH isn't that cute! and have to have teh tights because they are made to got with the skirt!" so anyway determined to do better.

Some of you mention going good will and garage sales. Ever have problems with someone asking for the receipt so they can return the gift?

[lori17048]

Hello, I have eight grandchildren and we spent around $20 for a birthday gift. Christmas time the limit is $25.................Lori

[Momto2Boyz]

My son is in first grade and just started getting invited to birthday parties last year. I expected a few invites, but we ended up getting about 20, throughout the year! So, I told him he could only go to a few this year!

I set a budget of $15, then check the sales racks first! I don't go the garage sale/goodwill route for other kids (I do for my kids b-days), just becuase I don't want to offend any parents. I know some have a weird stigma about used stuff, so I don't want to force it on anyone! I have only done it once, and it was for a close friend of the families kid (whose mom I garage sale with ALL the time, so I knew she was cool with it), anyway, the kid loved spiderman, and I found some really cool spiderman stuff that I had never seen in stores, so I bought it for him.

I am being horrible this year. My kids got 2 presents for Christmas that they really didn't like, and rather than deal with the hassle of taking them back, I threw them into the birthday present basket! So I am already ahead 2 gifts for the birthday season!

[geckoace]

my son is 4 so for his friends b-days i spend btw $10-20 i never buy clothing for them. For kids in my family its probably about the same maybe little less actually. and christmas i spend 5-10 per kid that lets me get each kid a little something.

i tend to buy craft or educational stuff so it actually is much cheaper to stock up on craft kits and crayons and stuff throughout the year to give. im a big fan of giving gifts that get used up cause i know we run out of space for toys here.

[Dancing Lotus]

It all depends on who the kid is. I try to stick to under 10 if its a gifts for a friend and under 20 for family.

[justpeachy92]

For my kids I spend $100 on birthdays. This amount doesn't always reflect the amount spent on a gift because if they want a party that stuff comes out of the $100.
For nephews and nieces I spend no more than $40. I try to get them one fun thing and needed thing.
As for the kids my children are friends with I will spend $10. If my kids want to get their friend something that costs more then they are required to pay the difference out of their money.

[Daisygirl]

Last year my kids went to a school in a very nice neighborhood. People there spend $30-$40 on gifts for their children's classmates. At first I felt pressured to do the same - not wanting my kids to be "the poor kids" but then I thought to myself, someone has got to say no to this.

Well, to make a long story short we have changed schools this year to our neighborhood school (not so upscale). I spend $10 - 20 on birthday gifts. I just bought several makeup sets at Walmart that were 75% off. So these $20-30 gifts cost me $5-8. I have a closet for this stuff and I plan to add to it throughout the year anytime I see a good deal - we like artsy-craftsy stuff and that does go on clearance a lot.

My best advice is to stock up when things are on sale with well-chosen items. I refuse to go broke for other people's children.

[Kitten20]

I don't buy for children very often, but when I do (Christmas last year, for example), I keep it between $10-$20.

[LexTysMommy]

I found some neat handheld games, and board games on sale at kohls right before christmas, with the 75% off and night owl savings I got each one for about $2. I grabbed about 10 and figured use that for classmates birthdays. I make homemade cards for kids, and wrapping paper that I buy on sale.

People never know how much we spend, nor do I throw in the reciept. Usually I would spend $10-$15.

[amykhar]

If I know the child, about $20. Otherwise around $10 - less if there is a sale.

For my own kids, it really depends on how financially flush I am at the time. In lean years, not much at all. In better times, it depends on what the child needs.

Amy

[sunshine]

When my kids were little, I'd buy Barbies on sale for about $2/each, then make a bunch of clothes from fabric remnants. The boys all got Hot Wheels cars with handmade play mats to look like roads -- either town scenes, farm scenes, race scenes, etc.

As they got older -- I'd find hand held games on sale (got some this year at Walmart for $1) and GC's to fast food. And the girls, I hit the sales at Claires and stock up on hair stuff, nail polish , etc.

[latierra84]

If I know the child, about $20. Otherwise around $10 - less if there is a sale.

For my own kids, it really depends on how financially flush I am at the time. In lean years, not much at all. In better times, it depends on what the child needs.

Amy

off topic sorry. love your signature!

[peanut]

For extended family I keep it under $10...it's usually something homemade.

For my own children (20 and 23 yo) $50 each is our limit. My son-in-law and DD#1, university students, also get a $50 university bookstore gift certificate each.

Basically, DH and I have set $50 as the limit to gifts. But when the kids are in university, they get extra along the way. They just need it then.

Jean

[Mamaof2rugrats]

Generally around 10.- for other children. Probably 40ish for my own children for their birthdays.

[IntlMom]

I do alot of stocking up on bargains that go in the rubbermaid tub for when we need a gift for a friend. There are lego sets in there right now, and star wars stuff. I have started looking for young girl stuff lately too.

My kids? I don;t know, about 50 probably.