Christmas Spending

[An_Island_Girl]

Holy crap, you bought your husband a $90,000 car?!?!?!?!? WTH are you doing on the budget board?

I'm here because this is such a fun group of disney divas who know how to find awesome deals! All of the money I save gets put into a fun money account, and when you save a few thousand here and there by getting a PIN or a great % off for travel expenses, the fun money accounts gets full pretty fast (not so fast with a .50 cent off coupon, but hey it all adds up in the end!).
I'm a stay at home mom, and I love finding a good deal... i guess you could call saving money my hobby. Those of you that feel great seeing the $ saved portion of a coupon know what I mean.

We have two older sons (adults now), our DD7, and 2 beautiful grandchildren 1&3 to buy for this year. I'm stumped on the baby, as he gets his sisters toys as she outgrows them. If anyone has a great Christmas idea for a 13 month old, please let me know!

Otherwise my Christmas shopping is mostly done... I'm sure I'll pick up some great Black Friday deals as fillers, but I actually have most everything wrapped and ready!

63 more days and counting!

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

I'm here because this is such a fun group of disney divas who know how to find awesome deals! All of the money I save gets put into a fun money account, and when you save a few thousand here and there by getting a PIN or a great % off for travel expenses, the fun money accounts gets full pretty fast (not so fast with a .50 cent off coupon, but hey it all adds up in the end!).
I'm a stay at home mom, and I love finding a good deal... i guess you could call saving money my hobby. Those of you that feel great seeing the $ saved portion of a coupon know what I mean.

We have two older sons (adults now), our DD7, and 2 beautiful grandchildren 1&3 to buy for this year. I'm stumped on the baby, as he gets his sisters toys as she outgrows them. If anyone has a great Christmas idea for a 13 month old, please let me know!

Otherwise my Christmas shopping is mostly done... I'm sure I'll pick up some great Black Friday deals as fillers, but I actually have most everything wrapped and ready!

63 more days and counting!

Get the baby a box. You know how babies love boxes! Maybe get a fridge box; she can scribble on it or crawl through it. You could go "fancy" and get one of those pop up tents and tunnel things.

As for the car, I am more impressed you can keep it a secret!

 

[Perditamarie]

I'm here because this is such a fun group of disney divas who know how to find awesome deals! All of the money I save gets put into a fun money account, and when you save a few thousand here and there by getting a PIN or a great % off for travel expenses, the fun money accounts gets full pretty fast (not so fast with a .50 cent off coupon, but hey it all adds up in the end!).
I'm a stay at home mom, and I love finding a good deal... i guess you could call saving money my hobby. Those of you that feel great seeing the $ saved portion of a coupon know what I mean.

We have two older sons (adults now), our DD7, and 2 beautiful grandchildren 1&3 to buy for this year. I'm stumped on the baby, as he gets his sisters toys as she outgrows them. If anyone has a great Christmas idea for a 13 month old, please let me know!

Otherwise my Christmas shopping is mostly done... I'm sure I'll pick up some great Black Friday deals as fillers, but I actually have most everything wrapped and ready!

63 more days and counting!

Get the baby a set of wheels too:

http://www.littletikes.com/riding-toys

 

[mrseace711]

It would never in a million years occur to me that any of these people should get a gift.

OKAY I thought I was the odd one out here, I had not thought of gifting the mailman, my eye brow waxer,Doctor, pediatrician, my kids coaches, principle, additional teachers like spanish teacher gym teacher..... HOLY COW I was starting to write a small list on who I should add like the Principle which I adore

Question: Mailmen, Doctors, Teachers, Coaches, Bosses, Supervisors... ect If you are one of these do you expect gifts? Or better yet are they common? I really like my childrens Principle for instance but not so much my own boss Ive never met our mailman or mailwoman. I see my childrens Dr once a year sometimes a few more times.

 

[mrseace711]

If anyone has a great Christmas idea for a 13 month old, please let me know!

This was my DD4 FAVORITE toy for actually atleast 2-3 years we had to replace the batteries. It was the best $12 spent It sings a few rhymes, counting song, and the ABC song fully not just a intrumental it taught my DD her ABCs because she would play it OVER AND OVER again We still have it =)
http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Laugh-Learn-Learning-Player/dp/B000LT4KMO/ref=sr_1_5?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1319292688&sr=1-5


http://www.amazon.com/LeapFrog-19157-My-Pal-Violet/dp/B001W35I8I/ref=sr_1_103?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1319292364&sr=1-103

http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Kid-Tough-Explorers-2-in-1-Lantern/dp/B002SXMH3U/ref=sr_1_155?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1319292440&sr=1-155

 

[gracie1]

OKAY I thought I was the odd one out here, I had not thought of gifting the mailman, my eye brow waxer,Doctor, pediatrician, my kids coaches, principle, additional teachers like spanish teacher gym teacher..... HOLY COW I was starting to write a small list on who I should add like the Principle which I adore

Question: Mailmen, Doctors, Teachers, Coaches, Bosses, Supervisors... ect If you are one of these do you expect gifts? Or better yet are they common? I really like my childrens Principle for instance but not so much my own boss Ive never met our mailman or mailwoman. I see my childrens Dr once a year sometimes a few more times.

I get a gift for the lady that waxes my eyebrows, but that's it. Only because she always squeezes me in last minute. So it's kind of a thank you!

 

[DISdreamin']

This thread made me LOL, as I just pre-ordered my DH a new 2012 750Li to be delivered Christmas morning with a big red bow.
I'd say I'm in the way over $700 category, but it will be so worth it to see his surprised face! He has had a great year, and deserves a special treat from Santa too.

Good night! Wow, I wish I had the funds to purchase that kind of gift for my family. I'm not sure that is the way I'd spend it (although *I* would dearly love to drive that car, DH would rather have a truck ) but we're just not there yet financially...and never will be! Our chose fields just don't pay the kind of salaries that would allow for that kind of vehicle. ~sigh~ Good thing we've got Honda taste to go with our Honda budget.

Anyways, just had to post and say...WOW!!! I can only imagine how shocked and happy your DH will be! I don't think I could keep the secret for that long...

 

[gracie1]

Good night! Wow, I wish I had the funds to purchase that kind of gift for my family. I'm not sure that is the way I'd spend it (although *I* would dearly love to drive that car, DH would rather have a truck ) but we're just not there yet financially...and never will be! Our chose fields just don't pay the kind of salaries that would allow for that kind of vehicle. ~sigh~ Good thing we've got Honda taste to go with our Honda budget.

Anyways, just had to post and say...WOW!!! I can only imagine how shocked and happy your DH will be! I don't think I could keep the secret for that long...

I don't know if I could keep that a secret either!! I would love to get up on christmas day and see that in the driveway though

 

[DawnM]

We are going to Disney in 2 weeks!

I have told the kids this is part of their Christmas.

We are going to Legoland TWICE while there.
I have $300 in Disney dollars and American Express gift cards and told them they could each choose a Lego set while there ($100 each).

So, Christmas morning will be lite this year and they will get it early. They seem fine with that.

Even my 7 year old said, "I can't' really think of anything else I want for Christmas."

They will probably each get a 3DS game or two.

DH just joined a golf course.....so that is his early Christmas gift.

If you count all of the above we are way, way, way over $700. However, if we are only counting what is opened Christmas morning, we will be under.

Dawn

 

[neatokimmo]

At almost 2, Natalie's favorite thing was a cardboard playhouse. They are white and you can color them with markers. They are maybe $20? It is just a fancy box

I'm here because this is such a fun group of disney divas who know how to find awesome deals! All of the money I save gets put into a fun money account, and when you save a few thousand here and there by getting a PIN or a great % off for travel expenses, the fun money accounts gets full pretty fast (not so fast with a .50 cent off coupon, but hey it all adds up in the end!).
I'm a stay at home mom, and I love finding a good deal... i guess you could call saving money my hobby. Those of you that feel great seeing the $ saved portion of a coupon know what I mean.

We have two older sons (adults now), our DD7, and 2 beautiful grandchildren 1&3 to buy for this year. I'm stumped on the baby, as he gets his sisters toys as she outgrows them. If anyone has a great Christmas idea for a 13 month old, please let me know!

Otherwise my Christmas shopping is mostly done... I'm sure I'll pick up some great Black Friday deals as fillers, but I actually have most everything wrapped and ready!

63 more days and counting!

 

[neatokimmo]

OKAY I thought I was the odd one out here, I had not thought of gifting the mailman, my eye brow waxer,Doctor, pediatrician, my kids coaches, principle, additional teachers like spanish teacher gym teacher..... HOLY COW I was starting to write a small list on who I should add like the Principle which I adore

Question: Mailmen, Doctors, Teachers, Coaches, Bosses, Supervisors... ect If you are one of these do you expect gifts? Or better yet are they common? I really like my childrens Principle for instance but not so much my own boss Ive never met our mailman or mailwoman. I see my childrens Dr once a year sometimes a few more times.

Around here a group boss' gift and teacher gift are expected. For the boss, we all chip in for a case of beer. For the teacher, it is a $15 thing. I am going to figure out what part of town she lives in then go get a local pizza card so she doesn't have to cook dinner one night. So nothing terribly expensive.

Coaches will be new for us this year. They encourage and teach and really build up my kid's self esteem. Plus they rock, Natalie can do walkovers and hip circles and she is 4 (<---proud mama bragging lol).

I think the mail carriers are a gray zone. They are paid well for their job. No way would I give my kid's doc a present. Its my goal to never see her

 

[gracie1]

Around here a group boss' gift and teacher gift are expected. For the boss, we all chip in for a case of beer. For the teacher, it is a $15 thing. I am going to figure out what part of town she lives in then go get a local pizza card so she doesn't have to cook dinner one night. So nothing terribly expensive.

Coaches will be new for us this year. They encourage and teach and really build up my kid's self esteem. Plus they rock, Natalie can do walkovers and hip circles and she is 4 (<---proud mama bragging lol).

I think the mail carriers are a gray zone. They are paid well for their job. No way would I give my kid's doc a present. Its my goal to never see her

I forgot about the boss's gift!! We normally each chip in and get him a gift card to a restaurant

 

[mrseace711]

Around here a group boss' gift and teacher gift are expected. For the boss, we all chip in for a case of beer. For the teacher, it is a $15 thing. I am going to figure out what part of town she lives in then go get a local pizza card so she doesn't have to cook dinner one night. So nothing terribly expensive.

Coaches will be new for us this year. They encourage and teach and really build up my kid's self esteem. Plus they rock, Natalie can do walkovers and hip circles and she is 4 (<---proud mama bragging lol).

I think the mail carriers are a gray zone. They are paid well for their job. No way would I give my kid's doc a present. Its my goal to never see her

Okay I was a stay at home mom in the years past, I have a feeling there will be a chip in gift for my supervisor. At my job they like gifting from what I hear its new to me =) I will be buying gifts for our really amazing teachers this year =/ wish though I had been as thoughtful in the years prior.

 

[MrsPete]

I am spending more than that but only because we are buying our oldest daughter a Macbook for Christmas. She's a senior in high school and needs a new computer for college next year.

We'll be going over $700 for the very same reason.

We're also giving our youngest a homemade coupon for private driving lessons (rather than waiting for her turn to come in the public school lessons -- it's buying time for her; it means she'll be able to get her permit /license sooner).

Anyway, with those two big items alone, we'll go over $700. BUT, these are things for which we've budged and things we can easily afford.

 

[MrsPete]

At almost 2, Natalie's favorite thing was a cardboard playhouse. They are white and you can color them with markers. They are maybe $20? It is just a fancy box

I actually remember owning one of those as a child. I LOVED it.

I bought one recently for my nephew's second birthday. It came from Hobby Lobby and cost less than $10. It was -- BY FAR -- the gift that the other kids coveted most at the party.

 

[phamy76]

I'm married, with 2 kids. DD is 4. DS is 11.
$700 is very high.
We spend about $150 each on the kids. It's a lot of sale shopping.
We spend about $50 on each other. Our wedding anniversay is Xmas Eve, so we do something small there, too. Maybe another $50.
But, outside the immediate family, presents are no more than $15-$20 each no matter what age the person is.

But, if you add in cookie making, baking and holiday activities, as a family, we might spend $700.

Not close to $700 per person.


We celebrate the season. Not the gift giving.

 

[mjantz]

We celebrate the season. Not the gift giving.

Why do people keep putting this like its some sort of either/or situation? You can spend a large amount of money & still be celebrating the season. My grandparents spoiled my brother & I rotten every holiday but we had a birthday cake for Jesus & I have fond memories of making Christmas cookies with my grandmother.

I agree that its not all about the money & that one can have a great Christmas with $500 or $5000. But to say that someone isn't 'Celebrating the Season' because they spent a large sum of money is ridiculous IMO.

 

[debrapagliasotti]

I voted more than $700. Ask me this next year and I will likely tell you a different story (we are taking the kids to WDW next year at Xmas & a suprise trip next Oct).

 

[aprilgail2]

I'm considering getting dd11 an iPad2. We are not early adapters. . Dd14 doesn't have any fancy electronics other than an iPod nano, but she does have a reasonably decent cell phone with unlimited texting. I don't want dd11 texting all the time, but she I think it's time to get her something with the "wow factor" that big sister doesn't have.

.

Thats what my 11 year old is getting too! Between that and a North Face jacket thats about all she is getting from me!

 

[eliza61]

Why do people keep putting this like its some sort of either/or situation? You can spend a large amount of money & still be celebrating the season. My grandparents spoiled my brother & I rotten every holiday but we had a birthday cake for Jesus & I have fond memories of making Christmas cookies with my grandmother.

I agree that its not all about the money & that one can have a great Christmas with $500 or $5000. But to say that someone isn't 'Celebrating the Season' because they spent a large sum of money is ridiculous IMO.

I have no idea mjantz. I guess that means if you are wealthy and can afford to buy someone a car, then you're a big ole heathen who has no idea why we celebrate christmas.