Holiday Shopping Budget???

[TravelMommy]

Just curious, as we have tried over the years to pare down our holiday budgets and still have a fabulous celebration. Certainly a challenge! Do you spend a certain amount on the holidays? Do you spend a certain amount per person? Do you include food/drinks for when entertaining in your holiday budget? TIA! I try to shop all year for gift cards and some gifts, but inevitably there are season specific request like a $90.00 remote controlled dinosaur. Making my Christmas lists!

 

[MOpGrad2013]

Budget: $30 for adult siblings--$20 for each niece & nephew
$50-75 for each set of our parents (one combined gift and a few smaller)

$75 for adult children
$100 for each of the kids at home

40 Christmas cards plus postage--max $40

So, that takes us to $400 this year. Shipping items is another cost, but I can figure that out. That may push it another $100 if I can't get items online shipped free.

Generally, I pick up small items and then they combine together in the box. I do spend a bit of money on wrapping and bows, but that is in the craft closet. This year I am wrapping in brown kraft paper and adding bows and hot glued odds with glitter.

 

[barkley]

we only buy for each other and our kids. I try to keep the spending fairly even between kids, but I also want them to have a fairly equal amount of things to open so if one asks for something bigger, their other items will be smaller. they're both into video games which they know they might only get a couple of due to the cost, but it's their choice to get fewer more costly things vs. more lower cost.

as for budget-even though it pays next to no interest I set up a Christmas club account at my credit union a couple years ago. I figured out what I was comfortable spending for Christmas (including food) and divided it by 12. that amount is auto deposited into the account from my checking each month. the first of this month the balance of the account is available for me to withdraw. each year I bump the amount up by about 5 or 10% because of cost increases. it makes it less painful when the holidays roll around to have a set chunk of change vs. having to budget for it/pull it from savings.


this year will be interesting for us-dd moved out so she's going to end up on the receiving end of some of the things that she's been shocked to learn how much they cost (specific foods in particular). it will be the first time a portion of my Christmas gift shopping will be completed at the grocery store but although she won't think to ask for the items I know she'll be thrilled to get them (and see her budgeted food money stretch a bit further).

 

[vleeth]

I really need to get to work on figuring this out. Plus I need to go through the list of things I bought already.

I have one dd9 at home and we're trying to make Christmas less about stuff. Plus she doesn't really play with 'toys' so I'm not sure what I'll end up getting her.

 

[TravelMommy]

I knew this was going to be helpful! I forgot to add in Christmas Cards, postage and wrapping paper/gift card holders/tape and teacher cards/gifts, list keeps getting longer, lol. I completely agree about making the holidays less about stuff and more about the true meaning of Christmas. Loved the Christmas Club idea! I am getting some grocery store gift cards for our oldest!

The last few years we have been getting all the kids three gifts (one from Santa and two from Us) and a stocking, has been working out great.

 

[barkley]

I knew this was going to be helpful! I forgot to add in Christmas Cards, postage and wrapping paper/gift card holders/tape and teacher cards/gifts, list keeps getting longer, lol.

the best money saver I ever did on wrapping stuff was purchasing 3 of the decorated gift box/2 of the gift bag sets at Costco. they aren't crazy inexpensive (about $20 each) but they can be reused year after year (and the box sets come with at least 1 gift card holder each). the kids/dh also give me a bad time b/c about 4 years ago I bought 2 of Costco's really nice gift tag sets (about 10-12 dollars each), and each year when we are tossing the wrapping/tissue paper out, I grab the tags and put them in a ziplock bag to store with the boxes/bags-I pull them out to reuse them every year they're too dang cute to toss (several Disney themed), and why waste money to do the same 'to and from' names year after year.

with Christmas cards I always have a few left over every year so I toss them in with the wrapping stuff (along with the cards we received so I remember everyone to send one to). seems like every 3 or 4 years I've collected enough to be able to skip purchasing for one christmas

 

[TravelMommy]

the best money saver I ever did on wrapping stuff was purchasing 3 of the decorated gift box/2 of the gift bag sets at Costco. they aren't crazy inexpensive (about $20 each) but they can be reused year after year (and the box sets come with at least 1 gift card holder each). the kids/dh also give me a bad time b/c about 4 years ago I bought 2 of Costco's really nice gift tag sets (about 10-12 dollars each), and each year when we are tossing the wrapping/tissue paper out, I grab the tags and put them in a ziplock bag to store with the boxes/bags-I pull them out to reuse them every year they're too dang cute to toss (several Disney themed), and why waste money to do the same 'to and from' names year after year.

with Christmas cards I always have a few left over every year so I toss them in with the wrapping stuff (along with the cards we received so I remember everyone to send one to). seems like every 3 or 4 years I've collected enough to be able to skip purchasing for one christmas

Absolutely brilliant, we are big recyclers and I can not believe I never thought of that. Great idea! Thank-you!

 

[barkley]

Absolutely brilliant, we are big recyclers and I can not believe I never thought of that. Great idea! Thank-you!

the boxes are AWSOME-and they store so easily (they are set up to fit one into the other, about 20 total all end up in the largest box which is smaller than a cardboard filing box). the tags are NICE quality-I have a couple of spools of the wide ribbon Costco sells-I tie them around the boxes and tie the tags on (so no tape to destroy the boxes or tags).

 

[disney1990]

$50 Each
Adult Daughter
Son in Law
Granddaughter (14)
Granddaughter (16)
Adult Daughter
Son in Law
Elderly Mom (91)
Elderly Father-in-Law (93)

Best Friend $10
Work Present $5 ( ompany limit)
My Sister $10

My Husband $100
Me $100
Stamps, Stockings, Cats, Cards $75

Budgeted $750 (Above listing $700)

 

[MomToOne]

I have a detailed budget that includes:
- Gifts for everyone I need to give to, from DD14 (incl stocking) to my mother/siblings/nephews to the gardener and everyone inbetween.
- Travel costs to my Mother's: plane tickets, rental car, rental car gas, cat boarding, airport parking, checked bag fees
- Christmas cards
- Wrapping paper/bags/etc (usually a very low budget because I pick things up at after Christmas sales)
- Shipping of gifts
- Christmas Tree and other decorations (we get a new nutcracker every year, I grab a bunch of poinsettias at Home Depot on Black Friday for $1 each)
- Christmas outfits for me/DD14. It's just not Christmas without a new outfit to wear for the day I like to pick them up during the summer sales though - I got great sweater dresses for both DD and I this year for 80% off.
- Activities like going to see the Nutcracker ballet, buying a new Christmas movie for our weekly movie night, etc.
- Hostess gifts: my brother hosts a family get together Christmas Eve and it's tradition for me to bring a box of Sees chocolates. Other events throughout the season usually require one or two other hostess gifts.
- Extra grocery shopping: While at my mother's I usually do a couple of major grocery shopping trips to get things for meals and such. Tradition is that I cook tortilla soup one night for the whole extended family, other nights I cook things just for me, DD14, my mother and maybe a random brother or two.

So basically my Christmas budget includes anything over and above my standard monthly budget.

I won't mention the total. Travel costs especially make it a bit obscene. I'd love to cut it, but I have it down as low as I can get it without sacrificing things I feel are worth it.

 

[MacDalt]

I'd love to know what other families spend on their kids for Christmas. It's one of those things that just isn't asked, lol! I've wondered for years! My kids are 17 & 21. I usually spend between $500-800 each. I guess that's really only in the last 5 years. It was less when they were younger. Probably more like $300-500 then. Is that typical? More? Less? I'm just kinda curious.

(Please only give as much info as you are comfortable with! Don't feel pressured, lol!!)

 

[barkley]

I'd love to know what other families spend on their kids for Christmas. It's one of those things that just isn't asked, lol! I've wondered for years! My kids are 17 & 21. I usually spend between $500-800 each. I guess that's really only in the last 5 years. It was less when they were younger. Probably more like $300-500 then. Is that typical? More? Less? I'm just kinda curious.

(Please only give as much info as you are comfortable with! Don't feel pressured, lol!!)

we spend tops maybe (including stockings) $250-300 for each of ours. that doesn't get allot of their top picks (video games) on their letters to santa, but it gets a couple of the ones they really want in addition to some of the less expensive items I know they will enjoy/need (inexpensive replacement headphones, books, clothes, movie gift cards, dvds......). when they were younger we were able to get away with much less $$$ wise b/c the toys and then vhs tapes were much less expensive).

now I should say-in addition to what I budget to spend on each, I also get them each pajamas and a small gift to open Christmas eve (usually an inexpensive dvd they've wanted to see). we (our family) also gets one gift from santa each year that is whatever movie everyone in the household has enjoyed in the last year (not sure what this years pick will be).

 

[MommyMK]

I put away a $100 a month for Christmas so $1200/ year. The kids get $150 with stocking stuffers (x2), DH and I tend to spend $100 each on each other. Then we have 6 parents to buy for, 1 grandma, 2 aunts, 3 sisters and 4 cousins. Plus teachers, bus driver, etc. I try to pull everything Christmas out of the budget including the tree, dinner, special activities, crafts and such but it doesn't always quite get covered.

We also need to pay for a hotel for 4-5 nights to visit the above mentioned family, that's not included. Hoping to have enough leftover in the vacation budget after our disney trip to cover that.

 

[MinnieForMe]

I'd love to know what other families spend on their kids for Christmas. It's one of those things that just isn't asked, lol! I've wondered for years! My kids are 17 & 21. I usually spend between $500-800 each. I guess that's really only in the last 5 years. It was less when they were younger. Probably more like $300-500 then. Is that typical? More? Less? I'm just kinda curious.

(Please only give as much info as you are comfortable with! Don't feel pressured, lol!!)

I am right there with you! $500-600 a kid (sometimes more, sometimes less). It needs to look balanced for all three, even if it is not! My kids are 17, 13 and 9. When they were little, I could put so many presents under the tree for $100. Now, I find $500 might get my older sons, a present. I don't want to buy many little things just to have presents so they get something special. Two year's ago, my oldest received a $1000 Bass Guitar. Last year, it was a $400 microcord (it's something for music) and a silver trumpet from Grandpa (cost more than his car) but Grandpa told him once he needed a professional trumpet he would buy it as he was happy with a used one for 6 years. He is an amazing musician so instruments are never a waste here.

I do three presents from Santa still but they are small (an article of clothing, maybe a record (my son collects vinyl) and one other item. They receive their big item from us.

My middle will probably get a tablet this year. His science teacher suggested it as they want every kid to have a device in the lab. He wants a surface with a keyboard. Ugh. Not cheap. He'll also get a video game or two.

My youngest is still into American Girl. I purchased a huge lot from a teen friend who just wanted all her stuff gone a few year's ago and have been spreading it out over the years. My daughter will get the entire Kaya set because of this. She also has a few other AG/Target/Walmart knock offs on her list.

I don't know if this was helpful to you. My husband receives a bonus every December and it is automatically put towards Christmas. The rest I spread buying from September through December. It's a lot of money but we don't spoil our kids otherwise.

If we couldn't afford it, we would NOT spend it. No debt for Christmas!

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

I'd love to know what other families spend on their kids for Christmas. It's one of those things that just isn't asked, lol! I've wondered for years! My kids are 17 & 21. I usually spend between $500-800 each. I guess that's really only in the last 5 years. It was less when they were younger. Probably more like $300-500 then. Is that typical? More? Less? I'm just kinda curious.

(Please only give as much info as you are comfortable with! Don't feel pressured, lol!!)

That is pretty much where we are. This year, dd is getting her first ipad...there goes $550. Add in a cover and a few small things to unwrap and it adds up quickly! My son will get a similar amount. Hubby will also be getting a new iPad. I asked hubby to only get me small stuff as I got a new camera right before our summer vacation.

Luckily, we don't really buy for anyone else in the family but my mom. Then, we just get what we think she would like. Some years a book or two. Some years something a bit more. She has everything she could ever want, so we try to think of thoughtful things for her.

Outside family, I do a small gift exchange with coworkers. It is usually just a small, thoughtful gift...lotions, soaps, Chapstick, etc...under $20 total.

This year, we will be at about $2k. Last year was about the same, but presents were smaller and we rented a cabin near a ski resort over Christmas week. So, it varies what we spend the money on, but lately it has hovered around the $2k mark.

 

[Soulsearching]

 

[Marionnette]

Christmas spending accounts for somewhere between 1%-2% of our income. That includes cards, wrappings, all food for Christmas & New Years parties and gifts for our 4 parents, 3 kids, nieces and nephews. We don't buy for our siblings or their spouses.

 

[cvjw]

$2000 spending budget for Christmas for our family. That includes presents for our two teen boys, grandparents and 5 nieces/nephews.

 

[scrapquitler]

I'd love to know what other families spend on their kids for Christmas. It's one of those things that just isn't asked, lol! I've wondered for years! My kids are 17 & 21. I usually spend between $500-800 each. I guess that's really only in the last 5 years. It was less when they were younger. Probably more like $300-500 then. Is that typical? More? Less? I'm just kinda curious.

(Please only give as much info as you are comfortable with! Don't feel pressured, lol!!)

We usually spend about $500 on each of our kids, but we don't buy a lot at other times of the year except thier birthday, and Christmas gifts here also include practical things like clothes, pajamas, etc.

We also don't buy many gifts for any extended family members or acquaintances. We buy something ($50 for MIL and FIL combined and $25 for BIL) for my husabands parents/brother because they have resisted the 'no gifts' for adults thing. On my side of the family, we only buy for the nieces and nephews who are under 18 (only one of those left, and we limit that to $25) and we do a $10 per person grab bag that everyone plays in, so that costs me about $40.

So that's it.

I don't do cards anymore, I don't do a lot of baking anymore (maybe just a couple batches of cookies and one batch of fudge), I do cook Christmas dinner for 6. That does add up $$ pretty quickly, but I would say I probably spend about $125 including all the appetizers and the main course. I start buying some of the items for that right around now, so an extra thing or two each week doesn't seem so much, and then the last week before Christmas I buy the perishables. We don't do any entertaining beyond Christmas Day. We do go to a gathering with my family on Christmas Eve, and we do that pot luck, so I only have to make one dish, doesn't cost more than a regular dinner at home.

And we don't do much of any pricey activities for Christmas, either. Mostly at home stuff with the family, or we go to free events in the community.

I do spread the shopping out from mid-October to early December, but I usually finish my shopping by Cyber Monday, and it's all paid off before Christmas. If I had to carry the balance into the new year, I'd never shop as much as I do.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I have two kids. DS14 and DD8. I try to keep it around 400 for Christmas per kid. Some years it increases. Last year all DS wanted was a PS4. I got that plus a controller and a game. That's all he opened but it had me at almost $600. DD8 wanted an ipad. I got that plus a few other odds and ends and she had a lot more to open even though I only hit $400.

My kids don't get much during the year other than their birthday. So we aren't flowing in the toys. When they were younger I would spend $400 and have so much stuff it was ridiculous. I like now that they are older they ask for one big price item and then I get them a few smaller priced items. Saves me time and space.

My kids also get gifts from their father. He spends around $200-250 each.

I buy for coworkers. Maybe $5-10 each. Just trinkets. Times 4 so $40.

The doctor and nurse I work with closely. $25 each.

I have a HUGE family so the adults get together and do a pollyana. $20

The kids in the family get together and do a pollyanna. $20 of course the parents pay for this but at least this way we don't have a load of toys for each kid

My mother $50

My grandmother $50 (she watches my kids after school for free)

My nephew $50

SO's parents $50 each

I don't do Christmas cards. I only wrap my kids gifts. Everyone else gets gift cards.