Holiday Shopping Budget???

[MAJPLO]

So funny I stumbled across this thread today, just did my Christmas shopping spreadsheet(yes I know I have issues- LOL) anyway, we do:

We have an only child DD12-so honestly whenever we feel like she is done. LOL Usually $500-600ish......

Usually about $100 between DH and I

My mom $75
My sister and BIL- $40-50 each(don't exchange with DH's sisters)
DH's parents $50 each
5 nieces/nephews (between my sister and his sisters)$30-40 each
god-daughter $25
DD's BFF's (2 for $20 each)
DH's extended family does a "dirty santa"(steal the gift-game)$25 and the kids draw names $25
Usually buy $10 gifts for my 2 supervisors

Food, parties, cards, baking- seperate budget.

I'd love to see your spreadsheet. Not for amounts but for the template.

 

[StephMK]

I usually shoot for about $300 per kid, which includes things like PJs and "special" clothes -maybe a fun tshirt or something wanted. I pick up things on sales & try to stretch that amount as much as possible. We do $100 for each set of parents. We also buy for my nephew & niece, $60 total. DH usually has a gift grab at work - $25 and I take a $10 GC for an exchange.

DH & I usually only spend no more than $50 on each other. I think we might bump that up to $100 each this year. Last year, we decided we would like to have a little more fun with gifts since the kids seem to end up nicer stuff than we usually get.

$1500-1700 total is the norm once everything is done. I don't buy decorations, I have a ton from over the years. I do like to bake & we'll be hosting Christmas this year.

 

[kathy884]

We go by the general recommendation to keep holiday spending at under 1% of gross annual income. // Presents: We are quite generous with our son ($300 or more if there is a big ticket item we want to get him anyway), my one cousin who struggles, and people who do services through out the year who we really like and live paycheck to paycheck (four people really and we give them each $100). For two personal trainers, we give $50. // For each other, a minimal number of relatives who are well off who we exchange with, etc. we get very modest (more of just a thinking of you gifts) -- like under $20 per person (same thing for everyone last year and it was $13), and we don't encourage new gift exchanging. When people we don't want to start gift exchanges with give us presents (no matter how generous or how token), we don't give them anything, but just are very gracious and say, "how thoughtful of you". In almost every case, they don't get something for us the next year. // For one relative of mine who struggles I actually use part of my charitable contribution monthly budget, not just the Christmas budget in order to be able to be generous with them at Christmas. But in this case I know it's much appreciated and that they don't feel embarrassed to be getting the money and gifts from us.

We keep celebrations at home fun and modest. Egg nod from the grocery store, record a fun Christmas movie on the DVR, the same decorations from past years, just replacement of outdoor Christmas lights (how is it that they only last one year) and one or two new ornaments that I let my son pick out (no special budgeting involved). We usually pick one special Christmas show or event to do too. That, though, is from our entertainment budget, not Christmas budget (no special budgeting involved). This year we are going to see the St. Louis Symphony do Pixar in concert (me, my husband, my son, and my sister-in-law who will be visiting us for the holiday weekend from New Jersey.)

This is perfect for us and I never feel the need to do more than this. It's really just a little down time with the family that is my favorite part of the holidays. I'm not into Christmas being any more than this. (I mean come on -- It's a retail holiday. Christ was born in the spring and the Church in England moved the church celebration to December to calm things down from the Mardi Gras type stuff celebrated at that time and other churches followed, so don't give me any BS about getting back to the true meaning of Christmas. With a history like that and manipulation like that, I feel empowered to do as little or as much as I want for the holidays.)

Oh and we don't exchange with most siblings or most cousins. I do give a token gift to one cousin and my one sister-in-law, as each live alone and really gets a kick out of being remembered (under $20) and spend about $500 (charitable contribution budget and part of my Christmas budget on my one cousin who doesn't have much money and really appreciates this (It feels like a Christmas windfall to him -- $200 in gift / gift card form and $300 in cash typically that I swing for this).

For my son, we don't get creative and try to surprise him. He's 19. We get him something he wants or cash (the $100 bill seems to be the most impressive way to give this.)

 

[wishesuponastar]

2 Daughters - $250 each. I include stocking stuffers, pajamas and ornament in that total

DH parents - $50 each, usually gift cards
SIL & BIL - $30 each
2 Cousins - $20 each
If we get together with other cousins then we buy for their children so
that's 4 more children - $20 each

DH & I might buy something for the house as our present or we get something small off our list

 

[twinnersmama]

I never do a budget and I know I should. It's still early, maybe I can plan for one now. I'm enjoying everyone's ideas.

For DDs (both 11) I have always bought until I am satisfied with what they are getting .. which usually adds up to a huge pile under the tree for each - and even though I may say I'm done, I'm always still shopping until the last minute.

We have a huge list of people we buy for - probably at least 30+ people. I try to keep it close to spending the same amount for people who are grouped together on my list -- ie my cousin's kids (DDs don't have any first cousins) - try to spend the same amount on each them.

We have always exchanged gifts with my closest friend's kids --this year, instead of getting them something they don't need, and it's turning into gift card exchange -- we are going to do a trip to the local ski resort to snow tube. Yeah, it will be more than I had spent on their gifts, but it will be quality time spent together and cutting down on the extra stuff that the kids don't need anyway.

 

[trip]

So funny I stumbled across this thread today, just did my Christmas shopping spreadsheet(yes I know I have issues- LOL)

You're not the only one, my spreadsheet goes back 10 years broken down by person, gift, price and any misc spending.

 

[Computermama]

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

On a similar costco vein, I bought four rolls of costco paper and a pack of tape from them and I should be good for wrapping gifts for the next decade or two. No joke. My sister bought ONE roll of theirs for about 10 bucks 6 or 7 years ago and has wrapped every single gift she's bought for Christmas in it ever since, and it's still going. The only reason I bought 4 rolls is I like some variety in the prints. Bought them 2 years ago, and keep them in a rubbermaid wrapping paper container with the rest of my christmas gear.

For me, about five years ago I wised up with money, and started "sinking funds" for things I spend infrequently, like car maintenance/repairs, medical expenses, home maintenance/repairs, birthdays, vacations and Christmas. While Christmas is still on my mind in early January, I figure out what I'll need for the following year for food/decor/gifts/other expenses(travel, pictures, admission to local events), round up, divide by twelve, and set up a recurring debit from my checking account into a savings account earmarked for it. I do similarly for my other sinking funds. Then when I buy something for Christmas, or have a car repair etc, I pay for it using either my checking account or my master card, and transfer the amount from my appropriate savings account to my checking account to cover it. Part of the initial decisions on how much I want to spend is deciding on a budget for each person. I spend a similar amount on my husband as I do on each of my girls, and set aside a similar amount for the hubs to spend on me. I figure out who if anyone is getting a gift from us in our extended family, and make allowances for secret santa type exchanges at work/school, and spend a small amount on gifts for service people, like my daughter's teacher and bus driver. I end up buying one or two more things to decorate the house, so I make sure I allow for that. One year I had enough of my poor hand-me-down impossible to assemble artificial tree, and got rid of it after Christmas, so I set aside an extra amount to buy a pretty prelit for the following year. It requires some planning, but it's worth it to not spend your pretty Christmas morning dreading next month's credit card bills.

 

[DisneyHardin]

We have a fairly large list of people we exchange with, so it adds up fast. DH and I don't have kids, so we don't have any Santa presents to buy.

We usually spend about $200 apiece on each other - $400
6 parents (including steps) - $50/person - $300
7 siblings (including inlaws) - $30/person - $210
1 nephew (we are very close to him) - $50
2 nieces (we aren't as close to them) - $30 each - $60
1 Grandmother - $30
4 Secretaries at work - $15/person - $60
3 People on my team at work - $10/person - $30
My assistant - $25
My boss - $20
DH's Aunt and 2 cousins - $20/person - $60
3 Cousin's kids - $10/person - $30

With extras including cards/food/wrapping/decorations - My total is about $1500

 

[MAJPLO]

We have a fairly large list of people we exchange with, so it adds up fast. DH and I don't have kids, so we don't have any Santa presents to buy.

We usually spend about $200 apiece on each other - $400
6 parents (including steps) - $50/person - $300
7 siblings (including inlaws) - $30/person - $210
1 nephew (we are very close to him) - $50
2 nieces (we aren't as close to them) - $30 each - $60
1 Grandmother - $30
4 Secretaries at work - $15/person - $60
3 People on my team at work - $10/person - $30
My assistant - $25
My boss - $20
DH's Aunt and 2 cousins - $20/person - $60
3 Cousin's kids - $10/person - $30

With extras including cards/food/wrapping/decorations - My total is about $1500

If you don't mind sharing, how old are the cousin's kids?

 

[hereyago]

Mailed to Erinmarissa today.