How do you do Xmas presents?

[Hedy]

I generally try to balance them based upon dollar amount, but how do you do that? Example-in theory, if I got one of my nephews a refurbished Ipod, it would be within range of the $23 cookbook I got my neice, only $6 more. However, as the value of the gifts are so varied ($23 v. $70), how do you determine a gift limit? I figured my fellow budget boarders would have thoughts, as you all seem skilled in such things.

 

[budbeerlady]

If they are in the same family I do by value. So if I were spending $75 on each, the 1 would get the Ipod, the other a cookbook and some other items. If it is your niece and your dh's nephew who will never meet, then stay with what you have going and dont buy anything else.

If I spend less on an item than the value it has (for ex. the Ipod ) I pocket the savings.

 

[peanut12392]

We go by what the gift is worth, not by what we actually spent, for example DD is getting the 30G Ipod, and DS is getting the nintendo wii. They both cost about the same in stores, however the Ipod was free. We won it as a door prize (It is brand new). So we are calling it even, we're not going to spend another 250 to even up the spending. Hope this makes sense - we would never let DD know this however!!!

 

[Hedy]

We go by what the gift is worth, not by what we actually spent, for example DD is getting the 30G Ipod, and DS is getting the nintendo wii. They both cost about the same in stores, however the Ipod was free. We won it as a door prize (It is brand new). So we are calling it even, we're not going to spend another 250 to even up the spending. Hope this makes sense - we would never let DD know this however!!!

Yeah, I get what you and the previous poster are saying.

 

[KarenAylwood]

Always by value. One of the most fun things about Christmas shopping is finding the best deal I can get!! After using the $10 Macy's coupon on Black Friday the past few years, I've gotten nice dress shirts that are worth about $40 for only a few bucks- same with gloves, sweaters, etc. If I went by how much I spent- I'd be trying to catch up all the time, and I'd spend a fortune!

The only person I keep track of the dollar amt I've spent is DBF- we set a cap spending amount each year and I make a game out of trying to figure out ways to buy as much as I can. If I went by value, he'd only be getting about two things and I wouldn't be spending the same amount he is (we try to keep it even so one doesn't splurge on the other).