How Much Did u Spend This Holiday Season.

[lisaross]

Just curious if everyone stayed within their budget or went over...

I stayed just within my budget -

I spent about 1000.00 including my two boys and husband also

teachers, bus driver, inlaws, parents, extended family etc.

Some items i bought were:

TV, Ipod Touch, Kindle Fire, Gas & Movie Gift Cards, books, lottery tickets, insulated lunch bags, candy and more!

I did buy a bunch of gifts last year after the holidays and put them away -

I love to shop the day after x-mas and the day after new years..

I will have no debt after the holidays and i am VERY happy - i have a holiday account and deposit money throughout the year!

happy holidays!

 

[figment3258]

Ugh we did not stick to our budget and went over next year we will be doing a Christmas fund so this does not happen again.

 

[Marionnette]

I'm well under budget at the moment but I still have to buy food for the holidays. Both boys will be home from college by this weekend and that always makes the grocery bill skyrocket!

And I need to pick up Visa gift cards at TDbank for my niece and two nephews.

It's all in the budget, so I'm not concerned. We won't go into debt for Christmas.

 

[pigletto]

Within budget here. I still spent a small fortune but 500 of it was reward points I saved all year.

 

[marie1203]

We are over budget but not because of gifts but because all our family are coming. At first it was just SIL and my mom, sister and her boyfriend. Then the MIL and FIL were coming, then BIL and his fiancé. Well it just keep growing from then. Now we are having 14 people over. So I had to expand the budget but yes we are over our original budget.

 

[Karenj2]

We will be well over what I had pocketed away for Christmas (in my ING account) , but still within a decent range... What killed it for me is my hubby! He had given me three ideas of what to get him - 2 GCs to specific things (BORING), and sweaters. YAWN! I know that he's also been dying to re-join the golf course that we live on, and they have a special going on for the end of the year that I couldn't pass up, so I'm getting him that (which is his Christmas & Birthday present!!) That's still about $700 more than I was planning on spending on him...

I'm keeping better tabs on what we're spending, so that I can change how much we're putting away so that NEXT year we don't outlay any additional $$$$.

 

[DISdreamin']

Bottom line, too much! Got some fun gifts, but I'm about $200 over budget with one more gift to buy.

 

[QVCshopper]

I'm pretty sure we came in around what I thought, but I should add it up--not including charities and the orthodonist gift (doing DD's braces as a family favor).

Some of the more expensive things include half an iPad, an iPod Touch, Nintendo 3DS, American Girl doll, Ugg slippers, robotic dinosaur, Lalaloopsy dolls, iTunes gift cards for school folks, etc. Charities include sponsor a child, angel trees, local food bank, library, and more. I really am trying to help out the community!

 

[kinntj]

We are under budget and we can use that for family outings this winter. It will be great to have extra trips to Zap Zone, bowling, and the golf dome.

The kids want to plan their spring trip to the indoor waterpark now. A little too early and I want to enjoy Christmas and not rush it.

 

[neatokimmo]

More than I planned, about $1000 in the end, about half of that being on DD. I got her a last minute AG doll and they are expensive.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

We're a mixed bag

Stayed in budget for DD - $100 birthday and $200 Christmas (her birthday is in December so I just make sure between the two I spend $300 or less - this year was $290 so in budget).

Bought DH a wallet at Disney and a small $5 gift that he'll love so he's covered (before you think how cheap I am read on)

Nieces and Nephews get gift cards so those are automatically in budget.

Stayed in budget for my parents gifts and that's all we buy for.

Now the sort of out of budget - we bought a fridge on Black Friday (it's being delivered on Monday can't wait!)! So technically that's dh and I's gifts to each other (for Anniversary, birthday and Christmas). We have the money to pay for it (in fact already have - check has been cashed) but it's still WAY more than we would have usually spent.

I find that keeping a running list of what I've spent on DD (for Christmas / birthday ) is the way to go to keep me 'on point' in terms of spending.

 

[scrapquitler]

I spent about the same as what I spend every year. Included in what I bought were a lot of clothes for the kids and several household items that I would have purchased anyway (cast iron pans, new Keurig, several DVDs). Probably worked out to around $500 for each of the kids, and that included several big items for each of them (flat screen tv for each of their rooms, a generic tablet and accessories for DS, a digital camera and accessories for DD), several video games, movie DVDs, family board games.

 

[mrseace711]

Spent more than we have ever spent in previous years but about what we expected as well. 2 iPod Touches & 2 LeapPads spent just around $1,000.00

 

[jmac323]

I think I"m around $1000 as well. $300 of that was work awards I had saved on my work awards mastercard and that paid for DD's American Girl doll and other DD's art desk. THat was handy!! I think I have to buy food stuff still but it shouldn't be too much. I wasn't as prepared or organized this year since we're moving, but will focus on that next year!

 

[angierae]

Totally within budget. $300 on DD (I have only spent about $240 of this, whatever's left will go on a Disney gift card for our trip next year), $100 on DH, $125 on various kids in the family, $20 towards the group gift for my boss, and both gift exchanges I was in (work and my dad's family party) were things that came out of the gift closet. Dh splits DD's gifts with me, and then he buys for his brother, SIL and mom (and I buy the "various kids gifts") and DD had her own money for gifts for her grandparents/parents/stepsiblings.

For her birthday, she's getting her letter jacket for school, but her grandmother is splitting that with us. (We really need to go get started on getting that fitted, probably next week.)

 

[AnninIowa]

I spent too much - on myself! Lol! So many great deals that I couldn't pass up! I am starting a Christmas account this month at $50 a month so that I will be better prepared next year.

 

[angierae]

I spent too much - on myself! Lol! So many great deals that I couldn't pass up! I am starting a Christmas account this month at $50 a month so that I will be better prepared next year.

I am definitely doing this next year, especially since I'll be done saving up for our WDW trip in March once we go. I figure April-November will give me 8 months to save up, so $100/month will go really far (and is less than we've been saving up for Disney!)

 

[Jedana]

Right now, I'm at around $500. I still have DD1 ($100 gc), DD2 ($50) and a couple small things for DS ($60-75).

The majority of DS's stuff is done. DH's done (for now). I haven't gotten anything (well, except the washer/dryer and a pair of pjs, all of which I needed ), but we're waiting to see if there is any kind of a bonus from DH's work before we get me anything.

Still in my budget right now ($1000).

 

[thebeesknees]

Went a bit over for DS ($120, but that was a Nintendo DS, plus some accessories like the case and a SquareTrade warranty for it), under for DD at $75 because I was able to make most of the doll clothes for her AG doll myself, and under for younger DS at about $50, since all he wants right now is those little Cars 2 cars. He'll get his "big" gift for this b-day in February. WAY over for DH, but that is because we decided he needed both a new winter coat and a new suit, so that was about $200 right there (got fantastic deals at Lands' End for the coat and Target for the suit, but ouch anyway because we don't usually exchange much over about $20). By the time I add in my nieces, nephews, our parents and siblings, we are probably at about $700 total. We didn't go into debt for it, but I'd still like to see more of that in my bank account. I'll have to do better next year.

 

[indimom]

I adjusted several discretionary spending categories this year in order to pay off medical bills (we are free and clear now, woo hoo!). I cut our Christmas budget by more than half so we only spent $500.
But, I'm really pleased with what I was able to get on this budget and I'm looking forward to the holiday. I think the kids will be happy.
ETA: It did help that there were no electronic toys requested this year. lol.