How much do you spend on your kids birthday presents??

[Piglet]

I am going shopping for my almost 6 yr old DD's birthday presents this weekend and want to try to stick to a limit. In the past I know we have spent way too much. It doesn't help that she is an only child, but Christmas is just around the corner and then it will be more shopping.

So, if you feel comfortable telling, How much do you spend on each kid for birthday presents???

Piglet

 

[d.kurz]

When they were as young as your DD is, we just got them what they wanted and a few surprises. I'll be we didn't spend much more that $75.00 or so. Now they are 16 and 14. My limit now is $150.00. Is that a lot?? I'll be really interested to read these replies!

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

We usually get DS one birthday gift, but it's usually something pretty nice. He received a new bike last year for his 8th birthday, and it cost somewhere around $150.00. I think that's probably typical for most of his b-days. He gets enough other gifts from friends and family.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Depends on what they want/need. Today is DD's b-day (12 ). We got her a SoccerSaq bag ($37)...the only thing she asked for. Also, a beautiful new robe...she needs it, and she'll love it...$28 (on sale from $40). And the latest Princess Diary book, which I'm going to pick up soon, about $10 I guess. She had a friends' birthday party already, and she'll get gifts from grandma/grandpas and some aunts.

 

[rbuzzotta]

We give our DD's a friend birthday party which usually costs about 150. depending on the place we have it!! Then they get a "family" party and of course a cake on their actual b-day (because they never fall on the same day LOL)!

We usually spend about 50-100 on the gift, depending on what they want or need. DD #3 got a Barbie battery operated jeep in April for her 4th b-day only because she did not have a "friend" party!!

I told DD#1 that she had her last "friend" party this past year. From now on she can have a few friends for a sleepover! She is in 6th grade now.

What I mean by "friend" party is taking a group of girls (about 10-15) to a local place to eat, do crafts, play laser tag, bowl, swim etc!!

 

[JAP]

Since my DD is only 5 we got her small things that did not cost so much and some of the things she really wanted and spent about $80.00. Plus the party was about $50.00 with the cake.

I am trying to budget for Christmas as well. This thread reminds me that I have to start a list!

 

[ryanpatricksmom]

I usually start with a reasonable figure (in the neighborhood of $150.00), then DH gets involved. Frankly I've given up on the notion of having any control over that segment of our lives...and Christmas...forget about it!

DS's birthday was yesterday. We purchased about $200. so far, not too bad IMO. We are heading down to Universal Studios tomorrow for the weekend...let's just say I'm not confident that we're done yet.

 

[Cindy B]

We usually do a party type thing.
We don't do any big type presents, my sons birthday isn't too far from Christmas.

We usually do a small thing, and the "bigger" party. DS wants to do a rockclimbing party at a local Rock Gym this year, so it all works out.

 

[trayletha]

Apparently - way too much. I've started planning DD's 4th birthday and the party (for 8 little girls) is at $150 and we are planning on getting her the Barbie Jeep (which all family members have been asked to contribute to if they'd like) and several smaller things.

 

[Robinrs]

Okay, my son's birthday is right after Christmas so we celebrate every year in Orlando. Before that I did the Chuck E Cheese thing and gave him things I held over from Christmas...

 

[kinlaw6450]

I am in the process right now of getting DD birthday party together. The venue is 125.00 (ice rink) this includes a visit from the mascot, a party room for one hour and skate rentals for one hour of ice skating. Her presents all together might be about $100 but I buy throughout the year not all at once.

I don't think that is all that much and it saves the mess in my house!

 

[Beauty]

We always plan our WDW trip around John-Cole's birthday which is on September 17th. Then at Disney he usually has about $150 to spend and then of course since my mom has started going with us she spends more on him. Hes spoiled rotten and an only child but I won't ever regret these Disney trips! He will be 12 next year...WOW! Hard to believe.

 

[worm761]

wow. i am BAD!!! DS is an only child and is 6yrs old. his birthday is in may. on gifts last year i spent something in the area of about $150. the birthday party cost me $300 though. yes you read that right. we rented the park and one of those bounce castles. talk about expensive!!!

next year we are going to disney world the week after his birthday so i dont think/ hope we will be doing as much.

 

[Pembo]

I'm at the low end here. We spend about $50 on birthday presents. Parties are at home with home-made cake. DS just had his party last month, probably only spent about $50. We try to stay at about $60-75 for Xmas.

 

[tiggerlover]

We set a limit of $100, but most times I go over. In addition to his gifts, we have the birthday party which usually runs into some money when you buy everything you need.

 

[Lisa L from MI]

We usually spend around 100.00 on DD's bd presents...it depends what they really want. At 9 and 6.....I don't think they really care about the monetary value.

We used to do big family/friend parties for them. I have since stopped them cause it got to be too much. The parties always ended up costing about 400.00!! About 40-50 people...and we tend to go overboard on food and drink.

I have even gotten thankyou notes from guests for the parties we threw!!

I think, starting next year, we will just have a big summer bash every year.....

 

[disykat]

Another low-ender, I guess. For our elementary age kids (7 and almost 10) it's about $100 including the cost of the party. Occasionally if there is something big it goes over - like a bicycle. When they were small it was less, when they get older it'll probably get pricer.

 

[PRINCESS Ariel34]

Last year we didn't spend over 150 on ds and dd birthday. January dd who will be 14 wants to have a coed slumber party at the Embassy Suites downtown. So I reserved two suites for one night which came to about 535.00. This does not include renting out a room at Gameworks for 11 kids, the cake, the pizza,the game cards so the kids can play the games Of course there will also be 6 ADULT Chaperones to watch these hormone rageing teenyboopers Boys in one suite girls in the other and they will have bells around their ankels

 

[JAP]

Man Ariel I wish you were my mom when I was 14! That is a lot on your DD. What a great party though!

 

[PRINCESS Ariel34]

Originally posted by JAP
Man Ariel I wish you were my mom when I was 14! That is a lot on your DD. What a great party though!

Don't I know it The funny thing about it is, my dh is going to be one of the chaperones in the boys room