Reasonable amount to spend on Christmas...

[StitchBuddy]

What do you think is a reasonable amount to spend on a 13 year old for Christmas???

 

[richmond282]

Well, it would depend on whether it was my own child or a neice or nephew or a friend of some sort.

 

[StitchBuddy]

My own child, DD13.

 

[hambirg]

I guess it depends somewhat on what you can afford. I'm a single mom with 3 kids. I try to stay around $100 for my DD14, but it usually ends up being closer to $150. That doesn't include the big gift from Santa that I usually get for all 3 (ie. last year it was a Wii). But my brother and his wife, who both make 6 figures spend at least a $1000 their only child, DS14. Personally, I think that's overkill. He doesn't really appreciate it. They could cut out at least half of the stuff they buy him and he wouldn't even notice. HTH

 

[wgwtgb]

$1000 I agree... overkill!!!!
I try to spend no more than $200 per child... but getting little things here and there usually adds to the cost.

 

[stich1fan]

My daughter's birthday is the 14th of Dec, she is going to be 4. So I try to keep birthday at $150 and Christmas $150, but sometimes I go alittle over. So around $300 for both but no more than $400 together.

Just a side note, I am already pretty done with shopping. I start early summer looking for really good sales.

 

[luvmy3]

I think it really depends on what your overall budget is, I try to keep all my Christmas gifts under $1000. In the past few years I have spent as much as $300 for one of my kids. My dd will be just shy of 13 at Christmas and I am realizing that it will probably be like that again this year too.

 

[Justsyd2]

Everyone's budget is different so there is no "right" answer, only the answer that's "right" for you. Having said that, we spent around $300 per child when ours were that age.

 

[Becc1]

It's so tough as they get older because they want more expensive items. Last year one item alone for my DS was $200 (Ipod Touch). I have 3 younger children whose gifts cost way less so they end up getting a few more things than their older brother, which thankfully DS15 understands. So for my DS15 I spend about $300-$350 and the younger ones I spend about $150-$200.

 

[2disneyboys]

I agree.. everyone's budget is different. sad thing is though.. when my boys were younger (4 & under) it was easy to fill half the den with presents and have only spent about $150-200 TOTAL on both of them for everything. Now that they are older and are into the game systems etc... you could spend a fortune and not even cover the tree skirt! We solved the problem this year... this year, we are doing a little bit of gifts (like in the $50 range or so) and our "family" gift is going to DISNEY for the week after christmas (I know.. busy as everything but it's still WDW!)

its hard to say for sure as it depends on family size, financial health, etc etc. Most people I know (typical middle american families) spend around $200-250 per kid. Some spend like $150 individually and then maybe a few hundred for a "family" gift.

I always stuggle with this myself as I am not one to keep up with "the Jones" but even in my immediate family there is such a range in what each of us spends on our kids its crazy.. yet we all have similar incomes. You really just have to go what works for you without breaking the bank!

 

[carebee21]

I would ask her what she wants. Then base your spending amount on your financial situation and what she wants. There's no clear cut answer. For example, maybe she wants an ipod. I don't think that's unreasonable and if you can afford it, go for it. But then again, maybe she just wants a few smaller things like clothes and makeup, in which you can probably get away with a slightly lower budget. In my house I honestly probably spend somewhere around $300-$400 on a 6 year old boy. I'm ashamed to admit this, but I spent around $75 on my sons stocking stuffers alone last year. $5 candy here, $5 moon sand there, $5 chapstick set here, it added up much quicker than I thought!!

 

[sweetpeakaris]

For us we spend according to how much money we have coming in. This year we have a lot of other financial obligations, so I would be lucky to spend $200 per child, we have 4. I've spent way more in the past but we are having a new baby & have 2 kids in Ortho so money is tight.

 

[Jennifer in MI]

It depends. When they were little - practically nothing. You can get SO much for so little! Now that they're older, they want more expensive things, so we spend a little more. I don't think we've spent over $200 on a child. And, that was a splurge. Ds14 wanted/needed a camera. But, we hardly spent anything on my dd that year. My dad made her a dollhouse and we bought some furniture for it. For a long time we tried to keep it at $50/child/holiday. We'd rather spend our money on vacations!!!

 

[Leader of the Club]

We don't have a set amount per child, but strive to find that "just right" gift per child. This year:

DD22 will get a zoo membership ($120)
DS13 will get a video camera ($125)
DS5 will get DS13's old Imaginext castle that has been in the closet for years ($0)

then we get a few other things like a new DVD, board game, etc. for everyone to enjoy.

 

[mjharris3boys]

WOW!!! After reading these post, I feel like very cheap. Last year, we spent less than $250 for 3 boys at Christmas. 2DS (10) 1DS (8) Jesus was given 3 gifts, so we keep with this tradiation and each child gets 3 gifts and then we get a big family gift. Last year, digital camera($95, paid $0.26 after coupons, ECB), Remote control car ($17), Scooter ($54, paid $27 after coupons/discounts) for DS(10). DS(10)yes, I have twins! DVD player ($89, coupons, $10gift card, paid $38), Scooter ($54, paid $27), NDS game ($20, after coupon, paid $14). DS (8) Scooter ($54, paid $27), NDS game ($35) and Book bag (camo of course, $25). For their stockings, maybe $25 total, which included calcuators, pencils, Disney Dollars ($5) each, which were free from purchases throughout the year. Our family gift was AP to Disney, $1500, grandparents paid the remainder of the AP. So, we have been able to take 6 trips to Disney, and leave today for a 4n/3d trip . We live 4 hours away, so we get to go often.

As my boys get older the $$ may change, but the concept will never change, 3 gifts per child. This year we will not be getting the AP passes, but will try and stay under $300 for all of their Christmas.

 

[ilovejack02]

When DSS21 was younger I would spend prob 500 or more on him. YES it was prob over kill, but we were two income at the time and I have never been a parent that buys all year round if he wanted something most of the time he had to spend his own money unless it was shoes or clothes and even then if he wanted 100.00 pair of shoes he had to pay the difference.

At the time, he skateboarded, skateboards have to be replaced regularly , need parts etc .. all pretty pricey. I made him spend allowance the rest of year, but at xmas, we loaded him up for awhile . Video games, new systems , clothes, shoes and about 13 he started playing the guitar and he hunted and fished with DH.

My child had expensive hobbies lol.

Now I spend no more than 300 on him now , usually 100 cash and the rest clothes , shoes, socks , underwear because for some reason he doesn't replace his stuff when it gets ratty , guess it is a guy thing.

 

[DawnM]

We don't have a set amount.

last year our family joined the 21st century and got a Wii. The year before each boy got a DS and a few games.

This year, I have NO CLUE what we will be getting. They really need NOTHING!

We are going to Disney in Oct and I told them the tickets were already part of their Christmas this year as it will be a little lighter than usual. DH got over 10% paycut and they have stopped all bonuses for now. If their is a bonus in Nov. we may be able to spend more. We will see.

So, typically around $200 per kid I would say. $300 max. This year might be closer to $100-$150.

Dawn

 

[pyrxtc]

DD13 will be getting some gift cards for TJ Maxx and Marshall's since she always wants more clothes. She will also be getting maybe a few games for her DSi and maybe an MP3 player that plays video as the gift from Santa. DH and I buy the kids the stuff that they need/want and Santa brings them one present that we would never buy for them and have told them repeatedly that we won't in the past so it is really unexpected. DD13 is still unsure whether Santa exists cuz she got a keyboard for x-mas last year that she knows I would never buy her. Cost way too much.

 

[Darcy03231]

In lieu of doing a lot a Christmas, we take a big family vacation each year (my kids love to travel and would rather do this than get "stuff"). We buy smaller items to open on Christmas morning and they also have their stockings. I try to keep the total to $100/per child or less.

Each year we give the kids a budget and they research where they would like to go. They plan out the entire vacation - travel, meals, activities, etc. On Christmas morning after presents they each make their presentation to the rest of the family and then we vote (with Mom and Dad having the final say). Each child has had their vacation chosen at least once. Its a lot of fun and sometimes the kids even vote for a vacation other than their own once the presentation has been made! After dinner we drag out the videos and photo albums from past trips and relive them.

I will say one year was really sweating it when DS# 1 made a presentation on a river/camping trip down the Colorado river. It was one of those where you carry everything in and everything out. I really wasn't enthused (I hate camping) but everyone else was going his way. We then realized he forgot to add the airfare in to get us there and with that it was way over budget (there are 6 of us). That was a close one!

 

[mom2val]

Christmas here for dd ranges from $300 - $800 just depends on how much extra $$$$ we have and what she asks for.