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With kids wanting so many expensive electronics, what is your budget per child? I'm focusing more on teens, but others are welcome. Please list the child age and budget.
I dont budget. I just get the girls what they like. But then, they're younger (4 and 1) and my little ponies are fairly inexpensive. lol. For our teenage (15 years old) nephew, I generally spend about $100-$125 on him... depending on what he wants. Last year it was $85 (he wanted Guitar Hero 3) .. this year it may be more, since my husband wants to combine the 10 year old and 15 year old's present and get them an xbox 360 to share.
With kids wanting so many expensive electronics, what is your budget per child? I'm focusing more on teens, but others are welcome. Please list the child age and budget.
1yr old boy: $50 (if that)
3yr old boy: $75-$100 (right now we are stopping at $75)
Neices & nephews (ranging from 9 to 3): $25
32yr old male: $100 (yes, my dh becomes a child this time of year & gets very excited ).
I really don't know how middle class and lower income parents of teenagers can afford Christmas. It's almost scary that ONE item costs $129...$159...$299...
We insists on not going in debt over CMas gifts. It's hard but come Jan or Feb, it's a much better feeling.
We have 4 kids 9-11 years old. The last few years we went a little overboard. This year we are going to try to stay under $150 per kid. We are thinking about getting a Wii for the kids with a few games, then a couple little items each.
We will pay cash for everything, so no debt.
I will spend about $50 each on our parents, siblings, niece and nephew.
we have way too many toys, so were are sticking to 1 or 2 things that they want the most.
I also picked up some stuff I found on clearance for them during the year.
grandparents tend to get them the most $$ stuff. also dh's family gives them cash every year.
I think we will probably spend about $50- 75 on the 7 yr old and about $100 on the 13 yr old. we dont really budget the amount until after we see the sales on thanksgiving. If there is something they have been wanting for a long time that is an awesome price we'll get it. within reason.
we dont buy for our kids during the year. xmas and bday is it, so sometimes we go a little overboard.
My son wants a flat screen TV that's probably $300. (he's 14) I was thinking about getting my daughter a laptop $300. (she's 18) I have this argument with my hubby every year. He always thinks the tree should be full of gifts which can get very expensive. I say it's the thought that counts. I think those 2 gifts are more than sufficent. My DH wants to add to those with probably another $150 per kid. I just think it's way too much! He says, I didn't have it when I was younger, so I want to make sure my kids do. Well, I didn't have it either. The way work has been slow, I think that's enough. I know he means well, but he also has to budget. IMHO
We typically spend about $100.00 per child for xmas. We have a tradition of getting each child one book, one game, and one toy (plus stocking stuffers like candy, an orange, little stuff from 'Santa').
But now they are getting older and ask for more expensive toys. My six year old saw a large robot WALL-E and has asked for it for xmas. I told him that we can not afford that and he said "you don't have to. I can ask Santa for it".
Holy Smokes!!!
well, i have 3 kids, 7, 10, 14. Our average budget is about $150.00 TOTAL. And my husband chokes on that. Thank Goodness for grandparents! My little one is all about Barbies, my son is nutso for legos,and my oldest, she just wants books and room decor stuff. Thank heavens no one is begging for anything crazy expensive.
and we dont usually get a gift for each other, if we do, its something like a game or something smallish we both enjoy.
with a husband that works for commission and Nov/Dec/Jan are his slow months, and I work w/underprivleged kids for an unpriveleged paycheck lol, we just cant go all out.
This Christmas will be bliss for us anyhow though...last year my oldest had to spend a very miserable holiday w/her biofather, and my youngest was being treated for a rare kidney disorder through the local childrens hospital and was very ill. It was a very difficult and hard to get in the mood Christmas. This year we're all together and the little one has a clean bill of health so, this year will be way better!!!!!!!
We typically get our kids one special gift for each, a few smallish ones each, and at least one they all will totally enjoy. We're thinking on getting them all art lessons through a local artist, they'd all love it, and its something that can be enjoyed all year. Plus, it can be paid for throughout the year not one lump sum! Whew!!!
We use to spend around $150 on our son ($50 toy from us, $70-$100 gift from Santa). But now we have two children, so everything has to get scaled down. Besides, we seem to have everything they could possibly need! So Santa will get them each something from $30-$50. I'm putting together a dress-up box for the boys to share, so I don't know how much it will cost. I'm around $15 right now. Like some others have said, the boys don't get many presents/toys the rest of the year, and each gets approximately one gift from us and one gift from Santa, and one gift from each other. I grew up with lots of presents under the tree as well, but A.)they don't need a bunch of cheap cr**; B) we don't believe in buying a bunch of cheap cr**; C.) Buying a lot of presents doesn't allow us to live the the life we want (a one-salary household).
To the OP: After getting a big screen TV and a laptop, I don't really think any other presents will matter! Perhaps your husband would like to get your daughter a small piece of jewerly and something similar for your son?
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