I was curious (and don't feel like you have to answer, I'm not trying to pry) but I wonder how much the typical family spends for gifts for their spouse/kids and that sort of thing. I felt so cheap for a minute the other day when a friend said she and her husband (who are in pretty heavy debt) spend about $500 a person for each other, and their 4 kids, three of which are under the age of 4. We don't spend nearly that much and I realized I shouldn't feel bad about it.

The way I do gifts is I have two budgets for each person. An actual dollar amount I can/want to spend, and the amount I want it to look like. For example, kids. I usually spend about $5-10 for my nephew and teenage cousin and sister, yet, the gifts are always ones that usually would be in the $25 range, had they not been bought on clearance. I'm also very careful not to buy anything they won't like, or might look cheap. I've found by doing this, I can give very nice gifts (with effort, of course) and usually have enough left over that in case someone's really tough to buy for, I have the money to go ahead and spend more on them. My husband and I usually do about $100-150. Again, that is actual, but with yard sale shopping for new books, used video ames and pictures which I frame myself and the like, it usually looks like I've spent a ton more.

Just curious as to what everyone else thinks. In particular kids. This will be our first Christmas with a child, and I've laready told my husband for the first few Christmases, I don't plan to get the baby a lot, since it's going ot have stuff from Grandparents, and how many things does it need that it will outgrow quickly? I hope that doesn't sound cheap :s

My Christmas Budget is usually blown! I would like to spend $15 per neice & nephew (7 total) but am willing to go up to $20! The hard part for me is keeping it even! Last year I ended up getting movies for 3 of my neices since they have a family movie night every Friday night, so I tried to do the same for the rest of them. I used to get them stuff from Garage Sales, but started to feel bad thinking they can't return them if they already have it or don't want it. Of course, I have since then noticed that generally whenever I give them something they tear open the packaging right away anyway so I'm starting to go back to getting more stuff at sales again!

For my parents and my dh's parents we usually do $50 each parent. My 3 sisters & I combine our $100 each and usually go together to get them something big for the house or something. Dh's parents are divorced so they get $50 each.

For Dh's grandmas & grandpa I usually say about $30-40 each - depending on what I can find for them!

DH and I will usually pick out something for the house, or maybe do $50-75 for each other if there's something we both want. For our boys I tend to go crazy! I spent quite a bit last year, but have decided to cut it back this year. They get quite a bit from grandparents, aunts & uncles & great-grandparents, so I plan on spending maybe $50-75 on each of them this year. We'll see!

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Stay at home mom to my 3 boys... ages 5, 3 & 1!

I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Oh, by the way, I'd keep it simple for babies... they generally like the packaging better than anything inside!

Get them a savings bond or something and wrap up a few cheap toys and they'll be in heaven unwrapping it all!

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Stay at home mom to my 3 boys... ages 5, 3 & 1!

I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

$75 on Dh and he is $75 on me
$100 for DD (gifts from us)
$100 for DD (gifts from Santa)
$50 for each neice and Nephew (theres only 3)
$30 on each parent and sibbling (theres 7)
$5-10 on other people grandparents, god parents and friends kids.

This year I hosted a Taste of home party so I got 4 x-mas gifts out of the way with having earned quite a bit in free products.

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Kimberly Proud Mommy to Bethany Rose April 2006

I usually buy things on clearance so I dont really have a budget, but I just note down what I bought and who its for and keep in mind the full price of the item. I only have to buy for 4 kids (1 is my child and the other are my friend's kids), my brother, my other brother and his wife (I usually send them a gift basket) and my girl friend and my mom and dad. Pretty simple.
My shopping has already begun...
My latest purchase was a $60 Black & Decker electric drill/driver & 106 piece drill bit set for dh...got the whole thing for $35! done..

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www.myspace.com/sassy143


Alex & the spider monkey

For 2007 it was one of my resolutions to make a holiday budget.

I have done really well so far and I am almost done shopping.

For niece and nephews would be $10 each
My girls $150 each
Co-workers that exchange gifts $5 each
I also have a gift card exchange at the company party which is $10.
Teacher gifts $5 each

I started right after last holiday and I got some wonderful items and they will never know that I didn't pay full price.
Don't be ashamed or embarrassed as to what you can afford. I was embarrassed that my girls got so much stuff (which I couldn't really afford) and half the items are either broken, thrown away or they no longer use and I will passing them on to goodwill.

Good Luck!

I do not have a set budget, I just spend as little as possible. My dh and I do not exchange gifts. My parents get whatever I find that I think they may like on sale. I bought some nice back massagers at WalMart in February, so alot of people are getting those!! I only spent $4 on each one, but they look like they cost alot more! The kids get what they want. The cost varies alot, especially depending on their age. My 14 yr old wants more expensive stuff than my 4 yr old. My neice and nephew, I usually spend less then $10 each on, but always buy nice things for them.

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~Happiness is a large family~

I love Christmas – it’s my favorite time of year. I don’t have a budget, so I normally spend way more than I’d like to. Last year I spent about $200 a piece on DH and the kids, $50 on parents/grandparents and we draw names with the rest of the family (siblings, nephews, nieces etc.) spending about $20 on each name drawn. Dh has a Christmas club account set up with his employer and I set aside money each month, so that helps.
We’re planning a trip to Disney early next year so I hope to spend less on Christmas this year and put that money towards our trip.

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When you have a dream, you've got to grab it and never let go.
Carol Burnett

I need to work on this one this year. I already have a lot of it down- except for the girls and my DH! I would love to have about $300 total for everyone at Christmas (for what I have left to buy!)- that is my goal. I will probably do about $100 for each girl (including the stockings)- $50 for Dh and $50 for the rest of them. I know that this winter maybe tough on us finacially so I am trying to forewarn all of the family members that we don't have the money for an extravagant Christmas that they are used to!

Well I don't have a set budget this year but I am going to have to start working on it this week & start shopping since Wal-Mart doesn't have layaway anymore. This is usually what I try to do spending wise:

DD $100-$150(includes gifts from Santa)
DS $100-$150(includes gifts from Santa)
2 neices about $20-$30 per person
My BF 2 boys about $20-$30 per person
With my parents & brother we just draw names
With DH parents, brother & sister-in-law we draw names
We like to just focus on the kids really instead of each other. DH & I say that we are not going to get each other anything but I always have to because Christmas is my favorite time of year, so we usually spend $75 on each other.
Teachers $5
Co-workers $5

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Mommy to Ariana 8/11/01 & Davis 4/11/05
I love my kiddos!

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