Money on presents for kids for xmas

krudler

oc_pl wrote: »

He's getting Beats headphone and a phone. They were the most expensive items.

why would you buy beats for a child? #1 they're sh1te and #2 they're crazy expensive for a kid.

krudler

dark crystal wrote: »

Well in all honesty, we don't have much of a choice on the matter - money is tight at the moment.

Eldest (18) will get a second hand iPhone we bought for €80.

Daughter (13) is getting a Samsung smartphone we picked up in Tesco on sale for €60

Daughter (12) wanted a tv for her room, so we picked up a lovely tv-dvd combo from a charity shop for €30!

The little fella (3) will be getting a little trike from Smyths for €45.

So just over €200 for the lot. We've been picking up little bits and pieces over the last few months for stocking fillers as well though.

The kids understand we're struggling and they're happy with what they'll be getting. They'll get plenty of stuff from other family members too, so they'll have a very fulfilling Christmas this year!
Myself and my partner won't be getting each other anything this year, so we can spend more on the children instead.

Living within your means and doing the sensible thing, fair play.

the groutch

dark crystal wrote: »

Well in all honesty, we don't have much of a choice on the matter - money is tight at the moment.

Eldest (18) will get a second hand iPhone we bought for €80.

Daughter (13) is getting a Samsung smartphone we picked up in Tesco on sale for €60

Daughter (12) wanted a tv for her room, so we picked up a lovely tv-dvd combo from a charity shop for €30!

The little fella (3) will be getting a little trike from Smyths for €45.

So just over €200 for the lot. We've been picking up little bits and pieces over the last few months for stocking fillers as well though.

The kids understand we're struggling and they're happy with what they'll be getting. They'll get plenty of stuff from other family members too, so they'll have a very fulfilling Christmas this year!
Myself and my partner won't be getting each other anything this year, so we can spend more on the children instead.

I'd thank this twice if I could

flutterflye

dark crystal wrote: »

Well in all honesty, we don't have much of a choice on the matter - money is tight at the moment.

Eldest (18) will get a second hand iPhone we bought for €80.

Daughter (13) is getting a Samsung smartphone we picked up in Tesco on sale for €60

Daughter (12) wanted a tv for her room, so we picked up a lovely tv-dvd combo from a charity shop for €30!

The little fella (3) will be getting a little trike from Smyths for €45.

So just over €200 for the lot. We've been picking up little bits and pieces over the last few months for stocking fillers as well though.

The kids understand we're struggling and they're happy with what they'll be getting. They'll get plenty of stuff from other family members too, so they'll have a very fulfilling Christmas this year!
Myself and my partner won't be getting each other anything this year, so we can spend more on the children instead.

Ah, I see the difference - yours don't believe in santa, and then the little one doesn't know any different.
Did you feel the pressure when they believed in santa more?
When they're older, they should understand that you just don't have the money for tons of stuff, but when they're young, sure the elves make toys and there's no recession in the north pole!

Never occurred to me to look for a second hand ds3 until I read your post - I'll definitely keep an eye out.
And someone else mentioned ebay - also great idea.
Going to try and be savvy this year.

0ph0rce0

flutterflye wrote: »

Ah, I see the difference - yours don't believe in santa, and then the little one doesn't know any different.
Did you feel the pressure when they believed in santa more?
When they're older, they should understand that you just don't have the money for tons of stuff, but when they're young, sure the elves make toys and there's no recession in the north pole!

Never occurred to me to look for a second hand ds3 until I read your post - I'll definitely keep an eye out.
And someone else mentioned ebay - also great idea.
Going to try and be savvy this year.

Start looking out for adds like this, good price and plenty of extras

http://www.adverts.ie/nintendo/3ds-metallic-red-plus-accessories-perfect-condition/2312949

http://www.adverts.ie/nintendo/3ds-for-sale/2279009

flutterflye

0ph0rce0 wrote: »

Start looking out for adds like this, good price and plenty of extras

http://www.adverts.ie/nintendo/3ds-metallic-red-plus-accessories-perfect-condition/2312949

http://www.adverts.ie/nintendo/3ds-for-sale/2279009

Brilliant! Thanks

I've never bought anything from anywhere like adverts, buy and sell etc...
For someone so low on funds, I'm not great with being thrifty!

R0ot

Age 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 and we are spending around €90 on both not including stocking fillers.

Niles

Just tell them that Santa had to introduce cutbacks or something...

Lisha

Defiantly it is easier when babies as they don't know about Santa but I really do think kids need to know that Santa is not a bottomless pit.
We did shoe boxes this yr for poor kids. I be told my son that these kids won't get a visit from Santa unless we help. But I was afraid that this would take from magic element tbh.
A friend of mine tells her kids to put ten things on a list and that Santa will bring only 3. I ll be doing this next yr.
it s all about picking your budget and sticking to your budget .
Our kids are not deprived in any way yes they deserve presents but I'm not going to fall behind in bills to buy more things to add to the toy pile .
I also think that experience presents like family day out or with cousins are good presents too.
I really want to instill a sense of appreciation in my kids. This probably comes more from earning things than just getting them

asherbassad

wobblyknees wrote: »

How much is too little or too much? Is €150 each enough? 200? I'm talking young kids here, between the ages of 2 & 9.

150 each??? Are you on crack?? Buy the 2 year old a big bag of soft, bouncy, squeaky things that he can thlow about the place....cost: a tenner!

The 9 year old.....a load of books and a few educational things or a train set. The boxes are additional play items for the 2 year old. Cost: 60 max.

Pottler

krudler wrote: »

why would you buy beats for a child? #1 they're sh1te and #2 they're crazy expensive for a kid.

1.They're not shyte, despite what people say - my kids have had all sorts of headphones and the ones that have endured and sounded the best are the Beatz. 2. Maybe they're not that dear to everyone? People have different budgets, not everyone is struggling and that's just the way it goes. I'm not being smart or anything, but in the scheme of things, a set of Beatz might really be no biggie. A fill of diesel in a lot of our yokes costs a hell of a lot more..

Cantona's Collars

flutterflye wrote: »

Brilliant! Thanks

I've never bought anything from anywhere like adverts, buy and sell etc...
For someone so low on funds, I'm not great with being thrifty!

Have a look in your local Cash Converters,they usually have stuff like DS & PSP's in stock.

Adverts & Donedeal are great for picking up a bargain.Plus you can sell on your unwanted stuff to raise a bit of extra cash.

Madam_X

Get stuff that you like and use it before giving it to them (e.g. a game for the older kid, pop-up book for the toddler - pop-up books rule).

flutterflye

zerks wrote: »

Have a look in your local Cash Converters,they usually have stuff like DS & PSP's in stock.

Adverts & Donedeal are great for picking up a bargain.

What is a cash converter?

tvercetti

flutterflye wrote: »

What is a cash converter?

They buy and sell second hand goods, in particular phones, games consoles and other electronics. Things are generally cheaper on Donedeal/Adverts/Ebay but people often feel safer buying from a bricks and mortar store such as Cash Converters. There one or more in most towns nowadays.

Niles

tvercetti wrote: »

They buy and sell second hand goods, in particular phones, games consoles and other electronics. Things are generally cheaper on Donedeal/Adverts/Ebay but people often feel safer buying from a bricks and mortar store such as Cash Converters. There one or more in most towns nowadays.

So basically a pawn shop?

soap1978

looks like people will spent more on drink then santa.

0ph0rce0

soap1978 wrote: »

looks like people will spent more on drink then santa.

Tis the season

tayto lover

Great selection of toys here and not expensive --
http://www.parenting.com/gallery/best-toys-for-kids?pnid=115329

admiralofthefleet

so far me and the wife have spent a few hundred on our son. on the other children in the family we have a limit of €50 per child

Bruthal

SunnyDub1 wrote: »

My 8 year old niece is looking for an Ipad off santa - yes my 8 year old niece :rolleyes:

Would be worse if for her birthday, she would be looking for it off her parents.

Boombastic

MagicMarker wrote: »

150 quid on a feckin' 2 year old?

Give the kid a rag to play with and give me the 150 quid and I'll put it to better use, like wiping my arse with it.

Can it still be used as legal tender, do you know?:D






People spend far too much on the kids at christmas. Spend the amount you have been budgeting for throughout the year;). Do not take out any sort of loan for the christmas. Make it a special time for families, not gifts. Irish people seem to go mental at christmas..usually those than can least afford it.

summerskin

Living in Ireland for the last five years has taught me something.

You're all fûcking insane!!

First it's Christmas, then communions, then confirmations, then weddings... And on all of them you spend ridiculous amounts on stuff that a child is simply not capable of really appreciating.

The child then grows up spoilt, wants to buy the biggest and best house and car, as they have been spoilt all their lives, gets in debt up to their eyeballs trying to copy mammy and daddy's lavish ways and BOOM! The country is ****ed, but you blame it on the bankers.


For fück's sake, me and my family are financially very comfortable but there is no way in hell we would spend over €100 each on our kids. My eldest daughter wants an iPhone, told her no chance as she is too young at 14 to own something that expensive, plus she has a Samsung Mini smartphone that does the job perfectly for her.

Why the hell would you all want to spoil your children so much? Do you think they will love you more or something??? No, they'll just see you as a bottomless wallet as they are not old enough to own half the things you are buying them!

Beatz headphones and iPads? You are all fūcking mental!

ash23

summerskin wrote: »

Living in Ireland for the last five years has taught me something.

You're all fûcking insane!!

First it's Christmas, then communions, then confirmations, then weddings... And on all of them you spend ridiculous amounts on stuff that a child is simply not capable of really appreciating.

The child then grows up spoilt, wants to buy the biggest and best house and car, as they have been spoilt all their lives, gets in debt up to their eyeballs trying to copy mammy and daddy's lavish ways and BOOM! The country is ****ed, but you blame it on the bankers.


For fück's sake, me and my family are financially very comfortable but there is no way in hell we would spend over €100 each on our kids. My eldest daughter wants an iPhone, told her no chance as she is too young at 14 to own something that expensive, plus she has a Samsung Mini smartphone that does the job perfectly for her.

Why the hell would you all want to spoil your children so much? Do you think they will love you more or something??? No, they'll just see you as a bottomless wallet as they are not old enough to own half the things you are buying them!

Beatz headphones and iPads? You are all fūcking mental!

Ah it was only a matter of time before someone declared that all kids who get money spent on them are spoiled. :rolleyes:

My little woman only ever asks for 3 small things because she really doesn't want Santa to think she is being greedy. She usually gets far more than she asks for, but every single year, she just asks for small things.
She appreciates all she gets and she minds her stuff very carefully.

So no, your theory is incorrect. Not all kids who get hundreds spent on them at Christmas are spoiled. I don't borrow for Christmas either so bang goes that theory. My kid still believes in Santa and one of the main reasons is because she knows I wouldn't be able to afford all those things so bang goes your "bottomless wallet" theory.

Pity you won't have more faith in your kids to know they won't turn into horrible monsters just because they get some money spent on them a couple of times a year.

Madam_X

There's that "all" word again! :pac:
Believe it or not: many Irish people agree with you.

summerskin wrote: »

Living in Ireland for the last five years has taught me something.

You're all fûcking insane!!

First it's Christmas, then communions, then confirmations, then weddings... And on all of them you spend ridiculous amounts on stuff that a child is simply not capable of really appreciating.

The child then grows up spoilt, wants to buy the biggest and best house and car, as they have been spoilt all their lives, gets in debt up to their eyeballs trying to copy mammy and daddy's lavish ways and BOOM! The country is ****ed, but you blame it on the bankers.


For fück's sake, me and my family are financially very comfortable but there is no way in hell we would spend over €100 each on our kids. My eldest daughter wants an iPhone, told her no chance as she is too young at 14 to own something that expensive, plus she has a Samsung Mini smartphone that does the job perfectly for her.

Why the hell would you all want to spoil your children so much? Do you think they will love you more or something??? No, they'll just see you as a bottomless wallet as they are not old enough to own half the things you are buying them!

Beatz headphones and iPads? You are all fūcking mental!

bullvine

dark crystal wrote: »

Well in all honesty, we don't have much of a choice on the matter - money is tight at the moment.

Eldest (18) will get a second hand iPhone we bought for €80.

Daughter (13) is getting a Samsung smartphone we picked up in Tesco on sale for €60

Daughter (12) wanted a tv for her room, so we picked up a lovely tv-dvd combo from a charity shop for €30!

The little fella (3) will be getting a little trike from Smyths for €45.

So just over €200 for the lot. We've been picking up little bits and pieces over the last few months for stocking fillers as well though.

The kids understand we're struggling and they're happy with what they'll be getting. They'll get plenty of stuff from other family members too, so they'll have a very fulfilling Christmas this year!
Myself and my partner won't be getting each other anything this year, so we can spend more on the children instead.

Fairplay to you

Witchie

My lads are all growed up now but when they were smaller I told them that they could only ask Santa for one present and a surprise or he would think they were being greedy and not bring them anything. They were also told that by asking for too expensive presents might mean that other children would not get presents and that wouldnt be fair.

This worked well coz they would always get lots of surprises and think that Santa was just wonderful and they seemed to appreciate and enjoy them all the more.

I always made sure that Santa brought us a family board game too and we would have a games night once a week to play Trivial Pursuits, Scrabble, Monopoly, whatever. This meant that we all got enjoyment out of some of the presents.

Since Santa has left the building I now get them to write up a list of everything they could possibly want from the impossible to the possible and I tell them that I will work from that list and get what I can. Again this works well coz I have a clear idea of what they like and want but there is no promise that they will get everything. I still do a stocking with predictable things like a chocolate santa, lynx, one or 2 little things and something that Santa has brought them every year since they were tiny.....a toothbrush! It was a good way of getting them to brush their teeth (the Easter bunny also brought one and they would get new ones throughout the year but the ones from Santa and EB were the special favourites!)

My mum says I spend way too much on them but they are my kids and they will be gone from me in no time (eldest already in college) so am just enjoying spoiling them a little. That said their favourite presents have been things like tickets to gigs or some other outing (santa once brought tickets to a Busted concert when the eldest was 7 - god help us!) so they have memories of great times long after pieces of plastic have been broken in bits and thrown in the bin.

Its not about the amount of money its about the amount of joy you spread.

1ZRed

smash wrote: »

My son wants an iPod touch and a ds3 and a gruesome magic thing where you can make edible eyeballs and brains and snot. He's gonna be so surprised when he unwraps my old N64 :pac:

Like this surely

Madam_X

"Books for Christmas?!!"

Boombastic

Madam_X wrote: »

"Books for Christmas?!!"

I know a lot of children that enjoy books, but maybe they are just encouraged to read by their parents.