Budget for Christmas gifts...

LolaJJ

Apologies Mods if this is not the right place, feel free to delete.

Just wondering what kind of budgets (if any) couples are placing on Xmas gifting?

We previously exchanged quite elaborate gifts but have set a €200 limit this year, which is great because it takes all the pressure off, but it's killing me trying to come up with ideas for actual nice things that will be appreciated.

Just wondering if budget setting is a "thing" and how low do people go?

woodchuck

Our first Christmas together, we agreed that a lot of couples spend an insane amount of money on each other at Christmas and that we didn't want to put that pressure on each other. So we agreed on a very rough budget of 100 max.

We've roughly stuck to that over the years, occassionally spending a little more if it's something we know the other will really like.

However we treat it as a limit, not a target. If I can find a present I know he'll like for half that, grand. There's no pressure to spend more money just for the sake of it.

Trying to find a gift is a whole other issue :P

rainbowtrout

LolaJJ wrote: »

Just wondering if budget setting is a "thing" and how low do people go?

I wouldn't say budgets are only confined to couples, I'd say a lot of people do them within families as well. How low people go would depend on a few factors: what they respectively earn, ongoing financial commitments (mortgage/rent, car loan, childcare, household bills etc), a low budget christmas might be agreed to fund a holiday or some other treat, and of course what importance the couple place on material items. Some people are happy with a couple of books (me), other people aren't happy unless the item they got has a designer logo on it.

I would imagine a lot of people would prefer to get something they like rather than something with a specific monetary value.

heretothere

It's our first year married, my husband has asked for specific socks he likes, new Canterbury sweat pants and maybe a work hoddie or two :-/ where as he knows I would prefer something like a night away or pearls! Just look at what your partner appreciates and would actually enjoy instead of just trying to hit a target.

I will probably throw in a whole load of other 'fluff' mainly chocolate but there isn't any point in spending a fortune on stuff people don't like.

baby and crumble

We’ve set a budget of €50 on each other this year. Last year (our first married) I blew a fair bit on something for her I knew she wanted badly and I don’t regret it in the slightest but I know she was a bit taken aback. This year I’m paying college fees and she’s taken a pay cut, and we’ve a big holiday coming up (to the US) in January.

The thing is though I think I’ve just gotten to the point in my life where I don’t want more stuff. I’ve piles of stuff. Too much stuff. It’s unnecessary. To me, anyway.

qwerty13

I got a present last week that referenced an in joke between us. I knew I was getting ‘a present’. I didn’t know what though. It mad me laugh so much when I got it, and makes me smile when I look at it. I think it was under a fiver on that website Wish.

I do spend too much money on myself / things I like sometimes, but to me, that silly present that referenced us was the best present I’d got in ages.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that the amount doesn’t, or shouldn’t, matter. The thought behind it really does though.

LegacyUser

Hi OP
My GF and I have set a limit of 3 gifts this year.
Last year she totally spoiled me. A little too much. I actually felt extremely overwhelmed by the gifts for weeks after.
If you are having probs wondering what to get your partner maybe ask for a list of stuff and you can pick off of it?
I know its not exactly spontaneous but
I guess neither is the act of setting a budget / Max gift giving.
I feel like its a given that gifts will be given at Christmas. I personally prefer if someone asks me if I have anything in mind and I’ll give an option of 1 small thing which I would be delighted to get.
I hope that helps

SusanC10

We started setting Budgets for gifts for each other for both Birthdays and Christmas in 2010 out of necessity. €100 each. Our focus was firmly on the Kids.
To be honest this is the first Christmas since then that we can push the boat out a bit so we haven't set one this year. Don't expect to go too mad though and it will still be less than €200 each.

witchgirl26

We've had budgets for each other since we started going out. Usually around the €100 mark. Now we've both gone over at times but usually not by too much. This year we might blow the budget a little as it's our last as a duo (little one due mid next year) but realistically it's more about getting each other something we really want as opposed to lots of presents for the sake of it.

As for families - we have strict rules in the family. I've a load of nieces and nephews so it's a limit of €10 per child (or thereabouts). As for siblings, only siblings without children get proper presents. Others get token gifts if anything. And we all buy for my mam. No limit really on hers though we rarely go too mad.

leggo

I had this chat with the girlfriend recently and, while we didn’t set a budget, I said I didn’t want her spending too much on me and to go lower than whatever she’s got in mind. I’m looking at €150-200 personally (and it just worked out that way when I priced up what I was planning to get), and I’d say unless you’re both flush for cash that that’s a reasonable estimate for the first Christmas together. I’d say half that is reasonable from then on, then get the big presents on birthdays when it’s just one person you’re buying for.

The thing with spending a lot is it puts pressure then on every occasion because it acts as a benchmark, if you go dramatically lower it’s like saying you love them less. It’s unfair as well as financially reckless, some people judge money spent as an indication of love and not everyone works that way, so to me those that do and expect as much in return at Christmas are being inconsiderate in that respect.

dmm82

We've set a budget too, €50 each. We're saving up for a camper van and have a lot of weekends away/ holidays coming up next year. I much prefer to spend the money on making memories than clogging up the house on more random junk we don't need. Everyone is different but i think at this stage most people have everything they need

RhubarbCrumble

I've seen a pair of boots that I told Mr Crumble I'd like and I've said that's all I want. They're just over €100. He'll probably get me some kind of small surprise too I think.
He's very hard to buy for but there's an event coming up next year that I know he'd like to go to so I might get him tickets for that. Around the €100 mark too. I'll get him a box of Leonidas or something like that too.

witchgirl26

leggo wrote: »

I’m looking at €150-200 personally (and it just worked out that way when I priced up what I was planning to get), and I’d say unless you’re both flush for cash that that’s a reasonable estimate for the first Christmas together. I’d say half that is reasonable from then on, then get the big presents on birthdays when it’s just one person you’re buying for.

Just on this - I'd be careful about having a large budget for the first and expecting it to reduce (not you in particular, just a general point). I know friends who started this and it's either stayed the same amount year on year as that was expected or it's grown as "sure we've been together longer". We've kept pretty much the same since our first Christmas together for that reason. Had friends who spiralled to €400 each on presents and to be honest, most of the presents the other didn't like.

leggo

Tbh if a relationship is functioning by its second Christmas, it’s a fairly easy conversation to have. “Hey Christmas is stupid expensive, let’s set limits on gifts and do something small and nice so you’ve more money for yourself and family, then we can do proper gifts for birthdays etc.”

If someone can’t just say that to their partner after over a year together, there are bigger issues than Christmas gifts in my opinion. And personally, for me, if that was met with a bad reception or I felt like I couldn’t say it to begin with, I don’t think it’s someone I’d want to be with anyway.

witchgirl26

leggo wrote: »

Tbh if a relationship is functioning by its second Christmas, it’s a fairly easy conversation to have. “Hey Christmas is stupid expensive, let’s set limits on gifts and do something small and nice so you’ve more money for yourself and family, then we can do proper gifts for birthdays etc.”

If someone can’t just say that to their partner after over a year together, there are bigger issues than Christmas gifts in my opinion. And personally, for me, if that was met with a bad reception or I felt like I couldn’t say it to begin with, I don’t think it’s someone I’d want to be with anyway.

Oh hey I agree that in a lot of relationships that's how it should work but people don't always do the smart thing and just continue on without the conversation.

rainbowtrout

Forgotmypasswordagain wrote: »

Hi OP
My GF and I have set a limit of 3 gifts this year.
Last year she totally spoiled me. A little too much. I actually felt extremely overwhelmed by the gifts for weeks after.
If you are having probs wondering what to get your partner maybe ask for a list of stuff and you can pick off of it?
I know its not exactly spontaneous but
I guess neither is the act of setting a budget / Max gift giving.
I feel like its a given that gifts will be given at Christmas. I personally prefer if someone asks me if I have anything in mind and I’ll give an option of 1 small thing which I would be delighted to get.
I hope that helps

Actually myself and my brother do this every year. Because we're both lazy but also practical. Our birthdays are both December as well, so it kinda serves both purposes.

For us it might be books, DVDs, and other random stuff we are interested in. I know I'll get something off the list but I don't know what. So in that way it's still a surprise. He went one step further in the name of laziness last year and sent me an amazon wishlist . It made Christmas shopping very easy.

beertons

In the beginning, it was a case of how long is a piece of string. However, after kids, bills and all that jazz, the budget is 50.