The cost of presents for kids these days

everlast75

A friend of my other half spent €2000 on her 10 year old.

Her other mate spent €4000 on her two young kids.

What the everloving **** is going on?

These women are on less than the average wage.

Is this not a criminal amount of money to be spending on presents? Is this "the norm"?

whisky_galore

No, not the norm, they just have the dumb because they give into their kids' demands.

Princess Calla

No that's pure stupidity.

Get one main present and a few lil fillers.

everlast75

One of them said her son wanted a particular tracksuit.... 200e.

Games for consoles at 70/80e a pop.

Consoles themselves are 500e or so.

That's what they said anyway....

theteal

Yeah that's not happening in my house. Both kids will be spoiled rotten for less than £300 all in. When they're older and it comes to games consoles and the like, they'll be shared presents like ours were growing up.

People can spend what they like, they do stupid sh!t all the time, leave them at it

Princess Calla

The tracksuit will probably be on sale st Stephens day for half the price.

No is a word some parents don't seem to understand.

I appreciate consoles are expensive so if that were me I'd say console +1 game and something else bringing it to 600 which is still on the extravagant side. Then maybe saying grandparents buy another game, or get cash from aunt's/uncle's.

Just because the list has 10 items on it doesn't mean the child is getting all 10 items.

xhomelezz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058223455/the-cost-of-presents-for-kids-these-days

I'm not a woman, but I'm after spending about 1k mostly on IT upgrades for Xmas presents for two sons. We've set the targets months ago. Always depends on circumstances, but we go the same route every year. Boys tell me what they want ( I mean big thing they have on their mind) and we go from that.

What would be average wage you mentioned in your post?

Curious, cuz I believe me personally is on the low scale of pay.

JupiterKid

It's threads like these where I thank my lucky stars that I don't have children - and very likely at the stage in my life I'm at - never will. 😁👍👍👍

Atlantic Dawn

€200 is more than enough for kids, perhaps the purchase of a computer/laptop at some stage being an exception for a grand or so which can be used for education.

What in the jaysus does a 10 year old get for €2k, probably something as gobesheitish as a €1300 EyePhone as part of it me thinks so they can be a prime target of croyme.

Gregor Samsa

One of my 8 year old daughters asked for particular musical instrument this year that’s €600. It’s her hobby, she’s very diligent at going to her lessons and doing her practice, and it will last her for years. So I’ve no problem in spending the €600 on it. I’ve multiple guitars that cost twice that, and her older sister has a harp that cost over two grand (that wasn’t a Christmas present, but I still had to pay for it).

Her twin sister asked for a makeup set that cost €40. That’s all she wants.

No problem getting either one, but I have to admit that I felt a bit better about spending the €600 on the instrument than €40 on the plastic makeup set.

buried

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118344784#Comment_118344784

Fair play to you G, what is the musical instrument?

El Gato De Negocios

Have a 4.5 year old and 3 and a bit year old. We set our limit for toys at €100 each and with that we were able to get lego, duplo, 40 pots of playdoh, dolls house furniture, some jigsaws and some books. Spent another €100 odd on clothes for both. They are the only grandkids on my side so will get toys from my parents and siblings.

I know the day will come when they start asking for big ticket items but at the moment, they are more than happy with the kinds of stuff we've gotten them.

ablelocks

we've tried to keep to this spend :

1 big present = about 100-150

1 medium = about 50

1 small = about 25

Stocking filler presents = about 15

200-250 per kid, upto €1000 total for us

this year, the 2 eldest have the cop on to spend less, third child is getting a bike so a bit more, but it's on the bike to work and will keep him going for the next 4 or 5 years, youngest first letter asked santa for an iphone and we told her he won't bring one, so second letter is more realistic - if you can call a make-up fridge realistic.

occasionally, Santa might bring a family present, like a console or a laptop. The fecker missed out on the black friday deal on Ooni pizza ovens though, so no family present this year.

appledrop

Ah everlast if thats true I'm absolutely gobsmacked.

That is ridiculous, kids will never learn the value of money.

Just because they ask for everything doesn't mean they should get it all.

We give our 5 year old Smyths catalogue to look through + he picks 1 big item(Say around€100, could be scooter, bike etc) and then a few smaller items say (€20-40) each.

He knows toys have to be shared with all children + he actually gets more excited by process because he really thinks them all through before deciding on the final ones he wants.

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118344802#Comment_118344802

An electric drum kit. She’s been asking for it for a year now, and like I said, fair play to her, she loves going to her lessons and doing her practice on a drum pad every night. We’re in a semi d, so an acoustic kit is out of the question.

Her twin (and the older one who plays the harp) do piano, so we thought we’d be splashing out on an electric piano too, but a relative lent us one, so that’ll do for the moment.

Looking to move house soon, and one of the main criteria is space for a music room. Our living room looks like Abbey Road.

Wombatman

Not sure about the thread title. The relative cost of presents is the same as it always was. The only thing changing is the relative stupidity of the parents.

ForestFire

8 Year old girl which we allow to ask for 2 things and a surprise.

• 1) Robot - Normally €300 but as they don't sell any more, I got a very good deal second hand < €50.
• 2) Fidget Set - Now she has lots of fidgets, so I decided to get her some gadgets a bit different to your Poppets and spinners etc, like CMY Cube, Kinetic machine, Yoyo, etc. total - €150
• Surprise - Karaoke machine, Was looking at one for about €150 euro, but ended up getting the smaller version for €80.

Total:- €280 but I guess it could have been €600 max if paying full price or the bigger options.

There will probable be a few small extras like art kits, Stocking fillers etc, but not much else.

appledrop

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118344815#Comment_118344815

I'm a bit surprised that 4.5 year old hasn't asked for more 'brand toys' at that age. Most kids of that age are obsessed with Spiderman, Pokeman, Paw Patrol etc.

ForestFire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118344830#Comment_118344830

Our Daughter Was/is doing guitar lessons until the pandemic....but was also interested in drums.

I have had this on amazon tracking for a while now, but not decided to get it yet but interest in your thoughts, or what you went with your self.

• Alesis Nitro Mesh Kit

I play a bit myself (Keyboard, Bass), mostly for fun and relaxation and also trying the guitar as she is learning and sure would give the drums a go as well, again for the craic and stress relief one day!!!

ablelocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118344858#Comment_118344858

if they're "allowed" to get obsessed - or parents could distract and diversify what they're exposed to, so that they don't obsess with any particular type or brand of toy.

I've a nephew who is over-indulged to the extent that he has every Harry Potter and Pokemon toy a boy can possibly have. I asked his mother could i get him something outside of that and she said no! FFS

screamer

Who actually cares, being serious, it’s their money let them spend what they want. I spoil my kids at Christmas but they get nothing else all year and I’ve banned family from buying them anything at Christmas. I can afford it, so who cares. The day I can’t, I won’t. Happy Christmas BTW.

appledrop

Ah no ablelocks you wouldn't get them everything they want or obsessive over one toy brand but I would expect a child of that age to have a very definite idea of actual toy they wanted like Spiderman car or Transformers etc rather than just say they want standard lego or duplo etc.

El Gato De Negocios

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118344858#Comment_118344858

We don't allow them to watch pokemon, paw patrol etc and they only watch streamed shows so don't get bombarded with adverts so as far as I'm aware he has no cognisance of the branded toys. Honestly though, jigsaws and lego are the best things we've bought. They are literally used every single day.

cannonballTaffyOjones

Way too expensive IMHO

Akrasia

We bought our youngest daughter a flamingo that sits on a toilet and sings about needing to poo

Money well spent

Quantum Erasure

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118344317#Comment_118344317

i bought my first console with my confirmation money, had a Commodore 64 before that.... used to pirate games by copying tapes...

SuperBowserWorld

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118345027#Comment_118345027

Yeah, that's one huge advantage of streamed stuff over the regular Eg RTE stuff. No bloody ads. I even notice when I do watch RTE it's like a bloody assault. Don't know how kids are supposed to survive all the ad crap. And it's really unfair on families with limited cash or families who don't want to get sucked into the consumer side of Christmas. Really they should rename it Consumermas. Ha ha

freshpopcorn

I think it really depends to be honest.

You'd often hear of parents buying and expensive ipad of console one year and not as much the next year.

Similarly with clothes/etc. You'd hear of kids getting a Northface coat a pair of runners etc at Christmas and then no other clothes for the rest of the year nearly.

I'd have thought about €300 - €500 was the norm. Especially with older kids. With the odd bit extra some years and less others.

Geuze

Two kids under 10, spent 300 approx.

Too much, the house is full of toys and games.

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118344889#Comment_118344889

I went for the Alesis Surge Mesh kit, which is very similar to the Nitro. Reviews of both seem to be great, but I’ve no experience of drums, acoustic or electric, so we’ll just have to wait to see how it works out on Christmas Day! I have to say, I’m looking forward to having a shot on them myself.

I’ve a load of guitars and basses, but none of my kids will play them. But they’re finding their own instruments which is what it’s all about.

Ginger83

Madness. Fair enough if you can afford it but some get into unnecessary debt. A friend of my OH spent thousands every year on one child and had to spend all year paying littlewoods and credit cards.

We've spent around €250 on 2 kids with some things like Heelys picked up new unused on donedeal