Families to spend €800 on first communion

Idbatterim · 13-06-2014 04:14PM #1

B b b b b but we are all broke and cant take any more austerity...

http://www.independent.ie/life/family/family-features/families-to-spend-almost-800-on-first-communions-30351466.html

FAMILIES are spending more on Holy Communions and the amount of money given in gifts to children to mark the ceremony is also rising. - See more at: http://www.independent.ie/life/family/family-features/families-to-spend-almost-800-on-first-communions-30351466.html#sthash.5UJ38XGb.dpuf

The average spent by families to mark the big day for the youngsters is now €764 – this is €32 more than last year, according to the survey commissioned by Ulster Bank.

And the seven and eight-year-olds in their white dresses and suits got an average of €591 in cash gifts from relatives, friends and neighbours – around €70 more than they received in May of last year.

Financial experts said the extra spending and the higher amounts of money given in gifts may indicate that households have a little more to spend after six years of savage austerity.

Toys are set to be the most popular item bought with the money, with hi-tech games and clothes also popular. Music and sports equipment also feature in the children's spending plans.

More girls than boys have already spent the money they got for making their Communions. But around one in eight of the children have not yet spent any of the money they were gifted, and intend saving it.

The biggest expense is the party, with food and drink costing the most. Some €334 was spent on average in May on Communion parties, up 14pc from the previous year.

The child's outfit cost €170, much the same as last year.

But there was close to €200 spent on clothes and shoes for other family members, the research conducted by Empathy for Ulster Bank shows.

Most parents of Communion children told the researchers that they were in a position to pay for the celebrations marking the ceremony.

Loan

Some 6pc of parents had to take out a loan to cover the costs, with €800 the average amount borrowed – down slightly on last year.

Ulster Bank's director of branch banking Jim Ryan said the money given to children for making their Communion presented a good opportunity for teaching the youngsters financial literacy lessons.

"First Holy Communion presents many children with their first opportunity to learn the value of money and how best to manage it. It's encouraging to see that most children have something left over to save," he said.

"Learning financial literacy skills from an early age can help children to become financially responsible and demonstrates the advantages of managing their money sensibly."

Irish Independent
- See more at: http://www.independent.ie/life/family/family-features/families-to-spend-almost-800-on-first-communions-30351466.html#sthash.5UJ38XGb.dpuf

Mr. Incognito · 13-06-2014 04:19PM

It's generally the poorest in society that are the most generous, especially when it comes to their kids.

Or is that getting in the way of a bigoted indo rag rant???

Ficheall · 13-06-2014 04:22PM

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

It's generally the poorest in society that are the most generous, especially when it comes to their kids. [Citation needed]

.

ComputerKing · 13-06-2014 04:24PM

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

It's generally the poorest in society that are the most generous, especially when it comes to their kids.

Or is that getting in the way of a bigoted indo rag rant???

I agree this is sadly true. You'll find this everywhere with the parents maxing out credit cards and taking out loans to get stuff for their children which the kids don't need. I have not problems with spoiling you children but if you can afford it then don't. Don't go putting yourself under more stress when its not needed if you can't afford to.

SEPT 23 1989 · 13-06-2014 04:24PM

generations will pay the price for banks financial illiteracy Jim

Merkin · 13-06-2014 04:25PM

Chavs. My hairdresser in Dublin said one of the salons was flat out doing hair, fake tan and nails for the little sh!ts who were then going to be picked up by a limo to bring them to church.

keano_afc · 13-06-2014 04:25PM

The biggest expense is the party, with food and drink costing the most. Some €334 was spent on average in May on Communion parties, up 14pc from the previous year.

This really annoys me. I got invited to 2 parties recently - both in pubs. If you're organising a piss up in a boozer for your childs communion you dont give a crap about the kid.

ComputerKing · 13-06-2014 04:27PM

keano_afc wrote: »

This really annoys me. I got invited to 2 parties recently - both in pubs. If you're organising a piss up in a boozer for your childs communion you dont give a crap about the kid.

I agree but however just because the party is in a pub doesn't mean its a piss up I've been to a small few parties in private function rooms in pubs and they were nice and small affairs.

mikom · 13-06-2014 04:29PM

800 Euro?
Cheap compared to the satanic communion ritual for my first born.
Virgin blood is gone fierce expensive.......

rawn · 13-06-2014 04:30PM

Mental. My communion dress was second hand, my auntie did my hair and we took the bus to visit the relatives over the space of 2 days (and it LASHED both days). I think I got around £98 and felt like the richest girl in the world til I went back to school and everyone else had made hundreds!! But all that aside it was one of the best days of my life, everyone made a fuss out of me and it just was a really happy occasion. If we had spent £800 I would have had exactly as great a day. Why do people think they need all the extra crap for it to be enjoyable? It's about family and eating cake and getting a bit spoiled. Oh, and Jesus or something.

eviltwin · 13-06-2014 04:30PM

So so glad my youngest goes to an educate together and we will be spared this charade.

suicide_circus · 13-06-2014 04:30PM

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

It's generally the poorest in society that are the most generous, especially when it comes to their kids.

Or is that getting in the way of a bigoted indo rag rant???

it's not generosity though, it's petty keeping-up-with-the-Jones' idiocy, it's nothing to do with the kids at all. sure why wouldn't they, it's free money. clowns.

suicide_circus · 13-06-2014 04:32PM

Merkin wrote: »

Chavs. My hairdresser in Dublin said one of the salons was flat out doing hair, fake tan and nails for the little sh!ts who were then going to be picked up by a limo to bring them to church.

it's what Jesus would have wanted

ComputerKing · 13-06-2014 04:34PM

suicide_circus wrote: »

it's not generosity though, it's petty keeping-up-with-the-Jones' idiocy, it's nothing to do with the kids at all. sure why wouldn't they, it's free money. clowns.

Its not keeping up with the Jones' though its trying to look rich and everyone can tell and they end up being horrific and they look desperate.

whupdedo · 13-06-2014 04:34PM

mr incognito 90829355 wrote:

It's generally the poorest in society that are the most generous, especially when it comes to their kids.

Or is that getting in the way of a bigoted indo rag rant???

What a load of tosh, so if your poor and you spend 800 on a child's communion your generous ? And if your rich and only spend 800 euro does that mean you're a miserable bastard for spending so little

Usually its the chavs that spend like that doing the make up and fake tan and all the works, it's nonsense and as my dear old mum would say you can't buy class no matter how much money you spend

DEFTLEFTHAND · 13-06-2014 04:36PM

The Communion grant is no more, so I imagine the poor aren't spending like they once were.

Mr. Incognito · 13-06-2014 04:41PM

Merkin wrote: »

Chavs. My hairdresser in Dublin said one of the salons was flat out doing hair, fake tan and nails for the little sh!ts who were then going to be picked up by a limo to bring them to church.

...........And we're off.

groucho marx · 13-06-2014 04:43PM

Their money,their kids,their choice.

PLUG71 · 13-06-2014 04:43PM

Absolutely Ridiculous!

Their is two family's I know each have at least 6 kids and none of their parents have ever worked!

They get limo's, bouncy castle, caterers, new clothes and pay for a venue etc etc

Now before anyone say's it I'm not against people on social welfare however imo this takes the piss!

Its just keeping up with their relatives and friends.

suicide_circus · 13-06-2014 04:44PM

PLUG71 wrote: »

Absolutely Ridiculous!

Their is two family's I know each have at least 6 kids and none of their parents have ever worked!

They get limo's, bouncy castle, caterers, new clothes and pay for a venue etc etc

Now before anyone say's it I'm not against people on social welfare however imo this takes the piss!

Its just keeping up with their relatives and friends.

gotta love the magic money tree

wazky · 13-06-2014 04:46PM

Feck, an average of 500 euro received in gifts for your communion

No chance you can do your communion twice is there?

cloud493 · 13-06-2014 04:47PM

When I got my communion, we hired a suit, it was organised by the school, the after party was a disco all catered and done by the school, and I got £5 and a Whsmith voucher for it. Total cost of that (according to my mother when I asked her a few years later) £20 per kid.

Maybe being generous at communions is just an Irish thing.

PLUG71 · 13-06-2014 04:48PM

eviltwin wrote: »

So so glad my youngest goes to an educate together and we will be spared this charade.

That's exactly what we are going to do with our two!:)

PippaChic · 13-06-2014 04:49PM

rawn wrote: »

Mental. My communion dress was second hand, my auntie did my hair and we took the bus to visit the relatives over the space of 2 days (and it LASHED both days). I think I got around £98 and felt like the richest girl in the world til I went back to school and everyone else had made hundreds!! But all that aside it was one of the best days of my life, everyone made a fuss out of me and it just was a really happy occasion. If we had spent £800 I would have had exactly as great a day. Why do people think they need all the extra crap for it to be enjoyable? It's about family and eating cake and getting a bit spoiled. Oh, and Jesus or something.

Great post! The local charity shop is full of beautiful Communion dresses, why are people spending so much especially if they don't have the money?
My younger daughter will wear her older sister's attire (which was bought in a sale 4 years ago). I will certainly not be buying a new outfit, and we'll have a get together back at the house afterwards with a few relations. We may splash out by going to the hairdresser, but that's all.

SEPT 23 1989 · 13-06-2014 04:50PM

any children come begging at my door will get the chamber pot emptied over them from the upstairs window

suicide_circus · 13-06-2014 04:52PM

groucho marx wrote: »

Their money,their kids,their choice.

true but the same people will bitch about having to pay for water but are happy to blow two years water bills on this bollix

PLUG71 · 13-06-2014 04:52PM

I think its a great excuse for the adults to go on the P1ss :rolleyes:

eviltwin · 13-06-2014 04:55PM

Make them do it in their school uniform.

Idbatterim · 13-06-2014 04:55PM

Their money,their kids,their choice.

Their Taxpayers money, their kids, their choice

Wouldnt be surprised if these same people spending E800 are the kind of parents who would have the kids go hungry or on an appalling diet for the rest of the year...

Boskowski · 13-06-2014 04:56PM

So last year they received 521 in average and 732 was spent. On 7 & 8 year olds. Savage austerity alright.

suicide_circus · 13-06-2014 04:56PM

PLUG71 wrote: »

I think its a great excuse for the adults to go on the P1ss :rolleyes:

that can be said for every occasion in ireland

get born? got on this piss
religious ceremonies i dont believe in? go on the piss
new gaf? go on the piss
new job? go on the piss
lose job? go on the piss

Families to spend €800 on first communion

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