If you're someone who writes that your teen or tween's gifts are all under $100

[Anonymous]

Does that mean your kid doesn't have things like a bike, or a video game system, or a laptop, or do they get those things some other way?

I see people here who say they never give gifts over $100, but in real life I don't know many kids who don't own any items that cost more than that, so I wonder where those things come from.

[Anonymous]

My kids usually save money to buy things like a laptop or iphone. We do chip in a bit for the phone, but laptop is all them. They work PT jobs and/or save xmas/bday money.

We bought a WII a while ago for xmas. That's the only gaming console we have.

[Anonymous]

We tend to buy that kind of thing used. My kids just aren't into gaming or bikes.

[Anonymous]

We have done under that price. But, we buy throughout the year and the holidays are no big deal to us.

[Anonymous]

If a kid needs a big-ticket item (computer, bike, etc), it's gotten during the year when it's needed, or maybe for a birthday. I have multiple children and can't afford a big-ticket items for all of them at the same time, (and I'm not going to get just one kid something expensive for Christmas.)

[Anonymous]

I posted on the other thread that my kid is getting a $100 Nike gift card as her most expensive gift. She does have a Switch, IPad and IPhone SE ( not an expensive one) and got them for birthdays/Christmad in the last couple of years.
Bikes were also previous Birthday gifts.
I agree with your point.

[Anonymous]

My kids got a switch as a joint gift a few years ago. Neither has a personal tablet or computer. They are 13 and 8. We have nowhere to ride bikes, so while they know how, they don’t have bikes.

Neither asked for anything expensive. I think the most expensive thing was a $70 Lego set.

[Anonymous]

I haven't really counted, but since you asked, it's true most expensive items were bought and given on an as-needed basis. And some of them were extraordinarily, ridiculously expensive. Usually Christmas presents are low-key, for some reason. We focus on the food

[Anonymous]

We don't give big ticket items like that for Christmas. Sometimes for a birthday. Often we will say "okay this is the bike we can buy you, but if you want something higher end, you'll need to pitch in." This might take the form of contributing their birthday and Christmas money from grandparents and a few other relatives ($20 from five different people twice a year adds up). It might also take the form of doing chores or helping us in ways above and beyond normal chores to help earn an upgrade.

Christmas is for smaller gifts. We don't stick to a $100 per gift cap, but if a kid gets something for more than $100, they will get fewer gifts overall, and they no this when they make wish lists. But also they know I'm a good shopper who knows how/when to nab deals, so also sometimes they ask for things that cost over $100 and I get them for much less via Black Friday or buying off eBay or whatever.

[Anonymous]

All those things are not holiday gifts in our family. A bike for birthday maybe. And electronics (not games) when they are needed for school. We try ti make the holidays about smaller fun gifts and family time and traditions.

[Anonymous]

All our presents are around $20 but yes they got bikes, switches and i pads years ago (before covid) and while some gaming system was on one of their wish lists, there is no way I'm getting another system at any point in the foreseeable future. They are not the type to be left wanting for anything though, they just don't ask for pricier things.

[Anonymous]

My kid has a bike, that is more of a necessity to get around than a gift, so purchased as needed.

Her ipad is a hand-me-down and I suspect it will be the same when it's time for a phone.

She has asked for big-ticket items (like a VR setup) but we haven't purchased anything like that because I know it will go largely unused. Ideally, I'd like her to contribute toward these things that are purely for entertainment purposes, but she's realistically a couple years off of being able to do so.

[Anonymous]

My tween is 11 so hasn't asked for most of the big ticket items you've mentioned. They don't have a phone, they use a shared laptop/iPad but don't really spend much time on either one, and riding a bicycle is a life skill, so it wasn't a present, it was just something we bought them when we finally moved into a house last summer.

[Anonymous]

Those things were bought on an as needed basis and not as gifts. Needed a laptop for school, so got a laptop for school. DH wanted to take DD in long trail rides, so they got nice bikes. When she gets a new violin (the biggest ticket item), it will also be because she has outgrown her current one, and therefore necessary.

[Anonymous]

Correct. I've never bought or gotten my kid a video game system. DD was handed down a bike in 1st grade. Then in HS I got a bike for free off Facebook for her which I don't think she's ever used. She got a laptop in middle school from a friend's mom who gave it to her - the friend's mom's company lets them buy a used company laptop for like $100. It's probably on its last legs now.

What you basically said in your OP was, "I don't know any poor people." Well, hi. I'm super careful with money and put needs ahead of wants. Love doesn't have to mean expensive gifts.