Christmas budget
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Anonymous
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The thread on holiday parties got me wondering if people have separate budgets for gifts , food, etc or do you just say I spend what I spend or have a set amount for each category?
For me I don't go into Christmas with a set budget in mind. My kids/grandsons give me lists and I just buy them what they ask for. I dont keep track of the specific amount i spend on them but its probably $3k if not more. Now for extended family I have a budget and I dont spend over $75 on each person. Food is another thing I budget for and I try to stay below $500. |
Anonymous
| I have a total Christmas budget, all things Christmas come from it, gifts, foods, activities, travel. It’s 5200$, we get paid weekly so I save 100$ a week. |
Anonymous
| DH wants Chanukah gifts. Actually it's I who want to give them. Lol. I think I spent about $900 on them, plus about $50 on our "holiday" cards (I celebrate Christmas), $30 on poinsettias, $20 on batteries for lights, $25 on wreath for deck (Whole Foods, disappointed this year by quality btw), $20 on holiday napkins. |
Anonymous
| We don't have a budget, but we are used to living frugally, so unless we really want to splurge on something specific, we don't spend too much. Generally those splurges do not align with Holidays, though. |
Anonymous
| We’re spending about 2k. It sounds like a lot. It’s two physical presents each and some experience gifts plus food stocking stuffers. |
Anonymous
| 3k but that includes everyone! |
Anonymous
| No budget, but we don’t spend much. Just a few hundred dollars each year. We buy stuff throughout the year. |
Anonymous
| Usually around $1k for everyone (mom/dad, 2 teens), but this year the kids got new phones, so more. We don't buy presents for grandparents who don't want more stuff, and get together with aunts/uncles for a nice dinner out and call it a day. Haven't bought presents for nieces and nephews since they graduated from college |
Anonymous
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Why are phones a holiday gift? If they need a phone, get a phone. Same with clothing.
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Anonymous
We don’t do it that way. You don’t “get a phone.” It’s either a birthday or Christmas gift. Same with some clothing. Certainly brand name clothing- that’s a gift. Jeans from Old Navy because you need a pair of jeans- not a gift. |
Anonymous
| I would not spend more than 0.5% of annual income on Christmas anything more than that is a little cuckoo |
Anonymous
My kids always ask for clothing. It's not like we don't buy them clothing the rest of the year, but it's what they want now that they are teens and young adults. |
Anonymous
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I am using YNAB for the first time this year so I tracked my total Christmas budget. In general I am happy with my priorities for spending; my kids, the people who do work for us; and healthy and good food and drink (no alcohol) I ADORE christmas cookies so I'm find with spending as much as I do; we exchange cookies with friends and family. Husband and I don't exchange anything but small gifts at Christmas. I have all the decorations I need and we reuse gift bags as wrapping paper so not much spent there. I include "takeout" meals where I am too tired to cook in the week leading up to Christmas in holiday food and drink because usually we do not do much takeout.
$1000 Presents for 2 (college-aged) kids $ 800 Christmas Tips $ 350 Holiday Food and Drink (Immediate family of 4) $ 200 Presents for extended family (4 people) $ 200 Holiday Baking and cookies $ 100 Stocking stuffers (kids and spouse) $ 10 Decorations/tree/lights/wreath $ 0 Wrapping Paper/tape/Cards Total: $2660 I think. |
Anonymous
| It's must be nice to not have a budget. Or look at price tags. |
Anonymous
| I have the same $3000 budget every month for my credit card. I fit Christmas into that from Sept-December. I try to spread it out and make other big expenditures in other months. If I go over I go on a no spend January and Feb. It works for me. |