What do you spend on a classmate birthday present?

[Anonymous]

$15/$20 ish, maybe up to $30 if there is something very specific that my child says the other kid really likes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I post this all the time, but the answer is:

Friendly acquaintance/not super-close: Retail value $20-30, I spend $4-8 max. These folks especially are getting generic but hopefully fun/decent quality gifts that I've stocked up on when they were on clearance for 75-90% off.

Closer friend: Same thing, but probably up a notch to $40 value, $10 spend.

Closest 2-3 friends and godsisters: Here I may go out of my way and buy something very specific to their interests and pay closer to retail, at least for part of the gift. Value still around $40, maybe $50, but I might actually spend $20-25.

I like to give something substantial in all cases, but there's no way I'm sending my kid to 15 birthday parties a year and spending $500!

I guess I end up spending more like $175 annually.

HHI is $120k in DC.

How do you find so many things on clearance for 75-90%??

Actual PP responding. I don't stalk Black Friday sales or even really track when stores put stuff on clearance (although mid-late January is generally good, for obvious reasons, as a PP said). Mostly for me, it's pure opportunism. I don't usually go to a store with the intention of cleaning them out, but when I'm already in a store for something else... Well, I never met a clearance section I didn't at least give a 30-second once-over.

Here's where I've had the most luck: ​

-Giant and Safeway, believe it or not. Usually have a clearance shelf near the bathrooms or w/e. I've gotten Barbies, fun markers and even board games for pennies on the dollar.

-CVS post-holiday. Almost any holiday. Actually better for Valentines and Easter than Christmas. Many of their seasonal gifts/basket stuffers/etc. go quickly to 75-90% off and are not necessarily overtly Valentines-y or Easter-y or whatever. I don't stalk them, but the key here is hit a few other nearby CVS if you find one that's gone to 75%+. Their clearance markdowns don't seem to be centralized (I guess up to the manager), but if you find one 75% off store, it's likely that at least one or two of the closes 3-4 will also be at 75%.

-Old Navy, especially in January. Just random finds, like... scarves for 50 cents.

-Places you may not associate with kids' stuff, but which carry some, like Staples, or Ulta. Especially because they're not kid-shopping destinations, so they have no use for keeping a bunch of kid stuff around. I got a bunch of cool things at Staples a couple months after back-to-school one year.

-Thrift store. If I'm shopping there anyway and see a brand-new shrink-wrapped book or "non-perishable" toy, best believe I'll snatch that up.

Less of the stuff in my "gift closet" comes from places like Target or Michael's or Five Below, but sure, sometimes I find great stuff in their clearance sections, too. Like PPs, I learned this from my mom, who grew up really poor but loves to shop. She's the queen of all bargain hunters.

I'm sure this is only partially economically intelligent, as it does take more time than ordering 15 identical board games on Amazon and calling it a year, but 1) I am already in these places so not taking oodles of extra time, 2) I enjoy shopping and would prefer to shop vs many other activities, and 3) my time is not highly-valuable vs my money. My own salary is in the mid-five-figures. It works for me.

I am guessing that, being DCUM, someone will come along and say that the stuff I buy is probably cheap, weird plastic crap that no one else would want, but it's things like Exploding Kittens games, Contigo bottles, aforementioned Barbies, mid-high-end art supplies... and of course, all the good grownup stuff I also stock up on for hostess gifts or "I didn't know my cousin was bringing his new girlfriend to Christmas" and so on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I post this all the time, but the answer is:

Friendly acquaintance/not super-close: Retail value $20-30, I spend $4-8 max. These folks especially are getting generic but hopefully fun/decent quality gifts that I've stocked up on when they were on clearance for 75-90% off.

Closer friend: Same thing, but probably up a notch to $40 value, $10 spend.

Closest 2-3 friends and godsisters: Here I may go out of my way and buy something very specific to their interests and pay closer to retail, at least for part of the gift. Value still around $40, maybe $50, but I might actually spend $20-25.

I like to give something substantial in all cases, but there's no way I'm sending my kid to 15 birthday parties a year and spending $500!

I guess I end up spending more like $175 annually.

HHI is $120k in DC.

How do you find so many things on clearance for 75-90%??

Actual PP responding. I don't stalk Black Friday sales or even really track when stores put stuff on clearance (although mid-late January is generally good, for obvious reasons, as a PP said). Mostly for me, it's pure opportunism. I don't usually go to a store with the intention of cleaning them out, but when I'm already in a store for something else... Well, I never met a clearance section I didn't at least give a 30-second once-over.

Here's where I've had the most luck: ​

-Giant and Safeway, believe it or not. Usually have a clearance shelf near the bathrooms or w/e. I've gotten Barbies, fun markers and even board games for pennies on the dollar.

-CVS post-holiday. Almost any holiday. Actually better for Valentines and Easter than Christmas. Many of their seasonal gifts/basket stuffers/etc. go quickly to 75-90% off and are not necessarily overtly Valentines-y or Easter-y or whatever. I don't stalk them, but the key here is hit a few other nearby CVS if you find one that's gone to 75%+. Their clearance markdowns don't seem to be centralized (I guess up to the manager), but if you find one 75% off store, it's likely that at least one or two of the closes 3-4 will also be at 75%.

-Old Navy, especially in January. Just random finds, like... scarves for 50 cents.

-Places you may not associate with kids' stuff, but which carry some, like Staples, or Ulta. Especially because they're not kid-shopping destinations, so they have no use for keeping a bunch of kid stuff around. I got a bunch of cool things at Staples a couple months after back-to-school one year.

-Thrift store. If I'm shopping there anyway and see a brand-new shrink-wrapped book or "non-perishable" toy, best believe I'll snatch that up.

Less of the stuff in my "gift closet" comes from places like Target or Michael's or Five Below, but sure, sometimes I find great stuff in their clearance sections, too. Like PPs, I learned this from my mom, who grew up really poor but loves to shop. She's the queen of all bargain hunters.

I'm sure this is only partially economically intelligent, as it does take more time than ordering 15 identical board games on Amazon and calling it a year, but 1) I am already in these places so not taking oodles of extra time, 2) I enjoy shopping and would prefer to shop vs many other activities, and 3) my time is not highly-valuable vs my money. My own salary is in the mid-five-figures. It works for me.

I am guessing that, being DCUM, someone will come along and say that the stuff I buy is probably cheap, weird plastic crap that no one else would want, but it's things like Exploding Kittens games, Contigo bottles, aforementioned Barbies, mid-high-end art supplies... and of course, all the good grownup stuff I also stock up on for hostess gifts or "I didn't know my cousin was bringing his new girlfriend to Christmas" and so on.

Very informative. Thanks. I shop clearance but never would have guessed that Giant and Safeway would have toys too. When do they clear these out? I would like to stalk them if I can this year. I did not know that Five Below also has clearance sales. I know Michaels does but I always find out late and miss their grab bags.

[Anonymous]

My budget for bday party gifts for my kids’ friends/classmates is under $10. Yeah im cheap. But they go to A LOT of bday parties! And it is just too much to be shelling out anymore than that all the time. We usually get some art supplies or sometimes I’ll find a cool toy on clearance.

My kids are young—7 and 5. I imagine as they get older the parties will be fewer and their friends will be closer so we’ll know better what to get, and when that happens we’ll get more $$ gifts. But for now there are a lot of whole class parties or parties with 15-20 kids and I think a small gift like we do is fine.

[Anonymous]

I truly appreciate when the invitation specifies "no gifts, please."

We usually give a package of stickers and a homemade birthday card. For a good friend, we might buy something in the $10-15 range.

Let's be reasonable, kids don't need a dozen birthday presents.

With two kids averaging a party each per month, the cost to attend birthday parties really adds up.

[Anonymous]

I bought a $14.99 gift on sale for $10. So I bought a card and plan to put a sheet of stickers in the card. Also bought wrapping paper.

[Anonymous]

Are gift certificates appreciated? I was thinking of getting a $20 gift card to our local bookstore but ended up picking some unicorn painting kit for my kid’s classmate we don’t know well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I post this all the time, but the answer is:

Friendly acquaintance/not super-close: Retail value $20-30, I spend $4-8 max. These folks especially are getting generic but hopefully fun/decent quality gifts that I've stocked up on when they were on clearance for 75-90% off.

Closer friend: Same thing, but probably up a notch to $40 value, $10 spend.

Closest 2-3 friends and godsisters: Here I may go out of my way and buy something very specific to their interests and pay closer to retail, at least for part of the gift. Value still around $40, maybe $50, but I might actually spend $20-25.

I like to give something substantial in all cases, but there's no way I'm sending my kid to 15 birthday parties a year and spending $500!

I guess I end up spending more like $175 annually.

HHI is $120k in DC.

How do you find so many things on clearance for 75-90%??

Actual PP responding. I don't stalk Black Friday sales or even really track when stores put stuff on clearance (although mid-late January is generally good, for obvious reasons, as a PP said). Mostly for me, it's pure opportunism. I don't usually go to a store with the intention of cleaning them out, but when I'm already in a store for something else... Well, I never met a clearance section I didn't at least give a 30-second once-over.

Here's where I've had the most luck: ​

-Giant and Safeway, believe it or not. Usually have a clearance shelf near the bathrooms or w/e. I've gotten Barbies, fun markers and even board games for pennies on the dollar.

-CVS post-holiday. Almost any holiday. Actually better for Valentines and Easter than Christmas. Many of their seasonal gifts/basket stuffers/etc. go quickly to 75-90% off and are not necessarily overtly Valentines-y or Easter-y or whatever. I don't stalk them, but the key here is hit a few other nearby CVS if you find one that's gone to 75%+. Their clearance markdowns don't seem to be centralized (I guess up to the manager), but if you find one 75% off store, it's likely that at least one or two of the closes 3-4 will also be at 75%.

-Old Navy, especially in January. Just random finds, like... scarves for 50 cents.

-Places you may not associate with kids' stuff, but which carry some, like Staples, or Ulta. Especially because they're not kid-shopping destinations, so they have no use for keeping a bunch of kid stuff around. I got a bunch of cool things at Staples a couple months after back-to-school one year.

-Thrift store. If I'm shopping there anyway and see a brand-new shrink-wrapped book or "non-perishable" toy, best believe I'll snatch that up.

Less of the stuff in my "gift closet" comes from places like Target or Michael's or Five Below, but sure, sometimes I find great stuff in their clearance sections, too. Like PPs, I learned this from my mom, who grew up really poor but loves to shop. She's the queen of all bargain hunters.

I'm sure this is only partially economically intelligent, as it does take more time than ordering 15 identical board games on Amazon and calling it a year, but 1) I am already in these places so not taking oodles of extra time, 2) I enjoy shopping and would prefer to shop vs many other activities, and 3) my time is not highly-valuable vs my money. My own salary is in the mid-five-figures. It works for me.

I am guessing that, being DCUM, someone will come along and say that the stuff I buy is probably cheap, weird plastic crap that no one else would want, but it's things like Exploding Kittens games, Contigo bottles, aforementioned Barbies, mid-high-end art supplies... and of course, all the good grownup stuff I also stock up on for hostess gifts or "I didn't know my cousin was bringing his new girlfriend to Christmas" and so on.

What do you do if the kids age out before your gift closet is depleted? Or you only have gifts left in the closet that this particular friend wouldn’t really enjoy? I like to buy kid specific gifts.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know about the gift closet idea based on some of the items you mention. A Contigo Water bottle or a scarf is a weird birthday gift for a young elementary kid. And we all know contigo water bottles go on sale all the time at target, so I would assume you were giving an extra you bought for your kid or you got it last minute on discount. I couldn’t see going to a play center birthday party and having the birthday boy open a gap scarf.

[Anonymous]

I have a standard gift that we give every time. They normally cost 20-$25, but I shop sales and buy them for $15 and stock up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a standard gift that we give every time. They normally cost 20-$25, but I shop sales and buy them for $15 and stock up.

Can you share what it is?

[Anonymous]

I spend 15-25 depending on the kid and whether both of my kids are attending the party.

[Anonymous]

$25 is standard despite what everyone else is saying

[Anonymous]

That's awesome that there's people who are able to save money by buying all these generic gifts ahead of time but I'm not able to do that. My kids just don't get invited to THAT many parties. I think between both my kids (4 & 7), they were invited to maybe 7 bday parties....there were less with covid in my area.

We try to keep it around $20.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a standard gift that we give every time. They normally cost 20-$25, but I shop sales and buy them for $15 and stock up.

Can you share what it is?

I don’t want to out myself, but basically it’s a company that makes science kits. So they work for boys, girls, big age range, etc. I stock up and get like 6 at a time then wrap them all and add a sticky note to indicate that it’s like rainbow themed or dinosaur or whatever so we can somewhat personalize our choice.