How much do you spend on your kids?

Birthday they get about $100.

Christmas about $150ish. This year Josh does have more that that as we needed to get him a new bike.

We have a budget of $100 per person in our family for xmas. For birthdays it just depends what they are into. Daniel didn't understand his first birthday. The most interesting thing for him that day was the candles on the cake lol so for Alex's first birthday we won't spend much at all.

Under 10 I spend around $100 for bday and $150 for christmas. I spend during the year so it doesn't hit all at once. I also have two birthdays in december so it pays to spread the cost. Now I have a 14 yr old birthdays tend to be a bit more expensive. She got a ph one birthday and an ipod the other so they tend to go over the rule. She wants some GHD's this year so that will be a combined chrissy and birthday with a few little chrissy pressies thrown in. I allocate about $30 of the $150 for santa stocking. They also get a clothing item in that price so it isn't just toys.

This year we are cutting back as I am just about running out of space. That is the nice thing about the kids getting older is the toys get smaller.

I spent alot of DD last year with her 1st birthday & Christmas, which are within 1 week of each other. I guess there were so many cool toys & it was me that was excited.

She then got so much more from grandparents etc, and it was just too much.

This year i have spent $50 for each, that includes clothes & an out door chair set. But most things i got over 70% off in sales. I finished shopping for her in June.

I know her grandparents have gotten her a pool & swing & slide set. So she is going to be very spoilt anyway.

Next year i will most likely spend a bit more & get her a bike. But that will be her only present. Being an only grandchild and having most her great grandparents she gets alot of stuff.

Edited by _SMS_

My girls each have a piggy bank that we fill up over the year then they get to open it at around the middle -end of November. They spend whatever is in it on whatever they wish. 2 years ago DD1 had almost $300 in hers so she chose a 2nd hand laptop off Trademe and was able to buy various gifts for family, she was 14 at the time. DD2 had over $400 in hers and got herself a 2nd hand PSP with games and movies off Trademe and was also able to buy various gifts for family..she was 8 at the time. Now they are older they dip into their piggy banks more often so last year DD1 only had $80 or so and got mainly pressies for her cousins and grandparents. DD2 had almost $200 in hers and managed to get herself some clothes and gifts for the family. We don't give them any extra money at Xmas time as the money in their piggy comes from various sources..ie our change from shopping, monetary gifts from their bdays and family, dance items at family events etc. They both know that the piggy is their personal spending money for Xmas as we never have extra money at Xmas.

For the girls 1st birthday I think I spent about $250?? But to be honest, one of the toys hasn't even come out of the box and they didn't see it, so it's being regifted for Christmas As for other Christmas pressies...I haven't even started shopping and have no idea what to get them!!

we were really strapped for DS1's 1st bday as DS2 was due and money was real tight. we probably spent about $30 and he loved what we got it, and we got it off trade me in good condtion so it was sweet. xmas will be no more than $100 for both kids combined. they are so close in age any toys we buy for one, both kids will like. we also largely only have toys the kids have to do stuff with so different types of blocks, playdoh, crayons etc too which saves us a lot of money. we have a quite different philosophy to most ppl on toys though. however when the kids are big enough for bikes and trampolines and stuff it will be a different story. they'll have a large present on top of the normal budget

There is just under 4 weeks between xmas and ds bday. I have a tendancy to go overboard. I buy through out the year so don't really stick to a budget like I should, I think we have spent $250 for xmas then the same for his bday and to be honest he is getting to much

I spend too much on DD1, but have learnt from it and don't plan on go as overboard for DD2 and 3 who are 11 and 14 years younger (DD3 still in tum)... For DD1 I usually realistically spend around $300 for each bday and xmas... she always gets a big present like her phone or IPod or such, and then some smaller presents which usually includes clothes and stuff she would need anyway I guess... To be honest her last birthday we spent over $400 but it just seems to add up.... DD2 we have spent about $80 to $100 for each bday and xmas so far... although we have her a swing slide set for xmas and a few other things so probably more like $220 this year...

Wow i cant believe how much people spend on there kids