How much do you spend on birthday party gifts for kids?

[pigletto]

I have been reading this board like crazy and doing my best to adjust our spending habits and cut costs.
My DS has a birthday party to go to tomorrow. The birthday boy will be 3 yrs old.
I looked for sales and got him a Crayola "Cars" coloring set, a dinosaur egg that hatches in water, and a puzzle.
Total spent.. about 15 dollars. I also filled the bag with candies.
I am left feeling like it's not enough.. while the other part of my brain says "he is 3!! When ds turned three he didn't care how much was spent. He loved all his presents."
I think my spending is based too much on emotion. I end up spending needless money because I think it equates with love. I.E. "If we spent more Bitrhday boy would know we care"
Which the other part of my brain realizes is ridiculous.
Does anyone else have this problem? I set a budget limit and constantly feel like it isn't enough.
Anyone else?

 

[Mickey & Minnie Mom]

That is what I budget for the parties my kids go to as well. Closer friends I may go $20 or even $25, but for school/activity friends I try to stick to $15.

Now that I have two kids going to parties, the number of parties can really put a ding in the budget. Some months they each go to one, some months none and then there have been some months where they've gone to 4 or 5 between them!

It is all in the shopping you do as well. I am guessing since you post here on the budget board, you know how to make that $15 go longer than other shoppers.

Relax!! You're doing great.

 

[nena]

I spend $15 for parties for school friends.

Family about $20-$25 with a little help from target!!!
go to www.afullcup.com and then to the Target Coupon Generator. There you can print a $5 off of a $25 toy purchase.

 

[victorandbellasmom]

For school friends, we do anywhere from $15-$25 depending on how close my kids are with them. There are a couple of close friends (frequent play dates and numerous sleepovers) who we do $50. Your presents sound perfect for a 3 year old boy.

 

[minniebeth]

Yes, I feel that way very much so, I'm a people pleaser and I end up spending much more money than I should. Then I feel it kind of goes unappreciated, so I vow not to get caught up in it again, but I do anyway!
Lately, we've been invited to large parties where the whole class or neighborhood is invited and the parents have asked for a donation of books, food, cleaning supplies, etc. for organizations. But then for our kids' close friends I feel like they should get them something to give separate from the party. Then I end up buying the donation AND a bday gift!

I still think that contrary to what I do (it's what I say, not what I do! )
I think that when a gift is given from the heart, that is what matters most!

 

[simonkodousek]

We try to stick to $20 or $30 as best as we can, but sometimes people go above and beyond for us, so we return the favor.

 

[MinnieGi]

My DS is 3 and for his friends parties I spend between $10.00 to $15.00. For his best buddy we went higher to $25.00. OP-I think what you got the birthday child sounds great.

My DD is 7 and same thing I usually spend between $10.00 - $15.00. Usually for her friends she chooses to buy a Webkinz. For her closer friends I'll buy a little something else to go along with the Webkinz that DD picked out. I know all the birthday kids I've seen open presents are thrilled with their one Webkinz!!!

 

[miceli20]

I do agree with everyone about having a limit. However, my girls have become very popular and they are only 17 months apart. Now that they are 13 and 12 they invites still keep coming. One parent said she may go to 4 or 5 a month try having as many invites for the same weekend. I shop clearance racks and sales. I also give a $10 gift certificate to the movies. Oh and just because I found it on clearance doesn't mean I have to add more to the gift. I have bought beach towels from disney online for five bucks and roll them up with a cute ribbon and give that. Parents love it. So set your limit and stick to it, I bet you didn't add the cost of the cute wrapping paper and card. That adds up even at dollar tree. Instead of a card we make enclosure cards on the computer with our girls names on them and attach it to the gift. I hope this helps.

 

[ceecee]

I buy things on clearance and put them away. So I save money and still am able to get good gifts. I think around $20 is the average.

 

[rentayenta]

$15 for school friends, more for close friends.

 

[adell557]

DD is 3 and we spend $10 for the gifts.

 

[luv2nascar]

$15 -$20 sounds about right. I use clearance and sales to stock up.

 

[McKelly]

$15.00 is about what I spend, give or take a little.

 

[lisaross]

The average amount i spend of school friend gifts is about 20.00 give or take - as for close friends about 30 or so.

lisa

I have been reading this board like crazy and doing my best to adjust our spending habits and cut costs.
My DS has a birthday party to go to tomorrow. The birthday boy will be 3 yrs old.
I looked for sales and got him a Crayola "Cars" coloring set, a dinosaur egg that hatches in water, and a puzzle.
Total spent.. about 15 dollars. I also filled the bag with candies.
I am left feeling like it's not enough.. while the other part of my brain says "he is 3!! When ds turned three he didn't care how much was spent. He loved all his presents."
I think my spending is based too much on emotion. I end up spending needless money because I think it equates with love. I.E. "If we spent more Bitrhday boy would know we care"
Which the other part of my brain realizes is ridiculous.
Does anyone else have this problem? I set a budget limit and constantly feel like it isn't enough.
Anyone else?

 

[megthewonderful]

My boys are 3 and 4 and we try to stick to a $10 limit for friends. If it's a close family friend, then we usually set a $20 limit. Lately, with all the parties they are invited to I have been stocking up on gifts be shopping the clearance section at Target. We usually make our own cards at home with some construction paper, markers and the foam cut-outs to give each gift a personal touch.

 

[drcmk]

The typical gift here for a kid's birthday party costs about $20. We spend $30 or $35 on a close friend. Now that my girls are in 5th and 7th grades, most of their classmates have smaller parties for just their friends rather than inviting the whole class. That means I have to spend more per gift, but we get invited to fewer parties and I prefer it that way. My girls often want to decline invitations from people that are not close friends now, too.

I've decided that "friend" parties will end for my older daughter this year (and for my younger one when she gets to 7th grade), but she can invite a friend or two to our rollicking family birthday dinner that we always have for extended family. The exception is "Sweet 16." I'm not planning a blow-out, but I'll save up the few hundred I would spend on yearly parties from age 12 to 15 to throw a bigger party when they turn 16.

 

[mjkacmom]

For a child they're not close to, $15 - $20, and for a good friend, $25 - $30. Dd7 has 2 today, and my twins had 1 yesterday - the spring is rough!

 

[fatewineroses]

$20 for most kids. I have a tip though. For gifts I give kids of almost ANY age I try to find a board game. There's usually a game out there for most any kid, and a good portion of them are under that $20 price range. Card games count!

I LOVE carrying small games in my purse for my DD and I to play when we go out to eat and are waiting for our food. I'm not a big fan of the little hand held games usually, but the Q20 game is AMAZING! Other than that one though, I really encourage ppl to get board games that can be played with anywhere from 1 to 6 players.

And yes, you can get a board game for a 3 y.o.!!! Hi Ho Cherry O and Memory are two I can think of off the top of my head. I could probably come up with a game for almost ANY age range!

As for stocking up, like some ppl mentioned, Xmas time has Target and Toys R Us putting out ALOT of basic games REALLY cheap! One year I bought every family in my family an Uno Attack game. Got each of them for $10 and every single one of them are still used to this day. Spent about $100 all told on Xmas that year (not EVERYONE got just an Uno Attack game).

 

[mjkacmom]

For a child they're not close to, $15 - $20, and for a good friend, $25 - $30. Dd7 has 2 today, and my twins had 1 yesterday - the spring is rough!

I try to pick gifts the parents will like (not toys - as a mom to 5, I'm overwhelmed here). We have 5 parties this month, so I bought everyone a beach towel, sunglasses, and water soaker balls. I also do cute jammies/slippers, or bathsuits/flip flops. I had to laugh when someone gave my twins, the youngest of 5, candyland and shoots and ladders. Um, I think every household with children has these games. It's hard to know what they have already, so I steer away from the toys/games.

 

[The Disney Bunch]

I spend between $10-$15 for school friends who we are not as friendly with. For closer friends, I spend between $15-$20 - There are too many parties to be spending a ton of money. I also stock up on gifts when Amazon or TRu have big sales - this way the kids get something good but I am not spending a ton.