Are you lovely ladies setting a budget?

[jay92]

Hi all

So every single year without fail I say I am cutting back. So far every year I have failed miserably

My question to you lovelys is...

Do you set a budget and stick to it and if so please enlighten me as to how! I reallly need some willpower.

Also my girls are 3 & 6 so are into different things so is a budget for the same amount for both realistic when my older daughters stuff is more expensive??

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Xxx

 

[sequeena]

I'm terrible, I don't budget

 

[Mrs R]

I don't budget. I don't buy toys throughout the year and like to spoil mine at Christmas. When I say spoil I mean maybe £200 each (that is a wild guess!) Actually I've never calculated it and I tell myself it's £200! Mine are 6 & 4, so reasonably close in age and so i try to spend the same amount/ have the same number of presents within reason.

This year however, my almost 7 year old son has been asking for games consoles and things that cost a bomb, so things might be very different this year!

I think so long as you stick to what is reasonable for you, and you don't go way overboard (like those women you see on the news every Christmas who cant get through their own front door for presents), just enjoy spoiling your kiddies

 

[topsy]

I am i am a single mummy THIS year and dont have the funds to buy loads of stuff I am spending on DS between now and xmas £30 a month ( i already have 3 sets of £22 lego, a dino lamp, cushion and snake book) and £20 on gifts for my parents/friends ( this wont be enough for everyone) BUT i do have some friends pressie. THIS is will bills, mortgage etc I just dont have money to spend and i am not getting in debit JUST to have to pay it off in the new year. Last year i bought DS a bike ( £140) and a playstation 4 ( joint pressie for him and his daddy with games £440) PLUS they both had normal pressie to-I JUST cant justify that when the mortgage has to be paid AND we are going on hol in OCT half term ( uk caravan) and April ( uk cottage and to do theme park) AND its DS 6 th birthday at beginning of feb. ITS hard though xxxx

 

[george83]

I might have an overall budget in mind but my boys are 6, 3 and 2 and ive already noticed that ds1's presents are way more expensive than the younger two so an amount per child doesn't work for me. I try to stick to a set number of presents per child - 7 for stocking, 10 for under the tree - but so far that's never happened

 

[Scout]

Not doing a money budget, but cutting back on presents. I'm doing it because in years past (dd is 4), if I buy too much she just gets overwhelmed. Plus, I've noticed that toys get played with very little with the exception of a few. I did buy less last year than the year before, but it was still too much for her. So if I can keep all that in mind, it will help me stick to cutting back. My goal is 5 wrapped gifts on Christmas morning and her stocking. We'll see.

 

[Mummy May]

My budget will be roughly £150 each child because Rory will be getting a tv this year. I've got a Christmas present app so I can keep track. I don't include stocking fillers in that xx

 

[WackyMumof2]

I don't budget simply because at the moment they aren't old enough to understand the true value of money. We always try to spend around the same amount but we base it more on present size so they always get presents of similar size to each other and that helps with the arguments. When they get older they will get a limit then after that, we probably won't even shop for them anymore and just give them the money instead.

 

[jay92]

Thanks ladies, it is great to read other people's perspectives and ideas on it.

My oldest DD is after a new tablet and to be fair hers is pretty basic as I got her it couple of years back for when she was travelling to her grandparents static at weekend. I'm having a look at the iPad mini air1. On the Apple website I seen one refurbished for £209 I think it was, do you guys think it's ok to gift a refurbished tablet? It comes with a new outer shell plus warranty etc and I will get her a big case from amazon. She's 6 and will not know it isn't brand new as it comes boxed etc but my OH says I should buy brand new. My thinking is if I buy her refurbished one then it means she will have the rest of her budget for other gifts.

Xxx

 

[jay92]

My budget will be roughly £150 each child because Rory will be getting a tv this year. I've got a Christmas present app so I can keep track. I don't include stocking fillers in that xx

Ohh I just downloaded a Christmas shopping app too Hun so thanks for that idea. Gotta stay in budget now surely xxx

 

[jay92]

Also I'm glad I'm the only one who doesn't stick to their budget

This year I'm making a conscious effort though

Xxx

 

[xprincessx]

I'm not setting a budget this year because I always end up going over...we are scaling back a lot this year though because they already have lots of toys.

 

[superbecks]

Thanks ladies, it is great to read other people's perspectives and ideas on it.

My oldest DD is after a new tablet and to be fair hers is pretty basic as I got her it couple of years back for when she was travelling to her grandparents static at weekend. I'm having a look at the iPad mini air1. On the Apple website I seen one refurbished for £209 I think it was, do you guys think it's ok to gift a refurbished tablet? It comes with a new outer shell plus warranty etc and I will get her a big case from amazon. She's 6 and will not know it isn't brand new as it comes boxed etc but my OH says I should buy brand new. My thinking is if I buy her refurbished one then it means she will have the rest of her budget for other gifts.

Xxx

Might be worth having a look around Black Friday. I got both my girls tablets last year around this time and saved £80 over the two I think it was. They didn't want iPads though they wanted Samsung galaxy tab 10 A and they're really good x

 

[x_WelshGirl_x]

We're spending around £150 - £200 on each of them. This doesn't include stockings. Last years budget was £150 and we stuck to it.

 

[JessdueJan]

I don't budget but may do when they are older. I just spend what I can afford at the time I'm buying, I buy all year though the little bits and bobs and board games/books etc. Leave their main present or any character themed bits to nearer the time.
Right now mine are so different that an equal budget for each isn't really worth it. DS1 is after a particular bike for xmas and he understands it is expensive so although I will try to have an even looking amount of presents his others will probably be smaller cheaper bits.
DS2 is wanting imaginext stuff which is a fortune and DD is literally happy with anything so to get them an even number of presents I could probably spend half the amount on DD than I would on boys and she would be just as happy. xx

 

[becsboo]

my budget is 4000 for the lot i refuse to spend more than that and im sticking to it

 

[leoniebabey]

I have before and it just seemed so stressful to stick to thenni felt bad when i went over so now i dont. I do have my limits though.

 

[c1403]

I don't budget but they get the same number of presents and they are usually similar. For example DD1 is getting a playmobil hospital so will get DD2 a playmobil zoo/farm which is a similar price. Their presents sort of 'match' if that makes sense.

I am sticking to ten main presents this year, then stockings which is usually two of anything I see around. I usually make a list (which I have just started on) and although I'll make a a few changes I tend to stick to the list.

I am only buying for DH and my parents/sister this year so my spending should be alot less as DH has a big family but we are not buying for them anymore (long story)

Mine have a two year gap and both like the same things at the moment.

 

[loeylo]

We have a budget of around £35 per family member (11 people) then between £50-£100 on each other. We don't budget for our daughter yet because she's small and can't ask for anything, she's literally happy with crayons and bubbles, but we don't really buy her clothes or toys throughout the year except from Christmas and her birthday.

 

[Pearls18]

Yes I budget, we are financially comfortable but I would go crazy without a leash so we save a set amount per month from January to get an overall budget for the whole of Christmas. I tend to go over in some aspects but I'm pretty good with presents, I like to spend equally on my children especially now they're 7 and 4.