Opinion on budgets

[Tanikins]

So back story me and oh have a lb. oh also has a lg and lb with an ex.

Our budgets our:
Lg - 200-250
Lb (his) - 200-250

Lb (ours) - 250-300

Ex says were being unfair as they should all get the same. But i feel as the stepkids gets stuff from both us and mum, our lb should have a slightly bigger budget.

Just wondered if i am being an evil step mum.

Just to add kids arent old enough to understand prices

 

[aimee-lou]

I agree they deserve the same. Maybe ask mum how much she will be putting to and make it up to a round figure?

 

[mum22ttc#3]

Personally I think they should all get the same from you and OH, it's not really their fault that they have separated parents iykwim?
I don't mean that as nasty or nothing and it's entirely up to you's of course, but if I was your OH I would kind of feel like I was favouring one over the other 2?

 

[Lotty]

I would do what your doing in your situation and spend abit more on your own child...as like you said they will also get presents from their mother and her side.

My situation is different I have 2 stepkids who live with us fulltime (Who dont see their mother) and we have a little boy together..We have the same budgets for all 3 kids. xx

 

[060509.x]

I don't think you're being unfair, tbh I would probably do the same you're doing in your situation.

 

[DanielleM]

I think that all kids should get the same. At this age they might not understand but what happens when they are teenagers, they will know the difference then and you are setting a divide already.

 

[monkee12]

I would also be spending the same amount as the others, I wouldn't feel right otherwise. That's just my opinion though. X

 

[Blah11]

I would do the same as you. My dad and his gf never got us as much as my step sister and half brother cos we got our main big presents at my mums. Never bothered me at all.

 

[Ceejay123]

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[BabyHill]

I wouldn't focus as much on budgets and just get what you think they'll both love and do like another poster said and maybe put money away. My sdad and mum set a different budget for me and their kids together which isn't nice when you're a kid and know about it. I wouldn't discuss your budget concerning your lo with your ohs ex as it can come out later and that could his son with his ex too.

I guess I'm looking at how it felt for me but it did come out when I understood and it really does set a divide. X

 

[HaveANiceDay]

I have a son with my OH, he has a son with his ex.

We don't really set budgets/do things like this. We just buy what looks right - They're kids and the price won't really bother them. We're getting them both a main present, and smaller presents. Their piles will be about the same ( we think) we just haven't set budgets.

I see both points. Last year however we did spend more on Riley, but we put some money in his brothers savings account too which did top it up. x

I agree with this, no need to set a specific budget, just get what you think they will like, as long as they have roughly the same amount of presents (i.e there isn't a massive really noticeable difference between quality/quantity), then they really won't care about the cost unless you bring it up.

 

[motherofboys]

I think a potential £50 difference is not really a whole lot anyway. And would you be spending exactly the same on each child anyway? Like if they all have a budget of 250 but you added it up the week before Christmas and one had had 210, another 230 and the 3rd 240, would you go out and find something to make up those differences or leave it at that? If the answer to that is leave it at what you have spent then theres no harm I guess in saying the budget is all the same, but if it comes in under then it comes in under.
I completely see your point that they will be getting 2 lots of presents, but for the difference in budget that you are looking at I don't think its worth disagreeing with DH over.

 

[Tanikins]

Thanks for response. I think i feel he should get more because of the way we open them (this may need to change).

We open ours, have dinner and the go to gps house. Where the sk will get theirs. So oscar has to sit and watch them open gifts when he has none.so i feel complelled to make our morning as big as possible.

 

[Ceejay123]

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[Tanikins]

Or you could save some presents to open at gp? X

We are thinking of this, its mainly a space issue. Will hopefully work something out