Average holiday spending $ ?

[kristinecfp]

Just read an article (actually 2) this morning that said the average amount spent on holiday gifts is $1,000. Fyi - both articles were referring to the 20 & 30 something age group.

I don't think I spend nearly that much, but I'm going to review last year's spending to be sure that I didn't just fib.

Just curious to see what others thought about this statistic?

Kristine

[MonkeyMama]

Most people I know spend a lot more. We usually spend closer to that. I really thought we didn't spend near that much but I did review last year, and yeah we did. We tend to buy a few big ticket items though for ourselves and family instead of a lot of small gifts for everyone.

I have had a few people buy $50 of jewlery from me, for one person. & everyone looks at me like I am crazy for only spending $30 or so on each kids. Like they spend closer to $100 - $200 each. All that adds up fast!

[boefixepa]

That is what I shoot for. Some years I stay way under and sometimes I spend more if I am spending the holidays with a sibling and want to get extra stuff for their kids.

[kristinecfp]

Just ran across a good article on The 13 worst holiday spending blunders. It's worth a read...

[Fern]

I am probably a little unusual here, but i have a very small family and not many to buy for.

If I have a serious man in my life, i usually spend about $200 on him, and maybe $200 on everyone else. Everyone else would just be my mom and sis, maybe something small for my neighbor, a friend or two and the 3 people at work. My mom and sis don't have a lot of extra $$, so they prefer to tone it down and not go crazy like we used to.

My dad and 2 half brothers generally doesn't care to exchange gifts and i dont' see them frequently anyway. Of the 4 siblings, none of us is married or has kids, so that really simplifies things.

[Elgin526]

I can only speak for myself, but our budget is $500 this year. But we also have a small circle of friends and family we buy for. We also aren't giving each other gifts this year since money is tight, otherwise it would be close to $800. DH is 34 and I'm 30.

I read the average was $800 per family, but maybe that included all age groups.

[kealina]

wow... sounds like a lot but i guess it does add up quickly... so far we have always managed to stay under $500 but there are no kids so that probably makes a difference...

we have 2 good friends, 2 sets of parents, and 8 other family members to shop for... we shop early but haven't found much so we're not done yet... we're aiming for $50 or less for parents, $20 or less for siblings and $10 or less for friends and my grandma (we're all putting in money to buy her a big pot of orchids)....
we let everybody know we're keeping it simple...

[creditcardfree]

Holiday spending doesn't just include the gifts. It can include holiday decorations, food, postage, cards, clothes, film, batteries....the list goes on.

[rduell]

I think we average about $700. That's for the 7 of us and 3 other relatives.

[doodles44]

I am planning to spend about $500, but I have spent some of that already throughout the year so it's not all at once. I buy for my SO, seven family members and small gifts for people at work. I am planning to use lots of coupons this year!

[lynclarke]

OK- Our expenses= each other $20 apiece, Christmas kid $100 (I buy throughout the year for a Christmas kid at 50% and 75% off sales- big box for Christmas), 1 25 year old son $100, 5 adult friends $100 (clearance sales), Christmas decorating $50 (includes before and after Christmas sales), and Christmas dinner $100 which includes gifts at each setting and a centerpiece for each family to take home....so grand total = $500 ish.

[vishenda]

From what I know I'd guess it to be accurate for an average.

Remember that once you throw kids into the mix, then the number goes way up...especially when they get to the age that the stuff they want is expensive (xbox, mp3 player, bicycle, etc)

[Snoopy2645]

I would say we will spend around $500 this year this includes everyone dh & I & 3 kids & my mom & grandma & niece & nephew & brother & will send MIL & BIL a gift & my new niece oh & ya & dd's bestfriend. get tons for the price though.

I try to get as much as I can free & close to free as possible LOL!!! SOme years we spend more some less but my kids get nothing really all year except a few things picked up at garage sales so this is thier main deal for anything new clothes or new toys or new learning things which is what I am aiming more for this year & some bedding stuff ya know.

[Daylily]

We spend about $500- 600. I save $30 a month throughout the year so that I don't get hit with the large expense in November/December.

Breakdown:
$25 gift exchange on In-laws side
$25 gift exchange on In-laws side
$50 5 -$10 gift cards for nieces/nephews
$50 for inlaws
$150 nieces/nephews my side
$50 gift exchange
$50 parents

[doodles44]

The average amount for holiday spending is $800, according to an article in Friday's WSJ on luxury gifts.

I am currently under budget for the holidays as I'm finding gifts cheaper than what I had planned to purchase them for. (I still have five large gifts and several smaller gifts to go). I'm wondering, if you get something under budget for a person, do you get them another smaller gift to compensate? Just wondering!

[rduell]

Originally Posted by doodles44

I'm wondering, if you get something under budget for a person, do you get them another smaller gift to compensate? Just wondering!

We do this for our kids because we spend a set amount on each. Then I wrap the gifts so that each one gets the same number of wrapped packages. So if I could get 5 gifts for kid A, 3 for kid B, and only 1 for kid C for that amount of money, each would get 1 wrapped gift. A and B would just have theirs bundled together. I started doing that when they were little just because they weren't aware of the gift value, only the number of gifts they received.

I don't do it for others that I give gifts to though. If I found the item on sale I would still only get that one item.

[lynclarke]

doodles44- If I was doing a gift exchange for a set amount like $25, then I would buy as many items as I could get for that amount of money. If the amount is a number I had in my head, then no- I would just give the gift.

[baking23]

Originally Posted by kristinecfp

Just read an article (actually 2) this morning that said the average amount spent on holiday gifts is $1,000. Fyi - both articles were referring to the 20 & 30 something age group.

Just curious to see what others thought about this statistic?

Kristine

I think that's way to high, I'd rather not give/get gifts but very few of my friend's will donate to charity in leiu of a gift.

I think last year I spent maybe $150 total. My friends and i have agreed on 10-15 a person and I normally spend $25 on family. I feel guilty when they spend more than that on me anyway. No matter how much my mom says she's going to cut back, she doesn't and then I feel spoiled for complaining about my having too much stuff.

[JoyJoy]

Used American Express Gold Rewards card and with our reward points "purchased" 5 Blockbuster Night reward cards which include 2 videos, 2 Coke products and 1 large tub of popcorn. These are for our 3 sons and two nieces. Each son will receive $100.00 in cash and the son in the Navy will receive 6 lbs of holiday cookies which he usually shares with his friends. Bought holiday cookies for our doctor, her staff and for the pharmacist.

Hubby and I decided to spend $50.00 on each other this year. I will still purchase the camcorder but give it to him on his birthday in May.

Buying a spiral turkey breast at Hickory Farms for a friend who had surgery and is unable to cook or venture out. Buying a turkey breast for my aunt who is 91 years of age and she can slice off this turkey breast for days.

I used one card and charged the items that we bought. Paying off the card when the bill arrives and the bill should total no more than $250 if not less. Giving the boys $100.00 each should make our grand total around $700.00 this year and that includes Christmas cards and stamps!! Oh and $20.00 to our yardman, $20.00 to our postal carrier and $20.00 to our favorite waitress where we order Chinese food lol.

[baking23]

I like that you remember teh postcarrier, waitresses (I might be frugal but I tip 20%), and others. I baked cupcakes for our postman last year, i know his family loved them.