Gifts on sale

[JollyGG]

I have a question.

When you set a budget for gifts for christmas or whatever do you consider what the gift is worth or what it cost?

So for example I set a $20 per person budget for my siblings and parents. If you get a $20 gift on sale for $10 do you consider your shopping done or do you spend another $10?

I think the $20 is what I intend to spend so would get something else. My husband thinks that I got that person something of the same value as everyone else and saved myself $10 - yeah.

[desperate&broke]

If 20 bucks is what I allotted a person and found a 10 buck gift, I would look for an additional item to get it to the allotted amount! JUST MY OPINION THO'

[MomIcantFindmy]

I agree with Desperate.........just me. My problem is that if I buy my Stepmother a $20gift on sale for $10 and my Dad one gift for $20 then I buy my Stepmom something else to go with her $10 gift. Then I worry because I only got my Dad one gift and I shop more for him. Then I spent more on my Dad than my Stepmom and I have to buy for her.......it becomes an UGLY cycle.

[Minnymouth]

If my budget is $20.00 per gift, and I'm fortunate to find that gift on sale for $10.00........... I still consider that a $20.00 gift because that is what I would have to pay if it wasn't on sale.....

I take that money SAVED, stick it back, and hope I can find more on sale for $10.00. No one knows I only spent $10.00..... and that's great on my budget.

Besides, you always have someone thrown in at the last minute that you have to buy for..... and that leave me money for that!!

[qwertysue]

So for example I set a $20 per person budget for my siblings and parents. If you get a $20 gift on sale for $10 do you consider your shopping done or do you spend another $10?

At this point I consider the shopping done. I recently found 4 gifts (two adults, two kids under 12) for $34, store tag value $120. My budget for each one was originally $20 each, but clearance items combined with super sales and a coupon brought each item wayyyyyy down

The way I see it, those who compare how much I spent on their gift versus what I spent on someone else's don't really *get* the meaning of gifts, so it doesn't matter how much I spent, it would never be enough, kwim?

The love or friendship that I have for each person I buy for isn't displayed in what gift or the price of the gift that I select for them.

[jennordhavn]

For me it depends who the gift is for. If it was for my Mom, Dad or Sister, I would probably buy something else. For everyone else I'd consider it money saved.

We do an exchange gift for our annual "Progressive" dinner and also one for my Mom's side of the family. My Mom insists that we should spend up to the limit ($30 and $50 respectively). I think that is the limit, NOT the minimum you must spend. If I find something I like for that person or something on sale and it doesn't reach the limit, I buy it and consider that my gift. My Mom spends the entire amount.

I guess to each his own.........lol.

[woeisme]

My Mom was such a psycho about everything being exactly even that she spent on my siblings and I that if her budget was $50 per person, and she spent $48.25 on someone, then she'd put the extra $1.75 in their stocking!!! It was hilarious to see the change in the stockings every Christmas. The other thing she would do is if she found something on sale, she'd take off the sales price but leave on the full cost price tag! You knew she got something on sale if there was any kind of price tag on it because if she paid full price for it, she'd get rid of the tag. So coming from that kind of background, it's a wonder I'm not even more screwed up about how I value money than I am, lol. My first year of college my Dad really messed up her plans because at the last minute he went out and bought me an expensive calculator for Christmas (he didn't usually buy gifts, that was my Mom's job.) Well, that really threw the "balance" off, and it was too close to Christmas and the budget was too tight for her to go out and spend the same additional amount on everyone else (and she didn't have that much cash to put into stockings) so I ended up with "extra" spent on me that year, to her absolute horror! Now that I'm almost 40, and have a 12 year old son, I keep telling her that I don't need any Christmas gifts and that she can just get me some small token gift if she thinks it's necessary, but she won't do it because if she spends on my siblings, she MUST spend on me. But getting back to the original post, I guess sometimes I'd stop spending at the $10, and other times I'd continue spending to the $20, probably based on how much I like the person I found the good deal for. (Hubby and son would get $20 spent on them, most everyone else would get the $10 gift.)

[kl030505]

I set dollar amount limits for myself so I don't go crazy. I tend to get a little too in to the giving spirit. So, it's not an exact number, it's that I don't want to go OVER a certain limit.

For instance, I just bought personalized disney fleece throws for a bunch of the kiddos I had to buy for. I initially set a $15 limit per kid. I got throws that are originally $24.99 for about $10/kid including shipping. When I told my husband that, he said, "Great, so now we can get them all a little book or something too." I said, "No, I just saved $20 from our christmas budget!"

So, I guess I agree with your husband.

[CindyLou]

I live 3000 miles away from home and don't have kids so I get away with a zero Christmas budget ....Although my family has never been a big gift giving family. We have huge family gatherings (well they do back home)...Christmas is not a time I am ever able to get off from the hospital to travel, which works out fine. I'd rather travel during non-holiday time anyway.

I know I know not much Christmas spirit, but not a big after holiday bill either!!

[t&msmom]

I would just spend the $10 and call it even. I used to try to match my kids gifts up by dollar amount, but with everything that I buy on sale, it's pretty much impossible. I'd rather they each have nice gifts, and the same amount of gifts under the tree, then obsess over how much I spent. That being said, the less spent for us the better! Not normally that way, but we are going to try to file the first part of December, and it's going to be tough. Thank GOD I got my christmas shopping done for the kids really early this year.

[whatamess]

I just bought some of those Webkinz, and they were all different prices from $7.99 to $15.00 for the bigger ones. Prced for demand. All the kids in my family are getting ONE, and no I wont be making up for the price difference. I call it savy and smart shopping. Why spend more on crap just to make up a few dollars? I clip coupons and watch sales from August on wanted and cool items to save money at Christmas. Its now a part of living frugal and debt free.
I'd go broke if I had to spend $20-$25 on every gift for my childrens friends and $50 on my family gifts. My family is huge and these days there is a birthday party for friend or family every weekend it seems. Whatever happend to cake, ice cream and a day out with grandpa???? Ive begun to say NO except to family and close friends.
WAM

[Minnymouth]

Take it from an old woman, they can break you up over gift giving..... birthdays, weddings, new babies, housewarming, Christmas, bosses day, graduations, kids selling school stuff, non-voyage, etc...... the HAND is stuck out every week for something.....

If I had all the funds I have spent over the years I would not have filed BK and could retire quite wealthy.... gift-giving can take a "hunk" out of your budget each month if your not careful.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed every gift I gave or bought, and the person that received it, I hope they enjoyed my efforts.

These days, it's all not in my budget.... the funds are needed for other things - BILLS....

Some people don't understand, but that's okay..... they can call me "stingy" if they want too.... but I am doing what I have to do to make ends meet in my world. Money doesn't grow on trees these days and you sure can't legally make it!!!!

Gift giving for me is very limited.... mainly holidays. Special friends - birthdays. Everybody has a birthday, babies, weddings, graduation, etc and over the years I have seen and contributed to MANY....

If you have the resources to "gift-give" at will, then that's great as long as it comes from the heart and not "because you think you have too or feel obligated too"..........

My thoughts



Sometimes there comes a time when it has to end......