Christmas...How much?

[sillysally]

I know it's after Christmas, but I would like to start saving for next Christmas now so the expense is actually planned. The thing is, I'm not sure how much to budget. I way over spent this year-we didn't go into debt or anything but I still spent too much when all was said and done. I love buying people gifts but I'd like to keep the frenzied spending to a dull roar from now on.

So if you don't mind financial questions, roughly how much do you spend per person on Christmas gifts?

[Saeleofu]

I usually spend around $40 per person, but it varies depending on what my budget is that year. This year I spent around $300 total.

My parents also spend roughly $40 per person, as does my older brother. My younger brother until this year hasn't made much money so it's been closer to $20 a person for him, but this year we did bump it up to $40/person because he's working full time and can afford it.

[tzigane]

Normally, I give food gifts, especially if I have an excess of canned goods (like I do now, oops), like homemade hot cocoa mix, cookies, candies, syrups, cookie mixes, etc. I end up spending just a few dollars per person, really, even if I give several things, and they're always high quality and people LOVE them. There's no awkwardness on the other person's end if they can't use it/don't want it, and I'm not buying (or cluttering up people's homes with) unnecessary items.

[CaliTerp07]

Parents...$75/each? Other family members (siblings, grandparents) about $40. Secret Santas end up being $30-40 per circle (I usually do a couple through different groups).

Our big Christmas expense is plane tickets to visit family. My family is in California, his just moved to Ohio, and we live in Virginia. Regardless of who we go see we're looking at nearly $1000 in travel expenses.

[milos_mommy]

It depends on a few things, for me.

One, how much money I have at the moment. One year, I was working TONS of overtime and making a ton of tips at Christmas, and was making at least $100-$200 more a day for three to four weeks before Christmas, so everyone got pretty nice gifts that year. I spent maybe $50 - $80 on most people (my bf at the time, his parents, my brother, my aunt, dad) and I think a little more on my Mom. For a 19 year old kid, that's a lot.

Most years, however....I'll spend around $30 - $40 on most people. That's really general, though...if I get cool gifts for cheaper for people, I don't feel like I need to spend more. And if someone I know wants something more expensive, I'll get it for them if I can afford it.

Christmas budgeting for me has to also include stuff like making cookies (a $100+ ordeal at my house), spending more at dinners for Christmas-get-togethers, and even if you're getting cheap couple-dollar gifts for things like coworkers, kid's teacher's, clients, neighbors...it adds up fast. Plus stuff like a real tree...Christmas dinner if you're cooking, etc.

[ACooper]

To budget and save for next Christmas you need to figure out what you would like to spend per person, divide by the number of weeks until you want to Christmas shop...(make sure you don't count until Christmas....that would be too late!) and sock that much per week away. Simple! LOL..........right, well that is until you actually have to sock it away, LOL

Honestly, I plan ahead and budget all year and I normally get by with LESS than I intend to spend because I shop sales and am ALWAYS on the look out for a deal.........I don't care if it's July, if I find a deal, I'm buying it and tossing it in the closet till December

[FG167]

I do $50-$60 per person

[JessLough]

Er... I usually spend about $200 per person and around $30 per pet...

Oh, yah, that's 3 people and 4 pets (though 5 last year). So $720-750

[LindaJD]

I budget myself $2500. Luckily I don't have to buy for too many.