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Totaled up the cost of this years holiday and it was approaching 3k. Too too much. We put 50 bucks a pay check into our Xmas club, and end up with a little over a grand. We also collect on our tax deferred Medical Expense account and that amounted to around $2200. So while we pay for most of our xmas with savings it's getting to be too much.

Between presents, family get togethers and dinners we went through all of that ($3200) and then some. We're having a small New Years deal with neighbors and a few relatives and that will be likely another couple hundred.

I'd like to cut back on my sons and cut back on what my wife and I spend on each other. We spend 300 each on the older kids and probably around 400 on our daughter.
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Just curious. What do you spend on your grown children?

What do you spend on small children (daughter is 5). Some has to be from Santa and some from you.

How much do you and your wife spend on each other. Normally we spend about $300-500, but I bought a flat screen for upstairs which busted that budget by about $1200.

We buy for our parents and a couple of the small kids. Thinking about drawing names on the kids.

Small gifts for co-workers, friends, etc.. Probably another $200.

That's a tough question. Every family is different, they all have different traditions.

It also depends on the size of the family. I just got together with some extended family last night. The mom and dad have 4 children, all in their 30's now, and all are married. There are currently 13 grandchildren total, all under the age of 8, and more on the way. That's 21 people they buy for in their immediate family. I don't know how they do it, or the amount they spend. It's crazy to think about.


You could always go the travel route. I know more than a few families that buy plane tics for their adult kids to join them on a family vacation. Depending on the destination, you should be at or under the $300 mark...and you potentially kill two birds with one stone.

The travel route wont work for everyone.

I agree some grandparents have to buy for tons of grandkids and kids, and they're often on fixed incomes.

I'm looking more for a limit on the cost of gifts. Wondering what others spend per child or on their spouse. I'd like to lower the amount.

We used to go nuts at Christmas also, but in the last few years we have stuck to a strict $50 limit on gifts, and we draw names so we have only one gift to buy. I realize that with grown kids and only one grandson this is easier to get away with, but in all honesty, we have a lot of fun with it and there have been no complaints. Now we spend more energy on preparing the meal (everyone orders their favorites) and the stress level has gone way down. The grandson is only 3, and everyone gets him things. I am sure that will continue!

My wife and I are in with everyone else, and we don't have the pressure to buy something for each other. Once you get to our age, if you want something really bad you just go buy it for yourself.

(12-26-2012 01:20 PM)Chipdip Wrote:  Totaled up the cost of this years holiday and it was approaching 3k. Too too much.

Well for starters you could cut your freeloading rich dentist son off your proverbial cell phone teat, that would be a quite significant amount of savings accumulated over time.

(12-26-2012 04:02 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  

(12-26-2012 01:20 PM)Chipdip Wrote:  Totaled up the cost of this years holiday and it was approaching 3k. Too too much.

Well for starters you could cut your freeloading rich dentist son off your proverbial cell phone teat, that would be a quite significant amount of savings accumulated over time.

I doubt you could grasp the concept of family, but I'll give you an example. My sons have done nothing but get good grades in school and stay out of trouble. They made us proud in the classroom and they did well in athletics. Both got their undergrad in Bio-Medical Studies. Both paid or are paying their way through medical school. That's 200k in case you're not familiar with the cost. My "rich dentist son" lived in a rathole apartment in Ann Arbor. He was sometimes in the dental lab until 2AM. He graduated 1st in his class from UM Dental School. He never asked me for a dime while he was there.

I've got friends whose kids got knocked up, hooked on drugs, or were just burdens on the family finacially. I HAVEN'T HAD THOSE PROBLEMS. So I'm grateful to my kids. They followed the rules and luckily things have worked out for them.

My son hasn't been on my cell plan for months. But I'd gladly put him on it tomorrow and I'd gladly give him whatever he needed, if he asked. He's my son. He's done nothing but make me proud. Maybe someday you'll grasp that concept, but I doubt it. You're too much of an azz to land a girl who would want your children, and too emotionally vacant to understand them if you had them.

But getting back to the topic. What do you spend on people at Xmas. What do your parents spend on you? What do you spend on them? Kids, grand kids, etc.

(12-26-2012 06:58 PM)Chipdip Wrote:  You're too much of an azz to land a girl who would want your children, and too emotionally vacant to understand them if you had them.

Bwah. Nice melt, champ.

I usually spend about $40-50 per person except son and daughter usually $100 or so. My wife spends similar. Our families are small, maybe a total budget of $1000-1200 works for us.

My wife and I have a deal. We buy our own stuff and don't expect a big personal gift from each other. This year she got me some fresh underwear and a long sleeve Bronco tee. Perfect.

We don't believe in a deluge of gifts for the the grandkids. They already have too much stuff and don't need more.

(12-26-2012 06:58 PM)Chipdip Wrote:  

(12-26-2012 04:02 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  

(12-26-2012 01:20 PM)Chipdip Wrote:  Totaled up the cost of this years holiday and it was approaching 3k. Too too much.

Well for starters you could cut your freeloading rich dentist son off your proverbial cell phone teat, that would be a quite significant amount of savings accumulated over time.

I doubt you could grasp the concept of family, but I'll give you an example. My sons have done nothing but get good grades in school and stay out of trouble. They made us proud in the classroom and they did well in athletics. Both got their undergrad in Bio-Medical Studies. Both paid or are paying their way through medical school. That's 200k in case you're not familiar with the cost. My "rich dentist son" lived in a rathole apartment in Ann Arbor. He was sometimes in the dental lab until 2AM. He graduated 1st in his class from UM Dental School. He never asked me for a dime while he was there.

I've got friends whose kids got knocked up, hooked on drugs, or were just burdens on the family finacially. I HAVEN'T HAD THOSE PROBLEMS. So I'm grateful to my kids. They followed the rules and luckily things have worked out for them.

My son hasn't been on my cell plan for months. But I'd gladly put him on it tomorrow and I'd gladly give him whatever he needed, if he asked. He's my son. He's done nothing but make me proud. Maybe someday you'll grasp that concept, but I doubt it. You're too much of an azz to land a girl who would want your children, and too emotionally vacant to understand them if you had them.

But getting back to the topic. What do you spend on people at Xmas. What do your parents spend on you? What do you spend on them? Kids, grand kids, etc.

Moral value judgements, anyone?

Glad things are going to well for you Dip, wish you weren't so angry about it though!!

If pointing out why I value my kids is a moral value judgement then I plead guilty. But I get the feeling you're just trying to butt in and perpetuate yet another stupid argument.

(12-26-2012 09:01 PM)Dirty Ernie Wrote:  I usually spend about $40-50 per person except son and daughter usually $100 or so. My wife spends similar. Our families are small, maybe a total budget of $1000-1200 works for us.

My wife and I have a deal. We buy our own stuff and don't expect a big personal gift from each other. This year she got me some fresh underwear and a long sleeve Bronco tee. Perfect.

We don't believe in a deluge of gifts for the the grandkids. They already have too much stuff and don't need more.

My wife and I pretty much have the same deal. But for appearances sake we have to act surprised for my daughter.

I like the $100 limit on my kids and may have that discussion next year. Hard to do with my youngest who gets presents from "us" and "Santa."

Yeah, you never do that.

Seriously, you should be secure and happy with how well you've done without trumpeting it at the first drop of a challenge. It doesn't validate your perspective any more or less and you come across as one of those church lady's bragging about their son the Dr. or their son the lawyer.

(12-26-2012 11:26 PM)Chipdip Wrote:  If pointing out why I value my kids

Oh, are you really unique valuing your kids? No one else here values their kids, that's for sure. Great to see you're still thoroughly sensitive to my rich dentist son smack. You should be proud of your son, Dip, but your whole line of logic of "I LOVE MY SON SO MUCH I SHOW MY GRATITUDE BY PAYING HIS $20 SHARE IN OUR PHONE PLAN, WHICH HE COULD EASILY AFFORD HIMSELF" is just so superfluous. I make a lot less than your son but I'm still adult enough to say "Dad, I got this."

Charm, I'll be real precise................My poor 29 years old son and his wife made $530,000 this year. Yet even then I was paying his phone bill on our family plan. The rich get richer!! The unfairness of it all :cursin:

Why do I get the feeling your parents disowned you

CD/CD1, you should scan and post their tax returns (redact, of course, the sensitive info) so we know you are telling the truth.

My daughter made $530.00 last year working at the movie theater; regrettably she's still on my cell plan:)

Happy New Year all!

(12-27-2012 12:01 PM)BCBronco Wrote:  My daughter made $530.00 last year working at the movie theater; regrettably she's still on my cell plan:)

Happy New Year all!

(12-27-2012 11:07 AM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  CD/CD1, you should scan and post their tax returns (redact, of course, the sensitive info) so we know you are telling the truth.

Right...........Maybe we can get some naked pictures of his hygienist while we're at it. You're such a dope.

Give me your address, I'll send them to you.