What do you think the average family spends around this time of the year? (Disclaimer: this question is being asked to an average family - exclude people on their own, going out for lunch, don't celebrate Christmas etc). Over $1,000? Under $1,000? Is that on gifts alone, or do you count food? I was thinking about this …
What do you think the average family spends around this time of the year?
(Disclaimer: this question is being asked to an average family – exclude people on their own, going out for lunch, don’t celebrate Christmas etc).
Over $1,000?
Under $1,000?
Is that on gifts alone, or do you count food?
I was thinking about this in the shower this morning. We are an average family and I guess my boys do get a couple of hundred $$ spent on them each at Christmas time. I buy for my husband and lots of family members. I’m not an over-spender or extravagant.
I am having Christmas lunch here this year and while everyone is bringing food, we are still providing the majority (but I wouldn’t have it any other way!).
Here are some other items I was thinking about that I’ve added to the Christmas-spend:
♦ Batteries
♦ A new saucepan
♦ New Christmas lights and decorations
♦ Food, food, food
♦ A new t-shirt for hubby to wear Christmas Day
♦ Alcohol (excessive amounts! Not for me though, but for guests)
♦ Pool chemicals (to keep it extra clean for the festive season)
♦ Ice
♦ Petrol (if you are travelling, or even because you’re running around more often)
♦ New outdoor camping chairs to take to bbq’s and Christmas parties
♦ Hair cuts for all the family
♦ Dog groomers
I’m sure there are many more things I have bought for the Christmas period.
Now, this doesn’t include a holiday or a mini trip away!
As a child we always had a Christmas like I have with my own little family. Lots of food, some cool presents and surround ourselves in family. We’re not fancy, just fun and happy.
Have you thought about what you spend at Christmas time?
Do you plan and save money in advance?
How do families survive if Christmas has a way of forcing you to spend money?
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Comments
Pennyb
We try and stick to $500 per child. However it always goes way over. i think if i actually added it up it would easy be way over $1000 each this year, as one is getting an ipad, one an iphone4s and the other iphone4. they are all going on our work Vodaphone plan so it will end up being a monthly payment but HEY it is still extravagant. i dont shower my kids with things through the year. they get birthday presents and xmas presents and that is about it.
We are having lunch at my cousins this year and that is still costing me about $400 after we take 4 kilos of prawns up. 2 home made pavs, 24 cans softdrink, wine & beer and a few nibbles Oh HANG ON and on top of that $400 is the presents i have brought all of them….
So maybe your answer is YES over $1000
I think i should stop now as you are making me think about how much i have spent and it seems WAY WAY TO MUCH
Off to get a second job
Pen 🙂
Katrina
$1000 a child!!! Holy shit Penny! Is this what I have to look forward to when they want phones and computers?? LOL!
Kek
Remember those old Christmas Club accounts that banks used to have? Some credit unions still do them, and I use one. Every pay day, money’s automatically deducted and deposited so that by December I have $5000 saved.
That’s not all for Christmas – all three of my boys have their birthdays in November/December (I know! What were we THINKING?!), so that’s an extra expense. Plus I use some of the money for the following year’s school fees, text books and uniforms. Those are all paid for now, so there’ll be no nasty extra costs in February, thank goodness.
In the years when we host Christmas, some cash gets allocated to pay for food and drinks. Other years, we (hopefully) have some spare to cover meals out with friends and other celebrations without having to scrounge around to find the extra money.
I’ve been putting money aside for Christmas throughout the year ever since I started work, so I don’t even notice the weekly cost. One thing I don’t have to worry about at this time of year is how to pay for everything. Now, if only choosing gifts was that easy…
Katrina
I really should do this. I think every year I’ll start that. Would make my life much easier.
M
I have put a limit on my kids’ spend this year, and still feel like I’m haemorrhaging money. But extra food and general bits and pieces really add up. We are definitely in the over $1000 category!
Merry Christmas!
M
xxo
Brismod
Katrina, I don’t want to even think about the money we bleed at this time of the year and I wouldn’t say we were extravagant at all. I use the money from my blog advertising saved throughout the year to cover some of the costs for Christmas. Can’t live on it but it does make a nice end of year bonus. xx
Katrina
That’s a great idea! I am not disciplined enough to save hahaha!
MELISSA LAWRENCE (@brightsideupmel)
I direct debit money into a separate account each fortnight (my own version of a xmas account), so it’s not such a rude shock. When we had our first-born hubby and I set a per child limit of $200. I always add to that though with clothing, bits and pieces. It sure does get expensive once you add all the other costs to it. Is it any wonder some families choose to do secret santa? Thankfully, we don’t have too many to buy for.
Katrina
See, I need a proper savings plan. 🙂
Sharon
We have 3 and are spending around $150 per child. I guess by the time we buy for the kids, family etc and then all the food/drink/travelling etc, I guess it probably come in at a tad under $1000?
We are lucky in that we live in an area where we can get very reasonably priced seafood as well! Sadly I do not save or plan, just buy it all in the last few weeks before Christmas!
Ange
Hi Katrina. I always start out with a budget and every year go over it!!! I hate to be caught out without a gift for someone or to have under catered. I laughed at your list of ‘extra’ expenses as mine is almost identicle – the dog is off to be groomed tomorrow in preparation for the big day. Hubby thinks I’m nuts but Harvey has to look nice for the guests also – it’s all part of creating the Christmas image! Enjoy the day. Ange
Michelle
For me it used to be (way) over $1000 plus a lot of stress running around shopping and crazy spending for what ended up looking like a tiny pile of crap at the end of the day. Made the decision a couple of years ago to put a stop to the madness. My girls both get one big ticket item each, the adults of the family do an ‘op shop or handmade’ kris kringle (which is hilarious and the laughs are worth more than any dollar amount) and we all contribute to the food & drink. A lot less stressful or expensive. But having said all that it does seem like money still pours out of my wallet this time of year.
Anonymous
Definitely under $1000 this year. We try to stick to a $100 limit for the children and $20 – $30 for cousins. Thankfully we don’t have a large family and out children are too young for iphones and such. My husband and I will buy a gift for each other but no longer buy for other adults in the family. Each family contributes to Christmas dinner. It does become more expensive when we travel for Christmas. That will be next year so I’ll try and save throughout the year.
Samantha
We have a christmas club account which comes in very handy! It’s nice to have that money ready and waiting. However, I’ve probably spent $2500 just on presents this year and we don’t even have kids! All the other stuff…food, parties etc, I’d rather not think about!! Lol!
Karen
Definitely in the over $1000 catergory – we would be well over $2000 this year. I try to keep to a budget and write down what I spend on gifts – impossible to keep a tab on the food and grog as buy bits here and there as I see them on special. I buy for 2 kids, 1 husband, 1 mother, 6 cousins and 2 good friends. Its my birthday on Boxing Day so we have a repeat performance then, so 2 days of good food, drink and celebrating!
Marissa @ Beautifully Organised
Our kids are under 3 so not too expensive for presents yet 🙂 This year I used a Christmas Planner so it was easier to keep track and not go over budget on presents, but I did forget about batteries and our grocery bill was huge this week! Merry Christmas!
Katrina
Oh yes, don’t forget batteries! x
Tracey
Christmas day is always at my mums, but christmas eve is at my place this time. My two teenage children (12 and 14) are getting iPads and all the things that must come with them (case, screen protector, gift card for apps) plus a few little things like pool toys, books (they are both avid readers like me) and some clothes. My hubby just came back from his first month at the mines, and with the extra money, why not spoil them? Theres not so secret santa in my family and i got my parents (yay, not. theyre difficult to buy for) and they got us (i hope its not a towel set). Its not the greatest idea, but ill put up wiith it this year. The grandparents are still giving things to the kids (my two, and one of my sisters three kids) and my three sisters. Theres always a blue in the fam on Boxing day (when my sister with the kids comes up). My baby sister is recently married (october this yr) and the second youngest is waiting to be proposed to.
I work at a bank, and a lot of places have christmas savings accounts. I make one evry year, and include money for uniforms and school books.
Anne Dunstan
OMG I think my kids lucked big time we us as parents, We have 1 present from santa, and one from us as parents and this is it, $100 per child, (3 boys aged 3,6,8) and $100 for the kmart wishing tree. My boys all have to pick a present that they would like and put it under the tree for some who can not afford presents. We as a family focus on just that family, It is a time to be thankful for what we have. Our food bill is not really much higher then normal. I think we all need to remember that is is just one day of the year. We are a single income family and live within our means. But our children know know different. So here’s a merry christmas to you all and stay save at this frantic time of year,
Tracey
Our boys are aged 6 and 8 and this year we spent alittle more as last year was hard for us and we didn’t have the money i think we have spent around $600 per child but then plus everything else for family and food we would be over the $2000 mark but in saying that i don’t go out and buy my boys things through the year really looking forward to a big family day so i say its worth it merry christmas to you all xx
Steph @ Lipstick & Cake
Oh I didn’t even think about those extra expenses. Sheeesh!
Between my husband and I we definitely spend over $1000 buying for each brother, sister, nephew, niece and the parents.
Then as I love to cook Christmas food we spend a lot on groceries too and grog of course!
I love Christmas time, expenses and all, i’m just glad it only happens once a year 🙂
Katrina
They add up! Arrr!!! Merry Christmas x
Mandy
My hubby and I buy a pressie for each other with a cap of $30 and the kids get one big present each from us (this year its a skateboard each) and bits and pieces from Santa. My children also get gifts from the Op shop too, we are not too precious in this household. The kid’s cousins all get a $25 gift, voucher or cash. My sisters and I organised this years ago and we’ve all stuck by it. I try so hard to not spend too much and do a pretty good job. If I don’t have the money I simply do not spend it.
Merry Christmas Katrina.
Katrina
Merry Christmas to you too Mandy! x
Niki
With 4 boys & large families on both sides, this time of year is madness money wise. But I am good at buying through the year and storing stuff, I bought my sister in laws gorgeous glass cake stand in about June when it was half price-ha. My boys are slightly spoilt, but as another said, apart from school supplies & sporting equipment & shoes, I really don’t spend any money on them any other time. So I guess we have spend about $350 on each kid this year. Plus gifts for each other & all the families kids. We do Kris Kringle for the adults on both sides, but buy for our own immediate family members-Mum, Dad & Siblings/Siblings Kids. And Christmas is here this year and like you, we will provide the majority even thought everyone is contributing in some way. So I quess with all the little bits & bobs it would be definately upwards of $3000. But that’s not bad for 4 kids. plus a big party with all our families members. But this is our splurge, we don’t spend on alot during the year & it is the time we are all together.
Katrina
I think I’ll be creeping up around that figure too Niki. I don’t buy my boys endless things throughout the year either.I need to plan better next year though!! Merry Christmas to you lovely girl xo
Sheridan
I do not want to even start adding up – I might end up having a heart attack. I started with the alcohol we have bought to take to Wagga this year (cheaper at Dan Murphy’s) and that added up to almost $500. I will stop there! ha!!
Merry Christmas Katrina x
Katrina
My sister is loading up with stuff for us from Dan Murphy’s!