What is the right amount to spend…?
I think most of us will have asked ourselves the question; ‘how much should I spend on a child’s birthday present?’ at some point….
As a parent, it’s always exciting when your child receives an invitation to a birthday party, but there can be a lot of them, particularly once your child starts nursery or school. So, when you are looking at the prospect of buying 30+ gifts across the year (or more if you have more than one child) it can be a bit of a headache, not to mention a strain on your wallet, especially with the current squeeze on family budgets.
So, how much should you spend on a present? You don’t want to break the bank, but you also want to be generous. So, what’s the right amount to spend? Sadly there is no magic answer to this. It really comes down to what you can afford and how much you feel comfortable spending.
Here are a few factors you may want to consider:
- Get personal. Consider what the child likes and what their interests are and choose a gift, however small, that you know they will really appreciate. You may also want to consider giving preloved: Children grow out of their toys so quickly you can find many that are as good as new on secondhand marketplaces. My daughter has a number of princess dresses that have been purchased from Vinted, which she absolutely loves. If you are unsure about gifting preloved, take a look at my blog posts: Why It’s Now Socially Acceptable to Give Preloved Presents and 7 Top Tips for Gifting Preloved Presents.
- How old is the child? Younger children will be delighted with almost anything and are often more interested in the cardboard box the toy comes in, so there is really no need to spend a lot for young kids.
- How well do you know the child? If they are a family member or close family friend, you may be inclined to spend more than if you are buying a gift for a child who you haven’t met or know very little.
- Is this child in your kid’s class? If so, you may want to consider your budget carefully as the present you buy for the first class birthday is likely to set a precedent for future class birthdays, so think ahead.
- Has your child been invited to the birthday child’s party? If they have, you may want to consider purchasing a gift that covers the cost of your child’s place at the party (as is conventional at a wedding).
- You may also want to bear in mind how much the child’s family spent on a gift for your child’s last birthday?
- Does your child’s class or school have a present policy you need to stick to?
If you are on a very tight budget, then I would encourage you to set a fixed amount for each gift for the year and stick to it, particularly if you have a lot of class parties your child(ren) will be attending. With a little forward planning you can get some great gifts for very little.
You may also want to read my blog post on Birthday Presents on a Budget for some ideas of thoughtful gifts that won’t break the bank. Think about the kind of gift you want to give: A well-chosen book, game, or craft kit could be just as appreciated as an expensive toy. It’s not always necessary to spend a lot of money to give a thoughtful gift.
If you like the idea of giving a thoughtful, quality preloved gift, then you may want to consider using my Preloved Presents wrapping paper, which is designed to highlight the benefits of gifting preloved and make it a little less awkward.
