Christmas is 3 weeks away.
Two questions:
- How much do you spend on presents for your family and friends?
- Also do you have budgets for certain family members or friends?
All up I have probably spent around $500, almost finished shopping for everyone now. This is for family (including extended family) and a good number of friends. I have spent less than the previous two years but I have purchased for more people this year than the previous years. Also, I spend the most money on family. Gifts for close friends usually cost anything from $10-$30 each. Acquaintances will be under $10 each. That's my usual guideline but it depends on the sales and if I know the recipient will love the gift.
I think how much we spend is usually determined by a few factors:
- Income
- Generosity - willingness to spend a large or small amount regardless of income
- Personal beliefs or religion or culture
- Family traditions - if you do Kris Kringle or not.
Would be interested in hearing hear how much fellow Ozbargainers are spending (or saving) during Christmas…
A small gift for my parents / inlaws, and possibly some beer for my regular delivery guy and a couple of the businesses I work with as appreciation for the help during the year. That's it. I tell everyone else in the small circle of people I communicate with that I do not want anything, nor should they expect anything.
I see giving gifts + any kind of seasonal event (excluding birthdays) as an individual surrendering to the marketing hype and I really don't like it at all. Why should I surrender money because some marketing moron tells me it's about time between the last even 3 weeks ago and I need to do it now before the next awful event in two weeks time.