Holiday Stress & Spending

[Gryffindorian]

It's that time of the year when I moan and bitch about my holiday expenses. Although it's always been the case, all the holiday commercialism sickens me. As early as September, I was already starting to see Christmas decorations and merchandise in stores and at the mall. I'm already thinking, "Shit, I need more money!"

What say you? How much shopping do you plan on doing this year? Does the economy have any effect on your current situation or living condition?

 

[RoJoHen]

My family does a Secret Santa thing, so I will only be buying gifts for one person, and we usually put around a $30 limit on it, so my spending will be minimal.

 

[Gryffindorian]

That's good. Around this time of the year, I usually borrow money from my 401K just to be able to give gifts to family, friends, and work buddies. I'm also selling some vacation hours this pay period. My budget is around $1,000 this holiday season.

 

[auntiehill]

I definitely have less money to spend this year, but it doesn't dampen my spirits. I'm simply buying cheaper gifts that are still of good quality, and spreading out the gift buying over a few months (I'm almost done with my shopping!), so I don't get one humungous bill all at once.

We also changed our credit card to the Amazon card this spring, and I've been able to use the points we've accrued to purchase about $80-90 worth of gifts for absolutely NOTHING. That's helped a LOT.

The economy hasn't really affected our living situation so much as the future of my job. What I do used to be done entirely by actual human beings, and now half of it is done by a computer. So there's only half as much work as there used to be. That's put a big damper on my spending and any hopes of traveling or anything like that.

What the economy has really affected the most is our retirement prospects. Our mutual funds are barely breaking even and our house has not appreciated as we had expected. So we won't be moving any time in the foreseeable future, which is fine, but I'm concerned about future retirement and medical expenses. There's just not enough in savings to help us should some disaster strike.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I'm going to do my damnedest to keep my Christmas shopping under $100. $200 at worst.

 

[Spot's Meow]

Well, I was unemployed for about a year, so I wasn't really able to buy very good gifts for my family last year. I gave them some handmade gifts though, things I had crocheted (though I was barely able to afford the yarn). I just started working full time this month and I am getting much better pay than I ever have in the past, so I am really looking forward to buying some great gifts for people this year! Actually, normally I have already purchased them online and am awaiting shipment by this time of year, but I don't get my first paycheck until December 1st. I can't wait to go Christmas shopping!

It's funny, I am very much a cheapskate and almost never spend frivolous money on myself, it just feels like such a waste to me to buy DVDs or go to the movies or buy new clothes. I hate shopping. But I LOVE shopping for gifts for people. I still stick to a budget (I don't go over $30 a person usually), but I stretch that amount as far as possible, and I am really thoughtful in my gifts (well, I like to think so!). So while my family would claim I am a Scrooge the rest of the year ("do you have that $10 I lent you last month?") I really love spending money on them for Christmas.

I only buy gifts for my immediate family and my boyfriend, which makes six people. I am not really close enough to anyone else to warrant gift-giving, and my extended family gets lots of yummy baked goods if I am headed over to their house for Christmas. So, at about $20-$30 a person, I expect to pay about $150 in gifts each year. This year, since I have this great job now I am feeling extra generous, so I might possibly spend a bit more.

 

[SmoothieX]

I just dropped $900 on a dog for my mom. I also have a wife, SIL, MIL, and FIL to worry about.

This was sort of an anomaly for me, but my father and my mom's 14 year old dog died in short succession in the past 12 months, and she is lonely and financially struggling, so I figured I'd help her. I figure it'll come out of my Xmas bonus.

 

[Gryffindorian]

SmoothieX, that's very sweet of you! I'm sure your mom is very grateful for one of the best gifts she's ever gotten in her life.

As for my holiday gift budget, I base that loosely on the maximum amount I want to give to a person, which I usually try to keep around $30, just like Spot's.

I guess it also depends on whom I'm shopping for. For most co-workers, a simple "thank you" gift or token in the form of candy, cookies, or $20 gift cards should suffice. The more special friends and close buddies I have usually get $25 - $30.

I used to splurge on gifts for family members: my parents, four older sisters, a brother, and nine nieces and nephews. Ever since my financial meltdown years ago, I've tried to exercise more restraint. My maximum Christmas gift for family is $50.

EDIT:

I may have overestimated by stating that my budget is $1,000 this year. It should be less than that, maybe around $700.

 

[Holdfast]

My habits are pretty much constant.

My closest friend usually winters in warmer climes, so that's one person I don't have to buy a gift for. I generally visit my father for Christmas, but we don't buy any major presents for each other usually. In terms of friends who are around, work colleagues, and anyone else who needs a pressie, I order in a mixed case of wine (somewhere around £10-£15 a bottle each) and a Christmas hamper or chocolates, and as and when I see them during December, I either give them a bottle or a food treat. That controls the overall spend to about £300 tops, I guess. I don't account for it precisely, but it's somewhere around that figure.

I am thinking about treating myself to a new Nokia Lumia 800 this year though. I also have a suit on order which I suspect will be completed in mid-December, which will therefore effectively also be an early Christmas present to myself.. But that's just coincidence, not intent, so doesn't really count!

 

[RAMA]

I've spent between $1000 and $2000 but not anymore. Less than $500 and prob less than $300 is more realistic this year.

 

[thestrangequark]

I love shopping for Christmas gifts...it's one of my favorite things to do. I'm like you Spot's Meow, I much prefer buying for others than for myself. On a teacher's salary my budget was around $300. On a laid-off not eligible for unemployment benefits on public assistance until I new job salary my budget is nil. Everyone I love is getting a painting this year...

For mom:

For little sister:

For Grandmother:

For best friend:

Still need to do Dad's, older sister & brother-in-law's, and nephew's.

 

[auntiehill]

WOW. Those are fantastic. Your family are lucky to get such lovely paintings as gifts. I particularly like the one for your grandmother; it's beautiful.

 

[Shazam!]

Christmas shopping is ace. It's going to be even acer this year as it won't cost me a penny (kind of). I got a £200 reward for being rad at work and you can exchange it for tons of stuff included electronic equipment, gadgets, vouchers (HMV, Amazon etc), wine, weekend breaks etc so that's my shopping sorted.

 

[Gryffindorian]

Those are nice paintings, tsq.

RAMA, you spent $1,000 - $2,000? Did you have a lot of friends and family to give to? You must've bought a lot of electronics and jewelry.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I am only buying for 5 people - my three sons, and two of my friends.

I have already bought some DVDs for two of my sons, and a couple of other presents for them. My youngest son is moving to Queensland this month so I think I will just end up sending him a gift card. In the end i will spend about $40-50 on each of them.

i have bought one friend the first series of the new Hawaii 5-0, it cost me around $40. I don't know what to buy the other friend as she has made no suggestions.

All up I will be spending about $200 on gifts.

 

[thestrangequark]

WOW. Those are fantastic. Your family are lucky to get such lovely paintings as gifts. I particularly like the one for your grandmother; it's beautiful.

Awwww...thanks, auntie. I'll have to make prints of that one available for sale! I am having fun painting them...it's sort of like searching for gifts; searching for the right image for each individual. And, just like my usual christmas shopping, mom and little sis's were easy, grandmother's was tough (she has terrible taste, so it was hard to think of something she'd like that I'd feel good about painting, and I'm stymied when it comes to what to do for my dad.

 

[Holdfast]

The painting you're giving your little sister is all sorts of freaky, in a good way. It evokes a very Dickensian atmosphere; like a character from Great Expectations or something like that...

 

[iguana_tonante]

I'm not really into the gift-giving side of Christmas. I usually buy one present for the fiancée, some random stuff for family, and maybe food treats for friends and acquaintances. I prefer to spend money on wine, food and celebrations for everyone than buying a few "official" gifts.

 

[An Officer]

I don't get stressed about Christmas and rarely celebrate it. Although I have found myself spending about £100, sometimes more, sometimes less on gifts. Depends how much I've got any given year. Oh, and Christmas lunches as well. I don't consider the lunch as part of the celebration (just particularly nice food, never a turkey or a big meat dish) but I guess that's exactly what it is!

 

[SmoothieX]

The dog will be our gift to my mom. My wife and I, my in-laws, and my sis-in-law will chip in for the cost of the dog and supplies.

My wife and I probably spend about $250 on each other, so that's a wash. Probably a similar amount combined on the in-laws, and maybe like $150 on my SIL since it's just her.

Maybe $1500 out of pocket for us this year?