Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

As the year starts to wind down I start to hear people (family friends, co workers) talk about how much they will spend, and how many people they buy for.

I have never had a lot of money, and was in debt up to eye balls.

I used to buy (for myself) things I could not afford. I finally got out of debt and learned my lesson.

My family decided a long time ago that we would get gifts for the kids, and that's it. And then there was a cap.

My friends and I decided that we would never get gifts, just cards..or the occasional small thing we think someone would like. But its never over $10 (or so).

I guess my question is this: Do you go overboard KNOWING you dont have the money to spend?

Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

Just once and i learned my lesson... Not worth it at all. Now I buy kids toys for nephew on the target toy sale and DH and i only share one gift with a $50 limit. Oh and the only other adult i exchange is my bff and we dont go crazy either and is convo of xmas/ bday present

Message edited 9/24/2012 12:05:19 PM.

Re: Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

Nope...never have, never will. The mass consumerism around the holiday makes me ill...I stick with a budget each year and that's that.

If DH and I are not spending the holiday with my family (his fam doesn't celebrate Christmas), then he and I exchange gifts and stick within a reasonable budget. I prefer not getting gifts for him or from him because that means we're with my family!

Re: Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

I said "I don't care how much I spend" because I don't. With few kids to buy for (none of my own) I don't really go overboard but I don't put a cap on it. I won't go into massive debt over the holidays but I might charge something to a credit card (ordinarily I don't use credit only debit).

For people who are not close relatives, I give out cookies which do end up costing a good bit and take a LOT of work, but they make people happy and it's homemade so i don't have to shop for trinkets people probably don't want.

Re: Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

We did one year but learned our lesson and will hopefully never do it again. We set aside some money each month for the Christmas shopping and decor. We will never again (God willing) charge a single gift ever again.

Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

I don't have kids so it's pretty easy for me to not spend a lot of money. I only buy for very few people and bargain shop. If I had kids, I can see wanting to spend a lot but I do think that some people go extremely overboard. Like my IL's... their children are all grown up but every Christmas, the entire LIVING ROOM is completely filled with towers of gifts. It's nice, yes, but totally unnecessary since everyone is over 30 years old and married and not living at home. I guess people get caught up in the spirit!

Re: Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

I should add I only buy real gifts for my immediate family. My DH, my mom, My sis and BIL, and on DH's side, just his mom and nieces and nephew.

When I say I don't care how much I spend it's because if someone really needs something I'm happy to buy it. Last year I bought my mom a TV for her kitchen. She needed a new one and my sister couldn't afford to go in with me on it so I just bought it. My sister was walking around without a winter coat one year, so i just bought her one. I don't set a budget, it just gives me happiness to give people things they really want/need.

Re: Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

i never go into debt because i dont charge anything, i only pay cash or use my debit. I usually look for sales/coupons to save

Re: Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

Re: Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

I've always had a budget...as we too limit christmas gifts to just the 'kids' ... so we buy for our neices and nephews, and my parents.

On occasion we'd go over, but nothing serious...this year the budget will be much more strict as we're saving for a house.

Re: Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

unfortunately we have 16 kids to buy for which we cap at $25 a piece and usually about 10 adults and i dont have kids yet so Christmas is $$$ for us every year. Plus my 2 nephews, cousin and SIL's bday are all the week of Christmas.

Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

Yes and no. The 1st year we were parents we went ape shitt at Toys R Us. It is still one of my favorite memories :), however, she is just now starting to play with some of the stuff we bought 2 years ago lol.

I make a list of all the people we have to buy for and the birthdays in there. I go through and put a price down for total amounts. After that I think about what I want to get them or what they need and adjust accordingly. We only pay in cash and do not take out loans or anything. This year is very very tight for us so it will be mostly homemade things and small stuff for the kids. They will be 3 and 1 so we don't need to go hog wild. They each have plenty.
I watch my mom take out a loan every.single.year. to pay for Christmas. My brother and I beg her not to do so much, but she just does. Last year I sent back stuff I didn't like or didn't need and had them just put it back on her card. My brother did the same. Don't get me wrong I love a nice big Christmas, but it's to the point now that it's just stuff and our little house is ready to explode already!

Re: Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

I go overboard EVERY year, mostly on our DD though. I generally stick to my budget for the other kids I buy , our Kris Kringles, and our parents but I do tend to go a little crazy with gifts for my DD. I can't help it!!!.............I love being Santa!!

Message edited 9/24/2012 12:47:59 PM.

Re: Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

It's just that there has been a push by retail to change the tone of the holiday season. The more you buy, and earlier, the better the holiday will be.

I hate that America has been brainwashed by retail.

Re: Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

Re: Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

Re: Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

I don't use credit cards (don't even OWN them) so I never spend beyond my means. In the past few years, we've started to do a Secret Santa. I still buy a small gift for each person but I put a $15 limit for the small gifts and whoever I got in Secret Santa got a big gift or a few smaller gifts. I don't have children but I can guarantee that when I DO have kids, I'll probably go overboard. It's how I was brought up- we each got a bunch of gifts- one large one and a few smaller gifts, mom and dad included. I always get my DH one large gift and a few smaller gifts as well. I'm a huge stocking stuffer person, too! I always stuff DH's stocking with goodies.

Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

I voted "other". I don't spend that much, either on my kids or others (compared to what I hear others spend). However, when I clean out my kids toys 1 or 2x a year to make room for more toys, I realize how much $ we spend over the years on "stuff" and things that just sit there, they don't play with nor do they appreciate!

Re: Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

I almost always go over my budget if I see a gift that is "perfect" or something that I know someone will love. I am getting better at it. Well, I think I am forced to get better at it.

I used to do a ton of overtime and before DH and I had a house and now a baby, I had way more disposable income.

I don't have a personal credit card so the money that i spend is "mine" but I would definitely overspend what i budgeted for so that I would make it a conscious decision to do more overtime to make up for it.

Re: Spinoff: Have you ever regretted spending too much on Holiday gifts?

Ever year.

Bt I don't do a budget. I couldn't shop like that.

My DH spends WAY too much on me every year.
Not that I mind but afterwards I am like- you shouldn't have spent so much on me!