X-mas spending

MudGrrl · Dec 7, 2004

you aren't an American if you can't figure out how to dig yourself deeper into debt at Christmas..........

MMcG · Dec 7, 2004

Give from the heart bro - think of something that she's said about needing or wanting something she doesn't have and get her that (as long as it isn't a new car or something crazy like that.

I'm going to try to keep things in check this year if I can as well - and besides I don't have major cash to spend this holiday anyway so it shouldn't be too hard.

Roasted · Dec 7, 2004

Not anymore. I used to spedn 1000's. Now I limit it to immediate family and my gf. My friends and I agreed to not get anything for each other.

Slugman · Dec 7, 2004

Lexx D said:
So am I the only one that spends beyond my means this time of year?

Nope. I used to balance it between my year end bonus and tax return - that way I only carried the debt for a short term.

Now I work for a start-up, so the bonus is stock... which isn't worth anything yet. So this year we cut back on everyone except my neice and nephew.

$100 seems like a reasonable amount to spend on a gift for a girl you've been dating for a couple months.

Echo · Dec 7, 2004

Slugman said:
$100 seems like a reasonable amount to spend on a gift for a girl you've been dating for a couple months.

WHAT?? I think my gf is in for some disappointment

narlus · Dec 7, 2004

you cheapskate!

my wife and i decided to skip gifts for each other this year. gonna head down to the carribean this march instead.

I Are Baboon · Dec 7, 2004

My wife and I agreed to keep our spending on each other low, like $100 each. I found a loophole to that rule though and demolished that limit. :devil:

The rest of my immediate family (10 of them), I keep it to around $50 for adults, $100 for the kids. I love shopping for my nieces and nephews.

binary visions · Dec 7, 2004

I often spend too much this time of year, but I'm trying to be better this year. Instead of going nutty with a few people, I'm trying to limit it to $75 or less for each person with the exceptions being my dad and my girlfriend.

I've done pretty well on $75 or less for everyone, too, I've just had to hunt a little more. Make sure that DVD that's on the shelf for $25 isn't available somewhere else for $15. I got a membership to a bookstore that I'll never go back to - because the membership was free and it got me 20% off my purchase. It just took a few minutes. Saw something on the shelf that I liked, went home and searched on the 'net, and found it for almost half price.

I Are Baboon · Dec 7, 2004

Lexx D said:
I still don't know what to do but most people agree that around $100 should be good. I just need don't see the problem with speding more. Shyt i spent almost $100 taking her out to eat the other night so $200 for a gift doesn't seem like much to me. I know I need to figure this out on my own but other perspectives always help.

I think $100-$150 is fine for a girl you've only been dating a couple of months. If she gets upset that you didn't spend more, she needs to go anyway.

zod · Dec 7, 2004

Big immediate family on both sides.......my wife and I do well to keep it under 1K :dead:

I just got her a new vehicle in November so she's ain't getting much for X-mas.............however I DEMAND BIKE FILLED PACKAGES UNDEER THE TREE!!!!

stosh · Dec 7, 2004

I spend a lot but not per person, there is just a lot of people I buy for. Also I do my best to make gifts for people or commission someone to make gifts for me, IE this woman in the office is a good potter so I had her make me some nice coffee mugs and serving bowls. She's cheap and they are nice gifts, I try to do things like that every year to help keep my costs down and give people something unique and special.

Roasted · Dec 7, 2004

I still spend 200 on my spouse. But she gets her own built in loophole. Bday near xmas so it is actually quite a bit more. Bonus is, all my money is gone at once instead of spread throughout the year

binary visions · Dec 7, 2004

stosh said:
She's cheap

Crashby · Dec 7, 2004

Echo said:
WHAT?? I think my gf is in for some disappointment

I make sure Im single around Chrismas so I dont have to buy squat... :devil:

Slugman · Dec 7, 2004

narlus said:
you cheapskate!

my wife and i decided to skip gifts for each other this year. gonna head down to the carribean this march instead.

I hope you don't mean me... My wifes gifts this year are running me about $2300. :eek:

The entire time I'm thinking about all the bike stuff I could be getting instead. :evil:

narlus · Dec 7, 2004

no that was directed at echo, who was implying he'd spend less than $100 on his SO. granted i have no idea how long he;s known her for, but that amount seemed pretty skinflinty for a 37 y/o to budget for xmas.

Echo · Dec 7, 2004

narlus said:
no that was directed at echo, who was implying he'd spend less than $100 on his SO. granted i have no idea how long he;s known her for, but that amount seemed pretty skinflinty for a 37 y/o to budget for xmas.

Well when xmas arrives we will still have been seeing each other for less than a month. I don't expect her to spend a bunch of money on me and I don't plan on spending a bunch of money on her. If she's still around next year, then she gets the big bucks.

math2014 · Dec 7, 2004

Roasted said:
Not anymore. I used to spedn 1000's. Now I limit it to immediate family and my gf. My friends and I agreed to not get anything for each other.

You didnt agree anything with me... so send me my present
:angry: :angry: :angry:

stosh · Dec 7, 2004

Echo said:
WHAT?? I think my gf is in for some disappointment

I got my GF a laptop that is secretly for me....

Ok so it's not so secretly.... but I did mostly buy it for her so she'll stop using that stupid green teachers grade book.

stosh · Dec 7, 2004

Echo said:
Well when xmas arrives we will still have been seeing each other for less than a month. I don't expect her to spend a bunch of money on me and I don't plan on spending a bunch of money on her. If she's still around next year, then she gets the big bucks.

Maybe she'll go all out and get you a replacement snowmobile leather jacket to match the one you're missing.

narlus · Dec 7, 2004

Echo said:
Well when xmas arrives we will still have been seeing each other for less than a month. I don't expect her to spend a bunch of money on me and I don't plan on spending a bunch of money on her. If she's still around next year, then she gets the big bucks.

that's cool. actually, it would be a bit creepy if you shelled out $$ for a gift for her, given that you've only been together for a short bit.

Acadian · Dec 7, 2004

I'm a scrooge....I don't give gifts...

Brian HCM#1 · Dec 7, 2004

I Are Baboon said:
I think $100-$150 is fine for a girl you've only been dating a couple of months. If she gets upset that you didn't spend more, she needs to go anyway.

Yep, I agree.

spincrazy · Dec 7, 2004

I am the worst uncle, friend, whathaveyou. I stopped 'doing' christmas several years ago because of the gift giving thing. I'm not 'Chrstian' (I hate to even capitalize the C) but the hypocrisy and bastardization of such a 'holy' holiday infuriates me. In addition, people really mess up their lives by going in to debt for 'gifts' they have to buy and the amount of stress is very unhealthy. I don't have statistics, however I'd venture to guess that 70-80% of those that participate aren't Christian either. It's a bs holiday perpetuated by our extremely capitalist society. I don't want to be part of the economic indicator or GNP to get crap I don't need let alone purchase tokens for those far away, twice removed relatives that you never see.

I much prefer to give random, because I love you or you need it gifts throughout the rest of the year. I'm all for getting together with family and friends to celebrate 'something', but Santa isn't coming.

Similar to those that use hard drugs while I do not, I do not hold it against those that "do" xmas, but respect my opting out as well.

Okay, now RM can flame me or delete my post.

golgiaparatus · Dec 7, 2004

Lexx D said:
I don't know about the rest of you but I spend way too much $$ on people. I only have 3-5 people I reallly shop for but I spend so much freaking $$. Maybe it's not that much to others but when I drop $200+ on every person it adds up. I mean shyt I only bought two people presents last year(not including random little things) and spent well over $500. Now I've been dating this girl for a couple months and I'm worried about spending too much. I just like spending $$ on people, so my question is do i spend $100 and get her something she may like or suck it up and spend the $200-300 on something I know she'll like. Give a some help.

Edit: So am I the only one that spends beyond my means this time of year?

Why dont you spend $100 on something you know she'll like? Why MUST you spend $200 and up to get her something she likes? Also, who drops $200 on every present they buy? Thats crazy talk unless youre loaded, anyway, yeah... I could never do what you do, I'd be broke.

golgiaparatus · Dec 7, 2004

Echo said:
WHAT?? I think my gf is in for some disappointment

TreeSaw · Dec 7, 2004

My hubby & I don't buy gifts for each other....we generally just buy something cool when we're out shopping for everyone else. Last year we got a Fuji S5000 digital camera and a 256 MB XD card too. This year, we're buying plane tickets for Old Pueblo.

Spunger · Dec 7, 2004

Roasted said:
I still spend 200 on my spouse. But she gets her own built in loophole. Bday near xmas so it is actually quite a bit more. Bonus is, all my money is gone at once instead of spread throughout the year

I have a pretty good loophole. My birthday is Christmas Eve

I try to limit spending as much as possible but sometimes you cave in. My parents get like $50 each, brother gets close to that, and girlfriends mom and dad get $50-75. Her brother and his family I get to put my name on some of the presents so that works out. Me and my girlfriend can usually get away with that, placing names on eachothers so we aren't spending more $$$ then we need to.

It all depends on your finanical duties at this time of year. Typically it's been a sucky one. I am not working right now (but getting unemployment checks) which count's close to $1000 a month. I have to budget it really slim in order to pass for Christmas. I refuse to go over my spending limits though, if I say $500 for everything I buy period, then so be it. If my girlfriend doesn't get what she wanted too bad. I can only try my best with what I got.

COmtbiker12 · Dec 7, 2004

spincrazy said:
I am the worst uncle, friend, whathaveyou. I stopped 'doing' christmas several years ago because of the gift giving thing. I'm not 'Chrstian' (I hate to even capitalize the C) but the hypocrisy and bastardization of such a 'holy' holiday infuriates me. In addition, people really mess up their lives by going in to debt for 'gifts' they have to buy and the amount of stress is very unhealthy. I don't have statistics, however I'd venture to guess that 70-80% of those that participate aren't Christian either. It's a bs holiday perpetuated by our extremely capitalist society. I don't want to be part of the economic indicator or GNP to get crap I don't need let alone purchase tokens for those far away, twice removed relatives that you never see.

I much prefer to give random, because I love you or you need it gifts throughout the rest of the year. I'm all for getting together with family and friends to celebrate 'something', but Santa isn't coming.

Similar to those that use hard drugs while I do not, I do not hold it against those that "do" xmas, but respect my opting out as well.

Okay, now RM can flame me or delete my post.

Wasn't Christmas a pagan holiday originally? I'm not Christrian or anything like that but we do celebrate christmas if only for the family values as well as the gifts. There are many sites online and I've heard several things on NPR about it on the past, so I'm not just making it up straight out of my ass or anything.

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