Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for others..

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mkadl

Well-Known Member
Mar 17, 2006
1,850
603
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Cornfield
Just curious how all of us fanatics are doing. My sons family and my single daughter just bought homes this year and I spent (not borrowed, I refuse to borrow anymore, I do have a mortgage) to remodel our 55 year old all original kitchen (except appliances). The kids say they don't want to exchange gifts, which is fine with my wife and I. Our Christmas giving will be directed at our church in the amount we spent last year. We are blessed this holiday season, I know.
 

erikbj

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2006
7,505
648
113
45
hiawatha, ia
Re: Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for othe

Haven't even thought about it.....probably more, my wife is expecting our 1st child so I will probably buy her some nice things.
 

GrindingAway

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Nov 27, 2006
5,103
2,881
113
Re: Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for othe

My bonus is bigger so I'll probably spend more on family, church, charity, savings, house, myself.
 

CyCrazy

Well-Known Member
Dec 17, 2008
26,101
13,744
113
Ames
Re: Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for othe

Haven't even thought about it.....probably more, my wife is expecting our 1st child so I will probably buy her some nice things.

Expecting our 1st as well but I will be spending less. Since we learned we were having a kid my house is swamped with baby stuff..... We shot our wad in advance so no special gifts this year which is fine we have never gone all out anyway.
 

wartknight

Well-Known Member
Mar 24, 2006
6,736
175
63
Re: Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for othe

Added a trip to Disney as a gift so yeah, quite a bit more
 

CycloneYoda

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2009
6,091
349
83
Re: Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for othe

Only buying gold bars for family members this year. Need to hand out 12 of them at about 15k each.

I am awesome.
 

Rabbuk

Well-Known Member
Mar 1, 2011
55,029
42,336
113
Re: Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for othe

Only buying gold bars for family members this year. Need to hand out 12 of them at about 15k each.

I am awesome.

i could go ahead and just call you dad, if it means gold bars for me.
 

CySmitty

Well-Known Member
Jan 3, 2008
1,085
212
63
Longmont, CO
Re: Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for othe

Probably a little less but not by much.
 

jmb

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Apr 12, 2006
19,202
8,663
113
Re: Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for othe

Only buying gold bars for family members this year. Need to hand out 12 of them at about 15k each.

I am awesome.
Don't forget your gift tax return...
 

besserheimerphat

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2006
10,278
12,517
113
Mount Vernon, WA
Re: Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for othe

Less this year. We moved across the country three weeks ago and are still dealing with moving/new house costs. The past couple years we've gone a bit crazy and this year we're pulling back a bit. My wife saw something she liked about getting each of our three daughters four gifts - one thing they want, one thing they need, one thing to wear and one thing to read. Then they'll get one big gift from Santa and stocking stuffers. We aren't exchanging gifts ourselves this year.
 

GrindingAway

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Nov 27, 2006
5,103
2,881
113
Re: Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for othe

Expecting our 1st as well
.....
We shot our wad in advance

Doesn't the second part always happen in advance of the first part?
 
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ricochet

Well-Known Member
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SuperFanatic T2
Sep 4, 2008
1,746
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Re: Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for othe

Only buying gold bars for family members this year. Need to hand out 12 of them at about 15k each.

I am awesome.

At only $15K those must be the fun size bars. I think to be considered awesome you have to man up and get real bars.
 

DRCHIRO

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Jun 13, 2008
2,473
279
83
Re: Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for othe

I let my wife handle it. Probably the same. 3 young girls so you can get away with being cheap..........for now. surprising my wife worth an all inclusive somewhere this year though.
 

Dopey

Well-Known Member
Nov 2, 2009
3,106
1,878
113
Re: Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for othe

We usually end up doing about a $50 gift maximum for our immediate family members and about $150 for each other. We budget and save a little each month for it all year, so it's not too big of a shock. In other words, it's about the same.
 

00clone

Well-Known Member
Apr 12, 2011
19,661
602
113
Iowa City area
Re: Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for othe

Expecting our 1st as well but I will be spending less. Since we learned we were having a kid my house is swamped with baby stuff..... We shot our wad in advance so no special gifts this year which is fine we have never gone all out anyway.


Noob....someone should have told you. Your first kid, you should have bought very little crap for your kid. Just make sure people have like 15 baby showers for your wife.
 
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Angie

Tugboats and arson.
Staff member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 27, 2006
28,183
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IA
Re: Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for othe

We'll spend about the same as usual for our household. With the extended family, I proposed an idea a few years ago that we all donate to a charity of our choosing and share which one on Christmas day, rather than swap gift cards for the same amount like we always do.
 

00clone

Well-Known Member
Apr 12, 2011
19,661
602
113
Iowa City area
Re: Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for othe

We'll spend about the same as usual for our household. With the extended family, I proposed an idea a few years ago that we all donate to a charity of our choosing and share which one on Christmas day, rather than swap gift cards for the same amount like we always do.


You can be the pride of the family when you all done to the 00clone beer fund! All proceeds go directly to those (specifically 00clone) in need.
 

GrindingAway

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Nov 27, 2006
5,103
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Re: Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for othe

We'll spend about the same as usual for our household. With the extended family, I proposed an idea a few years ago that we all donate to a charity of our choosing and share which one on Christmas day, rather than swap gift cards for the same amount like we always do.

View attachment 16513
 

Wesley

Well-Known Member
Apr 12, 2006
70,923
546
113
Omaha
Re: Spend more or less this Christmas than last, on gifts for yourselves and for othe

More. The economy needs a boost.