Gift Giving

[BeckyEsq]

I've found that gift giving (and budgeting for it) is easier if I have some guidelines to stick to (with some flexibility). A friend and I were discussing this this weekend, and she does the same thing. What are your guidelines?
Here are some of mine:

Weddings: Usually spend around $100 on something off the registry

Showers: About $50, buy off the registry; if I'm in the wedding, I spend more like $100

New Baby: About $40, little outfits, booties, hats, blankets, maybe a stuffed animal

Christenings: $25 gift certificate to The Picture People (if I'm ever a godparent I'd buy something else in addition)

First Birthday Parties: $50 savings bond

High School Graduation: $25 check

30th Birthday Parties (lots of these lately!) -- $30 gift certificate to a store they love -- or a piece of jewelry if a close friend

First Holy Communion: $40 check, plus some small religious item if a close relative like a niece or nephew

Kids' Birthdays: If there's a party, I buy a gift for around $25; if we aren't going to see them, I mail them money, at least $10 but for teenagers, the amt of their age (12 year old gets $12).

We have a huge family and lots of friends so I have to set a limit, although I tend to go over my budget pretty often.

[KSquared]

Just like you, I usually set limits on what we spend on gifts:

Weddings: $100 cash; more if it's a close friend or family member

Showers: Around $30 for a friend; Closer to $100 for a family member--usually off registry

New Baby: Again, around $30

Christenings: $50 savings bond (additional gift if I'm godmother or DH is godfather)

First Birthday Parties: $30 gift

High School Graduation: $25

30th Birthday Parties -- $30 cash or gift certificate

First Holy Communion: $50 savings bond or cash

Kids' Birthdays: $25-$30 gift

Christmas: kids (other than my own daughter) usually $30 limit (one friend of mine asked for a $15 limit this year so I stuck to it even though I spent way more on the other kids I buy for); DH (I'm bad at a budget for him and I spend way too much every year.....at least $500); parents: around $75-$100

[Kaybee711]

$100 is our usually for a wedding. Sometimes more depending on how close we are. You can count on a $50 gift from me for a shower unless there are extreme extenuating circumstances. For birthdays we usually spend around 50 for close family and about 25 for friends but we don't really exchange with friends.

[Leslie]

I use this scale, but sometimes I spend a little more or a little less depending on the circumstances.

Weddings: $150 check

Showers: $35 off the registry

New Baby: $30 off the registry. For work showers/new babies $20.

First Birthday Parties: $30 in clothes or toys

High School Graduation: $50 minumum

30th/other adult Birthday Parties: $30 gift certificate or gift

Kids' Birthdays: same as a first birthday

[AahRee]

We don't really follow a formula like that at all. It usually depends on how well we know the person, and how plentiful our cash is at the time.

[MizLacey]

I make all of my gifts so I don't have a formula like that. I probably spend the least on supplies for baby gifts but those tend to be the most loved because I almost always do crocheted afghans.

I also do afghans for some weddings, but they're either queen or king size depending on the couple. One couple was on the larger size (both over 6' tall) so theirs was really huge...but worked great for them to snuggle under.

If I'm doing a Hardanger embroidery piece, the materials can be as low as $15 in addition to the fabric which I have a ton of at the moment. The number of hours for the pieces I do for weddings is generally over 100, though, so I don't feel guilty about spending a small amount of cash. Only my dearest friends get those items.

[MaryNH]

We don't really follow a formula like that at all. It usually depends on how well we know the person, and how plentiful our cash is at the time. ITA!!!!!!!!!

[SarahK]

I don't have a formula...completely depends on the circumstances surrounding the event. Two cousins recently got married and I made commemorative cross-stitch pieces for them (and framed them)--they loved them...and the supplies cost me maybe $15...but the time invested was enormous.

[Erica]

I don't follow a formula either. It really depends on our cash flow at the time and how close we are to the person.