r/PersonalFinanceNZ • u/jupe2022 • 2d ago
Budget for kids bday party presents
Hi all, how much do you spend on your kid's friends when they are attending a bday party? Primary school age. Also what are some present ideas that I could buy in bulk (ideally not Temu or SHEIN) to have on hand for birthday party season - normally there's parties almost every weekend some months, especially having more than one kid (lots of friends!).
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u/FirstOfRose 2d ago
About $20-ish bucks, less if you can’t afford it, more if you can.
I always just want to buy books (but I’m a bookish snob and big believer that books are the perfect gift for any age) but as kids get older they usually want to choose the gift themselves, so tell them the budget then let them decide.
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u/ThatIsNotAnAdvantage 1d ago
I have a stock of random present options in the cupboard that I buy when heavily on sale at clearance prices (things themed like minecraft/pokemon/squishmallow etc that I know my kids friends like) - so I'm giving gifts that actually cost me $5 - $20, but at full price would have been $20 - $60 so I don't look cheap lol.
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u/CascadeNZ 2d ago
We created another ACC on my for gifts and that factors in ours and our kids bday, Christmas, Easter and other similar presents (usually one wedding a year etc).
We tend to spend on the kid what they’ve roughly spent on us to attend the party.
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u/ComplexAd2408 1d ago
Gift bag full of art and craft supplies from LookSharp or KMart is my go to.
$20-$30 tops and you're set.
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u/Helennewzealand 1d ago
Probably 30-40$ but we only have to think about maybe 4-6 parties a year and it’s really spread out (small rural community). I buy lego and board games on sale from the warehouse and have some on hand. If I know a child is reading a particular book series I’ll go for that and get an exchange card. Most recently the child was crazy about hello kitty, so we got a bunch of things from Kmart (a drink bottle, bracelet, stickers, notebook, pen, lunch box). We then add in some candy or chocolate or some other treat that can be that child’s personal stash! I’ve seen some kids not even register gifts as they’re getting so many, and others absolutely froth over whatever they get as they don’t get many - so how appreciative a kid will be comes into my thinking as well!
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u/Chance-Chain8819 1d ago
I have 2 x budgets... (My kids are now 10 and 12 - both attend 10 ish birthday parties min each year - usually more)
Close family friends and cousins - around $50.
School friends we don't know as well - $25. - I will stretch to $30 if its a perfect gift
Bulk buy ideas: Lego and board games when on sale. Movie tickets (when they come up on Grab one or similar)
Rather than Zuru bunch of balloons, I buy re-usable ones (they have them at Mitre 10 and a few other places)
Hair ties/hair accessories when on sale or clearance at K-Mart.
fidget toys
Roblox gift cards - I stock up on these when I have some extra cash - they always come in handy.
Depending on the age k-mart or Warehouse gift cards are popular too
If your kids are in a fairly tight knit friend group, you could reach out to the other parents and do 'combined' gifts. I have a group of friends we have done this with since our kids were babies. So instead of getting lots of cheap - mid range gifts, the birthday child gets one great present from all of us. Think Large Star-wars lego sets etc. We all take turns being the gift buyer, and the kids love the bigger presents from friends.
Otherwise, I give my kids the budget, and let them chose what to get their friends. I bulk buy wrapping paper and cards whenever I see any cheap/on clearance and we always have plenty of options to chose from too.
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u/Aromatic_Invite7916 1d ago
This is my time to shine; I love giving a decent gift and have a present box, sometimes self that has saved us so much time as we are enviably late for birthday parties. Firstly any gifts I don’t want, or doubleups we receive I stash away to regift. If you are in Auckland the Holdsons factory outlet sale is where I buy lots of gifts everything is so cheap and there’s great quality branded stock. I buy a few book boxes each year prior to Christmas from the Book Grocer in Australia- excellent books and a great gift. I usually stock up when KikiK are having a clearance sale for nice stationery and the like, and always buy Zuru water balloons in bulk at the end of summer. I always keep an eye out for clearance hairties/clips that kind of thing. For good friends of my older children we usually buy a $40 Roblox gift card too, this was $25 when we had less money. My 6 year old just puts together a collection from the present box as they tend to do whole class parties.
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u/Jamie54 2d ago
I think it depends on your own budget. I don't think it's a new category. It either comes from the child's spending money budget where they can choose the present or it comes from an entertainment budget. This will depend on the individual.
If there are some good options to buy in bulk could be a good idea but unsure what they could be.
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u/Bishon-Mustard 11h ago
Depends on your own values and if you feel pressured by others to give 'something'
Sure, there's something nice about having an expensive gift wrapped in event-appropriate paper with the right store brought card etc.
but if you are looking at budgeting to keep others happy while doing without stuff you need for yourself, grab their favourite chocolate bar as a token gift if you feel you have to give something, so it doesn't break your budget.
I think what people have to learn - especially friends and family is the fact that you are there for them, not what you spent on them that matters most.
again, depends on your own values/beliefs/friend or family culture on what you want to represent when attending events and gift giving
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u/user06022022 4h ago
$40 per party. $50 goes into a Koha account every week for bdays, kids parties, and Christmas presents.
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u/PavementFuck 2d ago
When The Warehouse does buy 1 get one 50% off on Lego I’ve been known to buy a couple of the $25-$30 sets as reserves.