Mark and I have always tried to be conscientious of how we spend our money monthly - moreso with the economy as it is. We even attended a 13-week long class from Dave Ramsey last year to teach us how to become financially independent ASAP. We do great with savings, retirement, paying extra on the mortgage, ect...but when we've sat down each month to plan out our next month's budget we keep running into our gift budget. Mark thinks it's completely out of control (he's quite the penny pincher in many ways and doesn't believe in all the gift giving that goes on for weddings, babies, showers, and the like) and I've always balked at him and called him a grinch. Lately, though, I'm starting to feel gift exhaustion as well. We keep saying, "Well, ok, so how many more babies, weddings, showers, and/or birthdays could we possibly attend anytime soon?" Turns out that every month we are shelling out for at least 2 of these categories or that's how it's been averaging looking at a yearly summation of our budgeting anyway. That's like $50 - 100/mo. at minimum. Now, I LOVE to give gifts (and get them occassionally :) but man, that's at least $1k in gifts (not including those we give to each other...or tithing, fast offering, or charities) per year. Does that seem like a lot to anyone but me?
Am I just becoming a grinch as well? Maybe it's the thoughts of all the diaper purchases we're going to be swimming in soon or the extra mouth to feed (thank goodness I nurse, that'll take care of our gift budget for at least 2 years!). Well, at least this go around we won't be buying all the baby stuff again and we've already got the boys clothes.
3 comments:
Wow, that's a lot of gifts!
I would suggest trying to go simpler with the gifts, see if there is something homemade you can do.
Good luck and by the way, my birthday is coming soon!
Your comment on my blog about Obama made me laugh so hard. Gabe said,"She sounds a lot like you"
That does seem like a ton. We had cut back out gift budget quite a bit over the years. Wedding and babies always get gifts...bdays are a hit or miss. Friends, we just do dinner...parents, always...siblings, I buy for mine still, GJ does not buy for his. It adds up. My secret is to buy bday gifts that look like they are 25+, but I find on sale (Costco, Ross, Amazon, random internet deals).
I think I overestimated how much we spend looking back over our budget- but it IS still way too much. I feel so obligated to do the bridal/baby showers and then again for the wedding/actual birth- but man, it's gotta end. Just when we think we don't have any single friends/family left or there could not possibly be anyone we know who'd get knocked up...out comes another invite.
I'm a decent couponer and try to spend wisely, but it always seems to get away from me.
You guys are right- from now on it's either homemade or is a package deal (NOT from a registry! :)
Mark's family always does gifts, but mine was getting away from it- now we're back in full force on both sides. I don't see how it can keep up though w/ all the kids being added to the families...we'll see though!
Thanks for the advice- I think it'll really help me!
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