Experts recommend spending $25 on a birthday present for a child. But as you know, there can be up to 25 children in your kid’s class, so there are potentially lots of presents to buy and money to spend if your child is invited to most of their parties. To ensure you don’t stress yourself out or bankrupt yourself over the school year, follow these tips.
Bulk buy
Bulk buying birthday gifts and cards for your child’s friends is a great way to save cash. Creager Merc estimates that you can save as much as 20% on some items. Buying in this way will also stop you panic buying gifts and spending too much. You can bulk buy gifts from wholesalers, such as Costco, or from online stores, including Amazon. Once you’ve got a supply of presents, store them in a cupboard or box, along with wrapping paper, tags, and cards. When your child is next invited to one of their friend’s parties you can quickly put them altogether and send them on their way.
Shop in the sales
October is the best time to pick up toys in sales, according to Chiff. Amazon’s Prime day in the summer is also worth checking out, as is Black Friday in November. You’re also likely to get lucky in the Christmas and January sales. The sales can be a good time to pick up a surprise present for a female friend, such as the mom of your child’s school mate. Gifts such as perfume, kitchenware, and bath sets are thoughtful and practical choices. Alternatively, some technology or clothing are likely to be well-received too. Organizing a child’s birthday party is a stressful experience and it’s nice to let the mom know you care with a lovely gift.
Re-gift unwanted gifts
PBS states that Americans spend $13 billion on unwanted gifts every year. Too often, these gifts are thrown into the trash and never thought of again. If your kids receive gifts that they don’t like or already have for their birthday or Christmas, add them to your gift cupboard rather than disposing of them. When your child is next invited to a friend’s birthday party, you can re-gift it to them. But make sure you’re not giving it back to the original recipient as they won’t be pleased.
Set cash aside for gifts
There are going to be some months where you spend more than others. September is the most popular birthday month, closely followed by August. Meanwhile, February tends to have fewer birthdays. You’ll therefore need to set aside more cash some months of the year. It’s worth thinking back to previous years to try to remember when each child’s birthday month is. You can also ask their parents to confirm dates so you can compile a list and get a good idea of how much you need to budget each month.
Planning and buying gifts for your child’s school friends’ birthdays can be a time-consuming and costly job. By following these tips and tricks, you’ll ease this burden and have things under control.
