Parents shocked by how much Aussie mum spends on gifts for other kids

"This seems a bit too high," she was told after explaining they were doing multiple parties every weekend.

It's a question most parents need to ask themselves at some stage: how much should you spend on gifts for other people's children?

When it comes to birthday parties, it starts simply enough: your kid has been invited to a class party - so you fork out for one gift.

But as mum Bec Brewin discovered, the cost of giving explodes when you have multiple kids doing multiple parties... every weekend.

As she says in her recent TikTok, "The maths ain't mathin'."

So the Melbourne mum asked the interwebs how they're splashing their cash on kids they barely know.

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"The maths ain't mathin'"

Bec begins her clip explaining that she's been spending $40 on gifts for birthday parties which her son has been attending.

He's three, and her youngest is just one, and it's suddenly hit her that she will soon be in a position where she'll have weekends full of parties - and $40 is just not sustainable.

"In May, we had four parties for the three-year-old, so that's $160.

"Things are adding up very quickly.:

Bec then asks her viewers, "Do you have a set amount for parties?"

Her clip is captioned, "The maths ain't mathin'."

Image: TikTok

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"Not spending on a kid I don't know"

The responses Bec got from viewers were varied.

"This was such a great video to see," one wrote. "I was the same as you but now have settled on a $30 kids gift card!

"I’m not spending more than that on kids I don’t know every week. As a mum I think this works."

Another shared, "I spend $20 for childcare/school friends. $30 for close friends/family friends. We also have a couple things at home that were bought on clearance or a double up of something they already had to select from."

Using a gift priority scale is something most of the parents said they do, such as this mum, who added, "This is a great question. I have three kids, and it varies depending on whose party we are going to.

"And if all three of my kids are going is another factor. Then I'll spend $50/60, otherwise if it's just one, only $25/30."

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A couple of other parents had different ideas on the topic.

This mum shared: "Our class puts in $15 for each present. One parent collects the $ & the birthday kid gets the grand total and can spend it on what they actually want/like. The kids love it and there’s so much less waste."

And another was fed up with it all, writing, "It's all so out of hand, let's get back to basics get your kids to make them something."

Finally, there was one viewer who didn't think Bec was so unusual with her $40 spend:

"Kids a I know $80, family is $100, randoms hmmm, good question … $40 is good."

Where do you sit on the birthday present pay scale? Tell us in the comments on Facebook!

Originally published as Parents shocked by how much Aussie mum spends on gifts for other kids