Christmas present budget for kids: a simple plan
Updated 30 October 2026 · By Rob and Chris, two Sheffield dads, and our families
To help a child budget for Christmas presents, add up the money they will have by the shopping day, list who they want to give to, keep a little back, and share the rest between those people. For example, £3 a week for 5 weeks is £15: enough for 5 presents at £2.50 each, with £2.50 kept back.
This is a way to practise with money as a family, not financial advice. The amounts below are examples to show the sums, not a suggestion of what to give.
How do children plan a Christmas present budget?
- Count what they will have. Money saved now, plus weekly pocket money times the number of weeks until the shopping day.
- List who they want to give to. Names only, no prices yet.
- Keep a little back. £1 or £2 for wrapping, a card, or a present that costs more than they thought.
- Share out the rest. Write an amount next to each name. It does not have to be equal.
- Shop with the list. Write down what each present really cost, and the change.
What does that look like in pounds?
| Child | Money by shopping day | Giving to | Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 6 | £1 a week for 5 weeks, plus £2 saved = £7 | 3 people | £2 each = £6. £1 kept back for a card. |
| Age 9 | £3 a week for 5 weeks = £15 | 5 people | £2.50 each = £12.50. £2.50 kept back. |
| Age 12 | £5 a week for 6 weeks, plus £5 birthday money = £35 | 6 people | £5 each = £30. £5 kept back. |
| Age 15 | £10 a week for 6 weeks = £60 | 8 people | £6 each = £48. £12 kept back for wrapping, cards and a price that goes up. |
Use your own numbers. If you want to link pocket money to jobs, our pocket money calculator works out what each job is worth.
How do you do it at each age?
- 4 to 6: real coins in jars, one jar per person. When a jar is empty, that present is done.
- 7 to 9: a written list with round numbers. A grown-up helps with the change in the shop.
- 10 to 12: compare the price in two shops, or online with a grown-up. Count the change themselves.
- 13 plus: they plan the whole budget and keep the receipts. Agree any online order together first.
What if the money doesn’t stretch?
Homemade presents count. Mix bought and made, or make them all:
- Kindness coupons: “I’ll wash the car”, “breakfast in bed”.
- A drawing or painting, framed with card.
- Biscuits baked with a grown-up, in a jar with a ribbon. Check the person’s allergies first.
- A jar of notes: “Things I love about you”.
- A playlist for an older cousin or grandparent.
- A job done as a present: weeding a grandparent’s path, or tidying a sibling’s side of the room.
Lots of brothers and sisters? A Secret Santa means each child buys for one person, with one price limit for everyone.
My Christmas present budget
Money I have now: £ + pocket money £ × weeks = £
Keeping back: £ To spend: £
Or use your browser’s Print. Only the list prints.
| Name | Present idea | Budget | Spent | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Get the Famoo app Family life, sorted together. The family calendar, jobs and lists, shared by everyone at home.
app.famoo.app
Want to earn a bit more before Christmas? See our Christmas jobs for kids by age.
Questions parents ask
How much should a child spend on Christmas presents?
There is no right amount. Start with what the child will actually have by the shopping day, keep a little back, and share the rest between the people on their list. A homemade present is as good as a bought one.
Should children use their own money for Christmas presents?
Some families like children to buy or make something with their own money. In our view, choosing and paying teaches them more than being handed a present to give. You decide what suits your family.
Should I top up my child’s present budget?
That is your call. If you do, agree it before they plan, so the sums are real. Some families match what a child saves, others pay for one extra job.
What if my child spends it all on one present?
Let them, if it is their money, and help them make presents for everyone else. It is a gentle way to learn that money spent in one place cannot be spent again.
Set up pocket money in Famoo: it does the maths every week
In Famoo you set each child’s weekly amount once, and the planner works out what each job is worth. Only a parent who runs the home sees the amounts, and Famoo does not hold or send children’s money. Join the beta and set up pocket money before Christmas.
Famoo is a family app for UK homes, in beta, so things may change.
Where this comes from
This page states no outside facts, so there are no sources to list (checked 30 October 2026). The sums are worked examples and the advice is our own view from our families, not financial advice.
