Budgeting: How much to spend on Mother's Day or Father's Day gifts
A Mother's Day gift budget can be modest, since a thoughtful gesture usually matters more than the price. In a worked example, sharing a 60 gift between three siblings costs 20 each, and a handwritten card makes it personal.
By Wealtie Team · 3 min read
Key takeaways
- A Mother's Day or Father's Day gift doesn't need to be expensive; thought and time often matter more.
- Sharing a gift with siblings lets you give something nicer for a smaller share each.
- In a worked example, a 60 gift shared between three siblings costs 20 each.
- Experiences and time together, like a meal at home or a day out, are often valued most.
How big should your Mother's Day gift budget be?
Whatever you're comfortable with, and it can be very little. These days are about showing appreciation, and most parents value time, effort and a few heartfelt words more than an expensive present. The same applies to grandparents and anyone else you're celebrating.
The dates differ between countries, so check when they fall where you and your family live, and plan ahead so you're not paying for rushed delivery.
Should you share a gift with siblings?
Often, yes. Pooling money lets you give something nicer while each person pays less. Here's a worked example, in round numbers that work in any currency:
| Cost each | |
|---|---|
| One person buys a 60 gift | 60 |
| Two siblings share it | 30 |
| Three siblings share it | 20 |
Agree the total and the gift early, and decide who'll buy it and collect the money. If siblings earn very different amounts, a split that reflects that can feel fairer than equal shares. A shared group message keeps it simple, and settling up the same day avoids awkward reminders later.
What are thoughtful gifts that cost little?
Plenty:
- A handwritten letter saying what they mean to you
- A home-cooked meal or breakfast in bed
- A photo album, printed photos or a framed picture
- Your time: a walk, a film together or help with a job they've been putting off
- A plant or flowers from a garden or market
- Something homemade, like baking or a craft
- A small, useful gift linked to a hobby they enjoy
For many parents, the letter is the part they keep. Getting younger children to draw a picture or write a few lines makes a gift from the whole family, and costs nothing. A memory jar, filled with notes about favourite moments together, is another gift that's cheap and personal.
If you're celebrating a step-parent, grandparent or someone who's been like a parent to you, the same ideas apply. The thought counts far more than the cost.
Are experiences better than things?
Often. A day out together, a picnic, a visit to a favourite place or a meal at home can mean more than an object, and they create memories. If you live far away, a long video call with the whole family, or a planned visit, can be the best gift of all.
Experiences don't have to be expensive. A walk somewhere meaningful and a coffee afterwards can be perfect. Recreating a favourite family meal, or cooking something they used to make for you, can be especially touching.
How do you avoid overspending?
Set a limit before you shop, and stick to it. Gift shops and adverts in the weeks before these days push expensive "perfect gifts". Restaurants often run special menus on the day itself, sometimes at higher prices, so celebrating on a different day or cooking at home can save money.
Buying in advance, when you see something your parent would like, avoids last-minute impulse buys at higher prices. Flowers often cost more in the days before, so a plant or flowers bought a week early, or picked from a garden, can be cheaper and last longer.
What if money's tight?
A card and your time are enough. A heartfelt message and a visit, a call or help with something practical show appreciation without spending. Most parents would hate to know you'd stretched your budget for them. Offering to help with a practical job, like gardening or fixing something, can be a gift that saves them money too.
What if the day is difficult for you?
For some people, these days are hard, because of loss or a complicated relationship. There's no need to spend money or mark the day in any particular way. Doing something kind for yourself, or spending the day with friends, is fine. Shops and adverts can make it feel unavoidable, but it's your choice how, or whether, to mark it.
How do you plan for the year's family occasions?
Add up birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day, anniversaries and holidays, and set aside a small monthly amount for them all. That way, no single occasion lands on one month's budget. How much to spend on a birthday gift shows how to plan a whole year of gifts.
How do you track gift spending in Wealtie?
Log gifts in a Gifts category, so your expense categories show what you spend on presents across the year. A monthly limit in the budget tracker keeps months with several occasions on track.
Questions people ask
Whatever you're comfortable with. Many parents value time and a heartfelt card more than an expensive present.
Often, yes. Pooling lets you give something nicer for less each, like 20 each for a 60 gift between three.
A handwritten letter, a home-cooked meal, printed photos, time together or help with a job they've been putting off.
Often, since restaurants may run special menus on the day itself. Cooking at home is cheaper still.
This article is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Your situation is your own; check the numbers that apply to you before you act on them.
