Is it ok to start buying my friends cheaper birthday and Christmas gifts?

[MoonFace2]

Some of my closest friends and I have started considering the fact that we’re poor and need to save money by starting to buy cheaper birthday and Christmas gifts, this year, for our friends. Mum told me to start buying chocolates for friends from now on. I have ten friends. They’ve got most of what they need. I’ve seen to that, for those really poor ones.

With the exception of the Christmas season and new year, when everyone splurges; and milestone birthdays, where everyone deserves a treat, I’m getting sick of living pay check to pay check. It’s starting to stress me out, never having any money for myself.

is it ok to start cutting costs by buying chocolates for everyone from now on? Money or gift cards for extended family? A Christmas gift box worth $20 for the rest of the family and a box of very good chocolates and two bottles of wine for my parents?

[Cormac995]

This has to be one of the sweetest most adorable posts I've ever seen in my life I nearly teared up. Girl a lot of people don't even bother getting gifts for their friends at Christmas at all! Hell, some family members do give each other gifts. Me and my sister never give or get gifts because we straight up can't afford it but our parents have decent money and they give us a couple hundred bucks on out birthdays and Christmas because they know times are tough.

Listen, the fact you care so much that this is a priority all on its own is touching. It's going to sound like a stupid hallmark card, but I got socks, and I was genuinely happy because I needed new socks, and they were a Christmas present. The thought matters 10X more than whatever you give a freaking card is overachieving for a lot of friend groups.

Don't be insecure or feel guilty about it, times are tough right now most Americans are living paycheck to paycheck and are in heavy debt. That's not a shameful thing either because the problems with the economy aren't our fault it's government mismanagement and corporate corruption. The minimum wage hasn't been raised in YEARS and cost of living and shrinkflation have gotten way worse!

[bowenw]

I think it's best to cut out gifts for most people other than family and SOs. In large families consider only buying for those under 18. If you must do gifts for friends, considering doing a gift exchange where you draw names and buy one small gift only. I find as I grow older I simply don't need more stuff.

[bowenw]

Thank you for the MHO. 😊

[LadyBecks]

I think that's fine. I don't get my friends anything for their birthdays or Christmas.

[eagle1951]

yeah if that's what you want

[MoonFace2]

It’s all I can really afford.