How much to spend on a birthday gift

Birthdays are fun, but many of us struggle to think of a great gift every year. How much should we even be spending on a birthday gift anyway? Should you spend less on a gift for a colleague than on a gift for a loved one? To get to the bottom of this once and for all, we asked over 2000 people what they think we should be spending.

Our first question was how much our 2000 participants usually spend on a birthday gift. Over 30% indicated that they spend between €15 - €25 on a birthday gift, with an almost equal number of people spending less than €15.

This means that most people wouldn’t spend more than €25 on a birthday gift. A big factor is the recipient and our connection to them.

Our participants were inclined to spend a little more when it came to birthday gifts for their children.
Over 38% will spend between €25 and €50, with 33% spending over €50.

When it comes to a gift for their siblings or parents, around 40% are willing to spend between €25 and €50. 38% feels that €15 - €25 is plenty!

Our participants were inclined to spend a little less on their in-laws, with 40% spending between €15 and €25, and 28% spending between €25 - €50.

Over half of our panel spends between €15 - €25 on a gift for a good friend, 24% spend a little more at between €25 - €50.

When spending on a gift for an acquaintance, almost 70% of our participants would spend up to €15, with a smaller group willing to go up to €25.

When buying a gift for a colleague, most of our panel spends no more than €15.

The great thing about buying gifts for colleagues is that a group of colleagues can all chip in a smaller amount, but you still end up with a good budget to buy their gift. Our tip would be to ask people to chip in beforehand and set a deadline, with a reminder when the deadline is nearing, as this will allow you to know your budget and spend wisely. It also avoids having to wait or ask to be reimbursed.

Now, none of this means that you are obliged to spend big bucks when it comes to gifts. Your budget is nobody’s business and entirely depends on how much money you’re able to spend. Just keep in mind that it’s the thought that counts; there’s nothing wrong with a small but meaningful gift.