Okay, I was ready to give the girl next door $25 for high school graduation. My husband said I was the cheapest neighbor in the world. We know the neighbors, and say hi, and chat from time to time, but are not real close.
So what is an appropriate gift amount??

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Tell hubby that I am also the cheapest neighbor in the world. I think $25 is fine for a casual acquaintance.

In addition to Julie's question, what would folks recommend for a nephew who is not at all close??

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

I think that sounds like an appropriate amount. My daughter is a senior this year and between our friends kids and my girl scout troop (been scouts since they were in kindergarten and all are seniors this year), we have announcements arriving every couple of days . I budgeted $50 for my best friends son, as we have raised our kids together, and a niece. The rest are getting $25 each. We are only sending announcements to immediate family and a couple of very close friends.

I think $25 is very generous for someone you don't know so well. Our son graduated last year, and got anything from $10-$200 (we have VERY generous friends!). And he was just as happy opening up the $10 card as he was the $200 card. I think the most common amt. was $50, which really surprised me. We weren't expecting that at all. It was such a blessing, as that was most of his spending $$ through his first year of college. I think we will probably be getting at least four announcements this year-for kids that we have been close to for many years. They will all get $50, and I will try to include a little something sentimental.

I think it's alot!! I just went to a grad party for a cousins kid and I gave him $15.00 but that's what they gave my kid and they make about 4 times what I make!

$10-$25 for a non-family member and $50-$100 for a family member, depending how close they are to you. I have been known to give a roll of quarters and laundry detergent in a basket for a graduation (if I know they are going away to college).

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We are going to our next door neighbor's son's graduation party tomorrow and I was planning on giving 25.00. I think that's plenty for someone you don't know very well.

Judi

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"Try to see the glass half-full."

To OP, that is more than adequate, IMO.

CJS, we're in the same boat. We NEVER hear from this nephew or his mother or other siblings, unless it's something like this announcing something, and IMO, soliciting for $$$. I don't think we're sending anything...."maybe" a card, I need to discuss it with DH first. We're glad he graduated high school, but, um, don't feel overly inclined to send him anything more than a card.

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I am thinking on that same thing for two weeks. I have someone in distant relation and they really don't even know who I am. I know I will hear from them just for the graduation now, and probably when they get married. There is only one working in our family right now, and I thought $25-30. It is different if you can afford it, and it is someone really close to your family. I was going to give a check, but someone told me it was tacky. Well, I don't know what malls they go to and don't know what stores they shop in to get a gift cert.

When my brothers graduated we gave them each $100
When my nephew graduated we gave him $50
I think $25 is generous for a neighbor you occasionally talk to.

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We have usually given 25 to friends/neighbors and 50 to 100 to close relatives/close friends... I think 25 is very generous for what you've described, not cheap at all.

I also don't think giving a check is tacky, high school grads love getting money. DD is graduating and has received cash, checks and gift cards and is thrilled with all of them lol she would certainly not think a check made out to her was tacky

Okay, maybe I am the cheapest. My sister just got her Masters degree and I wanted to give her more than a high school graduate would get since she's worked just a few extra years. I gave her $80 in a card and told her that I'd buy her a book once she gets her list in the fall for her first semester in the doctorate program. Some of those books run about $180 or $200 easy.

Now I feel like mailing her a check!

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Hmmm....do we have the same family? LOL My brother and his wife NEVER acknowledge anything going on with our family......I think it takes a lot of balls to send a graduation announcement for their son when they let my son's go by last year without a peep......and we rec'd the announcement just days after my 50th birthday and a few days before my son's 15th without a mention.

Still, I can't fault the child for the "sins" of his parents, so I will do something. They're still family....and I guess I want my nephew to feel that we're always around for him.....I'm thinking $50 might be OK given the circumstances. What do you think?

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

That doesn't sound cheap! I'm sure she'll appreciate it - especially buying one of her text books - you're right, those are not cheap!


cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

We sent my DH's second cousin's daughter (got that?) $25. We see their family maybe once a year and exchange Christmas cards with them but that's about it.

I have to say that she sent me the nicest thank you card I've ever gotten. Gives me hope for the younger generation!

I think that $25 is the right amount. I just got an announcement from a former student who graduated from college and I'm going to send her a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card.

I do the laundry detergent and roll of quarters gift, myself!!! I think that's so thoughtful - you even throw in a basket...

One person said to me that they now usually have laundry machine money cards, but I don't care - I know when you're in college, you are happy with all kinds of currency, and the quarters won't go to waste.

I think that all the amounts mentioned by everyone for family and friends/neighbors are very generous!

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"The errors of faith are better than the best thoughts of unbelief." - Thomas Russell

DS1's dorm takes both the card and the quarters! I'm sure the change comes in handy one way or another like you say.....and I think that's a great gift! I found some really cool laundry detergent that comes in little packets like dishwasher soap....I thought those would be cool for a student...can't remember what they're called. droops ?? The kids seem to use those collapsible hampers quite a bit....but DS prefers his laundry basket. (I did 6 loads of laundry in the dorm last week....LOL)

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

Well, after DH and I discussed it, we're sending $20. Not much, but, a whole lot more than we have ever received received from them for ANYTHING. No kidding....let's see, we drove about 400 miles to this one's DD's wedding in August. We did not then, nor EVER, receive any sort of acknowledgement for my kids' b'day.....All In August!!! Mine in September, nor DH's in November. XMAS card??? NOPE!!! DH retired in January....didn't even get an acknowledgement of THAT. Twentieth anniversary last week....um, NOTHING. It's truly disheartening, but, like you say, you can't fault the child for the sins of the parents. Oh, and I highly doubt we'll receive any type of acknowledgement of the money.

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

I like to give gifts, I can do so much more, value-wise this way. I only have one hs grad this year, and I am sending him a very nice planner, a colored assortment of pens, post its, highlighters, etc to keep him organized starting college.

My gifts cost me typically 50% or less of retail value. It's a challenge to me to put together a nice gift and save money. I give first quality items and enjoy it.

Watch out on a baby or wedding shower, I do really well with those, I give cleaning items and baby bath, etc items ........... with coupons, sales, clearances, typically I spend maybe 25% of retail value.

dl

I like to give gifts, too...but in this case, I have to mail to Florida, which can add $10-15 to the price of a gift. I've also noticed at the grad parties that we've been to, that gifts weren't very common....so I try to just go with the flow....

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

Thanks everyone! I knew I could get an honest answer here!!!

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As long as we are talking graduation gifts, what do you think is appropriate for a student to give? My DD is a junior and is/will be invited to approx 10 graduation parties this year. The large majority of these, she is invited alone. What do you think is an appropriate amount for a gift in this case? She has already been to two parties and gave $15 each. She is not working yet. I know we will come to a point where I will have to subsidize the gifts, just don't know how much. Also, thinking ahead to next year, when seniors are invited to another senior's party, are gifts given?. I know alot of seniors will hit many graduation parties and I can't imagine they can afford to give a gift at each one.

Gosh, I do not want to come off as being cheap, but I wouldn't give a neighbor/aquaintance $25.........maybe $10.

A college friend of mine sent me her son's graduation announcement. I haven't seen her in maybe 15 years, and have never met her son. (and when he gets the card, he will have no idea who its from) What would be a good amount to give him?

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the card is plenty, IMO, in that instance.

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

I'd give $20 to someone I didn't really know such as a neighbor.

I'd give $50 to a relative I see all the time or was close to. $25 to a non-close relative that I at least knew.

Now I am going to give $100 to my best friends sister's oldest son but there are a couple of reasons for this. First, I started my upromise account with him in mind and that is what is there now. Second, they have NO family to speak of, all the grandparents have passed on when the kids were very young and there are only 1 or 2 aunts/uncles and they have nothing to do with them. Finally, she's a single mom and has done a fabulous job raising her kids and they all plan to go on to college so I feel they deserve some help.

OP, you're not cheap at all

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I think your guidelines are fair. I have to wonder, though, where is the child's father? I feel both parents should contribute, not trying to hijack the thread, but you seem to have taken a responsbility on that isn't yours.

dl

DL, don't even ask about the spermdonors in THAT situation. I got over that drama long ago.

I don't think I'm taking on any responsibility, just giving a nice gift to a good kid that can use it. Trust me, if I didn't have it already, they wouldn't be getting it or if he had been in any sort of trouble at all I wouldn't be so nice. I don't see it as any different than giving a donation to my alumni scholarship fund or something similar except in this case I know who the recipient is.

Thankfully I can afford to be generous thanks to the Upromise account and the fact that the next kid I know of to graduate, in the family or otherwise, won't be for another 10 years or so.

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