Here’s How Much To Spend On Baby Shower Gift

Picking out the ideal baby shower gift can be challenging, especially if you have no idea how much you should be spending on a baby shower gift. You want to offer something thoughtful and useful without making it seem you have either overspent or, for the other extreme, given something too cheap. The appropriate amount to spend will vary based on a few different factors. It’s about your relationship with the parents-to-be, how much money you want to spend and what type of gift you prefer to give. Whether the baby shower that you’re attending is for a close friend, or even a coworker, this is how much to spend on baby shower gift.

Baby Shower Gift Etiquette

Before we get into price levels, let’s touch on some baby shower gift etiquette. When you understand what is considered polite or expected, you can make the right call, without feeling stressed or overwhelmed when determining how much to spend on baby shower gift.

Always Bring a Gift

Typically, guests are expected to bring a present to a baby shower. Not bringing a gift would be rude, especially if you decide to go to the shower in person. It doesn’t always have to be a luxurious gift, but attending something empty-handed can often cause raised eyebrows. A baby shower is meant to celebrate the new arrival, and gifts are a way to assist the parents-to-be in preparing. But if you are pinching pennies, you can still find plenty of thoughtful gifts that won’t set your bank account back too much.

Registry Is Guide, Not Rule

It’s nice to pick from the registry, but you don’t have to. A registry is just a convenient method for the parents-to-be to tell guests what they lack. Please feel free to deviate from this if you have a personal or special gift that you’d like to give instead. Handmade gifts and practical gifts are always appreciated, as long as they are something the parents need.

This is important when deciding how much to spend on baby shower gift. Sometimes a gift that speaks to your personality or to the nature of your relationship with the parents can be more meaningful than an item off a list. But do ensure it suits the parents’ tastes.

Group Gifts Are Welcome

An excellent way to make a big, splashy gift without making a big splash in your own pocket is to get in on a group gift with other attendees. This can be especially useful with pricey items, such as strollers, cribs or baby monitors, that may fall outside of what you’d consider a reasonable personal budget, but which the parents want.

Teaming up with your fellow attendees can offer you the opportunity to chip in toward a more substantial gift, and it also removes the burden of exceeding your own budget. You’ll even realize it’s cheaper when buying as a group once you sit down to budget on how much to spend on baby shower gift.

Gift Opening Traditions Vary

There are some baby showers where gift opening is the main event, and others where it’s forgotten for reasons of time or at the parents’ preference. Before the shower, you also should ask the host if the hosts plan on opening gifts during the event. If you don’t know, it’s wisest to follow the parents’ wishes.

And if gifts aren’t being opened at all yourself, be happy about your gift — it’s a gesture you make, and the thought and effort behind the gift is what matters, not opening the gift in front of everyone.

If gift opening is unavailable in the context of the celebration, you can still feel good about your gift — it’s the thought and the holy era of online tracking and lengthy thank-you emails and text chains that mean gift effort that counts, not the event itself.

Addressing the Gift

When it’s time to discuss the gift, just follow any particular guidelines according to the kind of shower. For a traditional baby shower, address your gift to the mom-to-be. If it’s a coed shower or the new parents are birthing a baby together, you may address the gift to both parents. This little personalization makes the gift feel a bit more special.

Determining How Much to Spend on Baby Shower Gift

Now that you are well aware of all the etiquette, let’s consider the elements that decide whether a baby shower gift should cost you big or be well within your reach. Your budget, what the parents prefer and how well you know or get along with the parents will factor into how much you spend.

Your Relationship With the Parents-to-Be

The depth of the relationship between you and the expecting parents is one of the first things you should take into account when thinking about how much to spend on baby shower gift.

Acquaintance/Coworker: $20–$50 Gifts for acquaintances or coworkers. It’s a tribute, but not an excessive one. There’s a bit of fluctuation in this range depending on the setting, but this range is always the sweet spot when determining how much to spend on baby shower gift.
Friend or Distant Relative: If you’re a friend or distant relative, plan to gift $30–$70. This price point also allows you a little room if you want to purchase something a bit more specific, like baby care kits, keepsakes, or personalized clothing.
Close Friend/Family: For close friend or immediate family members the average is between $75–$200+. It is also especially common among brothers and sisters, best friends or grandparents. At this point, you can consider big-ticket items like strollers, cribs, or a high-end baby monitor.

Are You Coming or Not?

Your physical presence or absence at the baby shower can also play a role in determining how much to spend on baby shower gift. If you are attending the shower and will also be bringing the gift, you may feel a bit more pressure to spend a little extra to fit the event. But if you can’t make it, sending a smaller gift or a nice card is, nevertheless, a kind gesture.

At virtual showers, without the in-person party, guests tend to spend 15–20% less, Still, the parents’ predicament and what would feel acceptable should be contemplated.

Do You Have Budget Constraints?

Don’t feel like you have to spend more on a baby shower present. The most important factor is that you give from the heart, and you should give an amount that works with your budget. Fortunately, even on a budget, there are plenty of meaningful options on how much to spend on baby shower gift. A homemade gift, a sentimental one, or a group gift can still get along. Thoughtfulness and effort count far more than a price tag.

Does the Mom Have a Registry?

If the parents-to-be have a baby registry, be sure to give it a look. Buy off a registry so that the gift will be useful when planning how much to spend on baby shower gift. But if you are looking to give something a little more personal or thoughtful, consider something that will reflect your relationship with the parents.

There isn’t a right amount to spend on a baby shower gift. It really comes down to how well you know the parents-to-be, local traditions and what you can afford. The best thing to do is to think about what feels appropriate given these considerations, and, most importantly, to think about the thought and care that you’ve put into your gift.

Cash and Gift Cards

If you’re not sure how much to spend on baby shower gift, consider giving cash or a gift card. They let the parents determine what they need, and they’re particularly welcome if you’re unsure of what to buy.

Consider a gift card for a baby store or the store from which the parents are registered. If you want to be a bit more personal, try giving the cash or the gift card in a nice card along with a sweet note. If it’s a monetary gift, consider a personal note to make it feel more special.

If you’re looking for something more budget-friendly but just as thoughtful and meaningful, here are a few creative, relatively affordable gifts that can be both thoughtful and thought-provoking:

Handmade Gifts

If you are handy, homemade gifts, such as knitted blankets, personalized onesies, and do-it-yourself keepsakes, are not only budget-friendly but also deeply sentimental. They demonstrate that you’ve put time and effort into the perfect present for the parents-to-be.

Gift Baskets

Another creative way to give a meaningful gift when thinking of how much to spend on baby shower gift is a gift blanket. You can compile a themed basket with small essentials such as diapers, wipes, lotions, and baby clothes. It is a considerate and practical gift that will always be cherished.

Group Gifts

If you’re really aren’t sure of how much to spend on baby shower gift, it might be time to opt for a group gift. By combining funds with other guests, you can give a more substantial, more useful gift that the parents really need, like a stroller or car seat.

Practical Items

It is often the most useful gifts that are the best. Diapers, baby wipes and baby clothing are always indeed available for reasonable prices. And even though they don’t sound that fun, they match what most parents will actually use every day.

Sentimental Gifts

If you want to get something special but it is still affordable, go for sentimental gifts, such as personalized baby books, picture frames or handprint kits. Oh, and these gifts need not be expensive to be deeply meaningful and become cherished keepsakes.

How To Avoid Overspending on Baby Shower Gifts

If you’re unsure of what to buy but want to avoid overspending on how much to spend on baby shower gift, here are a few tips.

Choose Multi-Use Items

Rather than focusing on purchasing one particular item, shop for multiple-use baby items that can be used in a number of different ways. For example, a convertible crib that work as a toddler bed or a diaper bag that transforms into a backpack are both ways to spend smart. There’s always the option to buy a gift that will be useful for a good long while to come, and if you’re thinking about how much to spend on baby shower gift, a smart purchase is a gift that the recipient can use for a long time.

Buy in Bulk

Sometimes you want to buy in bulk and get your money’s worth. Try buying things like diapers, wipes, and baby formula in bulk. These are essential items new parents tend to run out of, and having more than enough is always a welcome gift. You can use this status to create a strategically selected present pack, as well as determine how much to spend on baby shower gift when you buy in bulk..

Opt for Digital Gifts

In the digital age we live in, digital baby shower gifts such as eBooks, online subscriptions or streaming services for baby and parents (hello lullaby music) could be a cost-effective choice. Such gifts are usually one of a kind, usable, and affordable. They can be a great gift for the parent who has everything and might not be interested in another physical possession. Consider how much to spend on baby shower gift by weighing digital choices that work within your budget, but also with the parents’ lifestyle.

Consider Future Needs

When considering how much to spend on baby shower gift, take a long view. Rather than something that caters to their immediate needs, consider giving something that the parents will appreciate as the baby gets older. From books for down the road, educational toys, or even a savings account for the child’s education or future, they all make for wonderful ideas. The new gift can continue to go a long way, no matter how much was spent on it.