What is the going rate for high school graduations gifts?

[imawino]

We are invited to a handful of graduation parties over the next month. What's the current appropriate amount of cash to stuff in an envelope and hand over to a teen?

[Iggy aka IG]

I've been doing $50 for neighbor kids and $100 for the nieces.

[saveinla]

Thanks for starting this - how much would be the deal for college graduates?

[imawino]

May 10, 2019 14:11:58 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

I've been doing $50 for neighbor kids and $100 for the nieces.

Sounds about right. Our neighbor gave our older kid $100 2 years ago, though.  So now I'm wondering if that's the right number for all the kids? Bleh.

[imawino]

May 10, 2019 14:19:51 GMT -5 saveinla said:

Thanks for starting this - how much would be the deal for college graduates?

Huh. Good question. Is it family? Are you invited to some big bash? I'm gonna say that I'm going to max out at $100 cash for semi-random kids and maybe a bit more if they are related kids.

[swamp]

This is YM.  $0.  The little bastards can get a job while they live and home and commute to the cheapest local school to major in accounting, nursing, or engineering. 


But I give $50 to $100 depending on whether or not I'm related to the kid.   

[NastyWoman]

May 10, 2019 14:37:37 GMT -5 swamp said:

This is YM.  $0.  The little bastards can get a job while they live and home and commute to the cheapest local school to major in accounting, nursing, or engineering. 


But I give $50 to $100 depending on whether or not I'm related to the kid.   

The last graduation gifts for me were for the sons of a good friend. The oldest got $50 from me, the younger one (several years later) $60 → because inflation...

[saveinla]

May 10, 2019 14:35:21 GMT -5 imawino said:

May 10, 2019 14:19:51 GMT -5 saveinla said:

Thanks for starting this - how much would be the deal for college graduates?

Huh. Good question. Is it family? Are you invited to some big bash? I'm gonna say that I'm going to max out at $100 cash for semi-random kids and maybe a bit more if they are related kids.

Its my DH's cousin - I guess I will go with 100$ unless he says we need to do more. I am still not sure if we are invited to the after party.

We have given this particular kid a lot of gifts and also housed her when she needed, as she lives in a college near us.

[Iggy aka IG]

May 10, 2019 14:33:14 GMT -5 imawino said:

May 10, 2019 14:11:58 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

I've been doing $50 for neighbor kids and $100 for the nieces.

Sounds about right. Our neighbor gave our older kid $100 2 years ago, though.  So now I'm wondering if that's the right number for all the kids? Bleh.

Maybe it depends on how long you've all known each other, and how close the families are?  I will prob give our closer neighbors $100 when they graduate.  But then, they (twins) aren't quite 5, so who knows what inflation will do.

Re: College graduates, I gave our niece $500.

LOL at swamp's post.

[MN-Investor]

I guess I have to be consistent. When my brother's oldest daughter graduated from college a couple of years ago we gave her $100, so I'll give the same to her sister who's graduating this spring.

[imawino]

May 10, 2019 14:48:27 GMT -5 saveinla said:

May 10, 2019 14:35:21 GMT -5 imawino said:

Huh. Good question. Is it family? Are you invited to some big bash? I'm gonna say that I'm going to max out at $100 cash for semi-random kids and maybe a bit more if they are related kids.

Its my DH's cousin - I guess I will go with 100$ unless he says we need to do more. I am still not sure if we are invited to the after party.

We have given this particular kid a lot of gifts and also housed her when she needed, as she lives in a college near us.

If there's a party, and you're not invited, the # goes down!

[oped]

How about a present? One of my kiddos I evaluate invited me to her party but giving her cash feels like handing her the money her mom paid as an evaluation?!it just feels a little off... she is headed to college.

[imawino]

May 10, 2019 15:22:46 GMT -5 oped said:

How about a present? One of my kiddos I evaluate invited me to her party but giving her cash feels like handing her the money her mom paid as an evaluation?!it just feels a little off... she is headed to college.

I love the idea of an actual gift!  But I know what our own teens always want and it's cash.  And in a couple of instances we really don't even know these kids much at all, we're just kinda friendly with the parent(s).  So I wouldn't know where to begin.  In your case you actually know the girl, so you may have better luck.  I just don't have any good gift advice. 

In the case of younger stepson, I know his gf loves makeup so I will probably put cash in a card and pop into Ulta for a fun gift to add.   

[sheilaincali]

Random kids I barely know get $20 - $50 depending on my relationship with the kids parents.

Kids I am related to get $50 to $100

The Boy's besties when they graduated in 2016 - $150 or so. But I bought them all experiences. A got tickets to go see Malala Yousafzai speak (we went together). D got tickets to see Cage the Elephant in concert (the entire Scooby gang was going and she couldn't afford a ticket), J got an annual membership to the MN Zoo because he loves zoos and was going to college in the twin cities. G got cash because he didn't give me any other ideas.

DS got a nice watch and a new graphics card for his computer that he built.

[hoops902]

HS boys get 20, Average looking girls get 20, particularly hot girls get 50.

I didn't know anyone actually had graduation parties for college.

[saveinla]

May 10, 2019 15:22:46 GMT -5 oped said:

How about a present? One of my kiddos I evaluate invited me to her party but giving her cash feels like handing her the money her mom paid as an evaluation?!it just feels a little off... she is headed to college.

I took my niece shopping to a store she liked very much but was expensive and told her to pick around 8-10 outfits for college.

[wvugurl26]

The neighbor's kid is getting $100. My cousins are getting $200. We did $200 for my cousin a couple years ago.

The nieces and nephews get around $200. Hallmark has a book they sell around this time and I fill it up with gift cards and cash. It has different themed pages. Pizza, gas, coffee, etc.

[imawino]

May 10, 2019 16:14:59 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

The neighbor's kid is getting $100. My cousins are getting $200. We did $200 for my cousin a couple years ago.

The nieces and nephews get around $200. Hallmark has a book they sell around this time and I fill it up with gift cards and cash. It has different themed pages. Pizza, gas, coffee, etc.

Thanks - I just looked up the book and it's a really cute idea! I think I will buy a few.

[obelisk]

May 10, 2019 14:37:37 GMT -5 swamp said:

This is YM.  $0.  The little bastards can get a job while they live and home and

---

commute to the cheapest local school to major in accounting, nursing, or engineering. 


But I give $50 to $100 depending on whether or not I'm related to the kid.   

Take public transportation saving the YM the cost of car depreciation and more important the car insurance related to an under 26yr driver.  That is if the so called no name called can even afford a vehicle let alone insurance on their own.

[NastyWoman]

May 10, 2019 20:39:05 GMT -5 obelisk said:

May 10, 2019 14:37:37 GMT -5 swamp said:

This is YM.  $0.  The little bastards can get a job while they live and home and

---

commute to the cheapest local school to major in accounting, nursing, or engineering. 


But I give $50 to $100 depending on whether or not I'm related to the kid.   

Take public transportation saving the YM the cost of car depreciation and more important the car insurance related to an under 26yr driver.  That is if the so called no name called can even afford a vehicle let alone insurance on their own.

bicycle, bicycle, you have to ride your bicycle, you have to ride your bike  

[Value Buy]

May 10, 2019 14:37:37 GMT -5 swamp said:

This is YM.  $0.  The little bastards can get a job while they live and home and commute to the cheapest local school to major in accounting, nursing, or engineering. 


But I give $50 to $100 depending on whether or not I'm related to the kid.   

LOL, just wait until your little tykes are graduating and see what everyone thinks is the proper amount to give your grandkids in the next generation.
Hint. It is not a $100.

[buystoys]

For HS, I gave my niece and nephew $100.  For college I gave my niece $200.  We aren't invited to anyone else's graduation, so it's pretty simple for us.

[thyme4change]

I think I gave 100 to my nieces and nephews 10 years ago. But my whole family has money, so we pass around slightly larger gifts to the next generation. I have been wondering because we have 2 grad parties for friends' kids. I'm thinking 50 for them. I'm not real close to either of the kids. I will be more generous to other kids that I have spent more time with.

[movingforward]

I fall in line with most of the posters here. I am giving a good friend's daughter $50. I gave my niece $100 last year.

I know when I was in school all I wanted/needed was money.