Gift Budget Calculator
Plan a gift budget across your list — gifts, wrapping and shipping — with a clear per-person all-in cost.
How it works
gifts = people × average per gift · wrapping = people × per-gift wrapping · total = gifts + wrapping + shipping
The gift line is the list length times an average per gift, which is the easiest lever to control. Wrapping and cards add a small per-gift amount that’s invisible individually but real across a long list, and shipping is a single total for anything you mail. Adding all three gives the true budget, and dividing by the headcount gives the all-in cost per person — usually higher than the gift price alone.
Worked example
10 people at $30 a gift is $300. Wrapping and a card at $3 each adds $30, and with no shipping the total is $330 — about $33 per person once the extras are counted.
Frequently asked questions
How do I set a gift budget I’ll actually stick to?
Work top-down: decide the total you can spend, then divide by the number of people to get your average per gift. If that average feels too low, shorten the list or use group gifts rather than blowing the total — the number stays in your control that way.
Why include wrapping and shipping?
Because they’re easy to overlook and add up fast. Wrapping and cards at a few dollars a gift can be 10% of the budget on a long list, and shipping mailed gifts can rival the gift itself. Folding them in gives a per-person figure that matches what you’ll really spend.
How can I lower the total without dropping anyone?
Cut the average per gift rather than the list — going from $30 to $20 a head saves $100 on a 10-person list. Group gifts, homemade items, and setting a spending cap with family are other ways to keep everyone on the list while trimming the total.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.