Free tool · no signup
Gift budget calculator
Enter what you want to spend this season and who is on your list. The calculator suggests how much to spend on each person based on how close you are, lets you change any amount, and links every person to gift ideas in their price range.
1. Your total budget
2. The people on your list
Pick how close you are to each person. Type over any amount to set it yourself; everyone else shares what is left.
How to use the gift budget calculator
- 1
Set your total
Enter everything you want to spend on gifts this season, and how much of it to keep back for wrapping paper, cards and shipping.
- 2
List your people
Add everyone you buy for and pick how close you are: partner, parent, close friend, coworker and so on. Closer people get a bigger share.
- 3
Adjust the split
Type over any suggested amount. The people you have not changed share whatever is left, so the plan always adds up to your total.
- 4
Find the gifts
Each person gets a link to the AI gift finder, already set to their price range and relationship, plus a page of example ideas.
How the split works
Every closeness tier has a weight. A gift for a partner gets 8 shares, a coworker gift 1 share. The weights are a starting point, not a rule: change any amount and the rest of the list adjusts.
| Closeness | Who it covers | Shares |
|---|---|---|
| Partner or spouse | Wife, husband, girlfriend, boyfriend | 8 |
| Parent | Mom, dad, stepparent | 5 |
| Sibling or close family | Brother, sister, adult child, grandparent | 4 |
| Kid (under 12) | Children, nieces, nephews, godchildren | 3 |
| Teen | Teenage kids, nieces, nephews | 3 |
| Close friend | Best friend, friends you see every week | 3 |
| Extended family | Aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws | 2 |
| Friend or neighbor | Friends, neighbors, club or team mates | 1.5 |
| Coworker or boss | Colleagues, your manager, your team | 1 |
| Thank-you gift | Teachers, hosts, mail carrier, babysitter | 0.75 |
Example: $1,000 for seven people
With 10% ($100) kept back for wrapping and shipping, $900 is left for the gifts themselves. This is the list the calculator starts with.
- Partner · Partner or spouse$249
- Mom · Parent$155
- Dad · Parent$155
- Sister · Sibling or close family$124
- Niece · Kid (under 12)$93
- Best friend · Close friend$93
- Office Secret Santa · Coworker or boss$31
Gift budget questions
How does the calculator split my budget?
Each closeness tier has a weight: a partner counts 8 times as much as a coworker, a parent 5 times, a close friend 3 times. Your gift budget (the total minus what you keep back for wrapping and shipping) is shared in proportion to those weights and rounded to whole dollars, so the amounts always add up to your budget.
Can I change the suggested amounts?
Yes. Type any amount for a person and it stays fixed. Everyone you haven't changed splits what is left of the budget. Use the reset button next to a person, or Reset to suggested split, to go back to the calculator's numbers.
How much should I spend on Christmas gifts in total?
Start from what you can pay in cash by January, not from a per-person number. Add up what you spent last year, compare it with what is left after bills and savings, and enter that total. The calculator then shows whether your list fits: if every person ends up with a very small amount, shorten the list or switch some people to a group gift or a Secret Santa draw.
How much should I spend on a coworker or Secret Santa gift?
Office gift exchanges usually set a limit of $10 to $30, and most people keep coworker gifts in the same range. If your group has a set limit, type it in as that person's amount so the rest of your budget is shared among everyone else.
What is the amount kept back for wrapping, cards and shipping?
Paper, tape, gift bags, cards and postage add up quickly, especially when you mail gifts to family. Keeping 10% of the budget aside is a reasonable default; choose Nothing if you have already bought supplies or only give in person.
Is my list saved anywhere?
No. The calculator runs in your browser and does not save or send the names and amounts you type. Use Copy my plan to paste it into a note before you leave the page.