How much you should spend on someone else's big day? Etiquette advice and budget-friendly tips to get you through wedding season with your finances in tact.
You’re invited to a wedding this year — or perhaps to multiple weddings — but once the initial joy wears off the numbers quickly start to add up. Even if you’re not involved with the wedding the expenses for new clothes, travel and accommodations can put a real dent in your budget.
And then there’s the often controversial question of how much you’re supposed to spend on a wedding gift. How much is enough (or too much!), and what should you know before you hit the stores?
Rules of thumb?
How much should you spend? It depends on who you ask, and there’s no shortage of opinions out there. We scanned the internet looking for solid numbers, and here are the results for Canada and the U.S.:
- The bare minimum: For co-workers, distant relatives, distant family friends and people you aren’t that close to many sources say you shouldn’t spend less than $50. However, some put the price tag a little lower ($25-$35) and some aim higher ($75).
Wedding gifts: How much should you spend?
