Are You Too Cheap? Here’s the Definitive Guide of How Much To Give for Every Occasion

When it comes to gift giving, just how cheap are you? It's an important question to ask if you're trying to stick to social norms.

You might be worried about offending someone by not spending enough. Or perhaps you need to build up your savings and would love to avoid overspending for no reason. 

Before you buy that gift or put some cash in a card, here's how much you should expect to give someone for every occasion.

Birthday gifts can vary widely depending on how much you are expected to give and the person being celebrated.

In general, around $25 is a good amount, but you may want to give more to family or good friends.

You may have young children who are constantly getting invited to a birthday party for classmates.

For kids' parties, it's a good idea to give a gift of around $20 to $30. Consider including a gift receipt for an easy return if needed.

Weddings can get a bit expensive, and you'll have to consider factors such as the cost of traveling to the ceremony when deciding how much to give.

A good rule of thumb used to be to "cover your plates" (pay as much as you estimate the bride and groom paid for your dinner).

It can be a hard number to figure out if you don't know how much the couple spent on their wedding, so you can also consider around $100 to $200 for a gift.

Funerals are not a celebratory gift-giving event, but you also may want to give a grieving family money to cover meals or donate to the deceased's favorite charity.

Obituaries may say, "In lieu of flowers," with a note on where to send cash in memory of a person, so use that as a benchmark. A nice bouquet can cost around $75, so that could be a good amount for a cash gift or donation.

You may get an invitation to a baby shower, which can be an exciting way to celebrate with parents-to-be.

Consider a gift of around $50 to $100. Consider practical options, such as a gift card for a baby clothing store or diapers.

Gender reveal parties can also be fun celebrations, but you generally aren't expected to bring a gift, especially if the expecting parents haven't put together a baby registry yet.

A small gift is fine if you don't want to show up empty-handed, such as a book for the new baby or a little something for the expecting parents.

You may have a cleaning service that comes to your house every week, tutors that help your kids, or pet sitters who check on your pets year-round while you're at work.

Gifts can vary depending on the type of help, but you may want to consider an "extra" payment for a job well done, such as an extra $100 for the holidays if you pay your cleaners $100 a week or an extra $50 to a dog walker for services.

Graduations are an important milestone for students. But you may not have to give as much as you would for other milestones. A $50 gift should be sufficient for most graduates.

The end of a school year is also a time to celebrate the teachers who helped your kids.

Teachers usually have plenty of mugs, pens, and anything decorated with apples. Instead, consider a $20-$25 gift card to a store or restaurant you know the teacher likes.

Realtors can help you find the perfect dream house or lock in the sale of your home as you move on.

But the buying and selling process can already be expensive so you don't have to feel obligated to add a gift to that, but a $20 to $50 option is plenty if you would like to give one.

While these are general guidelines, you can adjust how much you give based on different factors.

For example, you may want to give a little more if it's a wedding for a dear friend or a little less if it's for a baby shower for a work colleague.

Some occasions require you to have more flexibility when deciding how much to give.

You also need to factor in how big of a celebration it is. You can spend less money for a second child's baby shower, for example, or spend more for a milestone birthday.

Only give as much as you can afford, even if that is less than the recommended amount. After all, you don't want to go into debt trying to give someone else a gift that you can't afford.

If you know a major celebration is coming up, it may also be a good idea to save some extra money in the months leading up to the celebration so you have the cash you need for a good gift.

Gift-giving can be a fun way to celebrate someone or a stressful prospect when you're trying to save money.

Put some thought into the gift and find ways to be a savvy shopper. Start the gift-buying process sooner rather than later so you have more time to find good deals or discounts.