Graduation Gifts – Who Gets One? How Much Do You Spend?

It's Graduation Season and Wedding Season all at the same time.  It's the time of year my finances get in worse shape than the day after Christmas.  I've been blessed in that my 30 year radio career has mostly been right here in my home town and because of it, the Good Lord has put loads of great friends in my life and lots of acquaintances. 

That said, it's that same radio career and "home town" that puts me on loads of invitation lists for both weddings and graduations.  Add the fact that I'm pretty much a cheap skate and you can see why this time of year leaves me in a pickle.

Right now, on my desk, are no less than 20 high school and college graduation invitations and another 3 invitations to weddings.  Oh, and there's one invite for a pre-school graduation.  Course, none of the "graduates" really care if I'm at the ceremony.  They're just playing the numbers game.  Send out enough invites and the "haul" will be increased exponentially.

It's kind of like being the kid of a divorced couple.  Who could blame a kid for actually "enjoying" having two Christmases?  Now, here comes the pickle.  I honestly can't afford to send everyone of these kids a gift.

Why?  Recently, an online coupon site called RetailMeNot.com asked people the appropriate amount to give.  The results will stagger you.  For High School Graduates, you should give $111.  For College Graduates $243. And Grad School Graduates rake in on average $256 per gift.  With 20 of these puppies staring at me with those "wanting eyes", how could I afford to spend $2,000 to $5,000 on these kiddos.  And don't forget, I've still got to purchase 3 wedding gifts.  By the way, have your priced just one single towel from Dillards lately?  It'll blow your mind.

So, let me introduce the "McCoy Graduate Gift System."  If the child or their parents have never been to my home, it's obvious they are more like "acquaintances" instead of friends, so I'm sorry, but the well is dry.  Then, I run these deserving young "friends of friends" through one more filter.  Would this kid feel comfortable enough at my house to open the refrigerator and help themselves?  No?  Then the cash register drawer gets a little on the sticky side.  Course, if the kid is family, it's a given that they'll be cashing a McCoy check in the coming days.

However, I do try to stagger the gifts out over the summer in hopes that maybe my gift might come just as they've run out of their previous gift money and that maybe I don't break the bank.  I've noticed that most of these kids don't take VISA...unless it's a VISA gift card.