It’s a question every year, and one that to be honest, I struggle with; How much should we be giving?
Graduations. Weddings. Birthdays. Divorces? OK, maybe not that one, but here’s what we need to know.
There is a general set of guidelines for what’s appropriate for gift-giving in 2025, and as someone who is budgetarily conscious (my words), or cheap (my friends and family), it can be more than our instinct might indicate.
I consulted a few sources and the broad range for graduation gifts can span $10-$500. That allows for a lot of discretion, but according to lovetoknow.com, the easy breakdown looks like this:
| Type of Graduation | Typical Gift Amount |
|---|---|
| Middle school | $10 to $30 |
| High school | $30 to $200 or more |
| College | $30 to $500 or more |
College especially is where the discretion for the unique circumstances really impact the amount. For advanced degrees, it is customary to add $100 per degree. Your closeness to the graduate also helps set expectations.
For weddings, it varies on many factors, but I found a really cool Wedding Gift Calculator at moneystocker.com. It takes into account your relationship, your earnings and employment situation, and details of the wedding. Try that calculator HERE.
Finally, birthdays have the most variation but gitfcurious.com has a calculator that may help give some guidance. You can use that HERE.
Good luck. I’ve got some better idea of what I want to do and am currently seeking another side hustle to make it happen.
