How much do Americans spend each year on gifts?

$10,000 dollar relationship per year...is this enough for a relationship (im going to be a teacher)?

• ok i think spending $10,000 a year is what is going to make a relationship survive and be happy. (I'm talking about a real relationship that leads to a long lasting or permanent marriage till death) think about it your going to spend at least $300 on christmas birthday and valentines day thats a total of 900$ but lets just round up to $1000 going out with your lover on dates every weekend so lets just say you go out once a week on a date,hmmm dinner and a movie? 1 ticket costs $10 gas 5 bucks and dinner 15 bucks so thats a total of 30 dollars for one date (this is just paying for my self, my lover has to pay for her own ticket and meal) so lets be real here, this is actually whats considered a really cheap date, so 30 dollars times 4 (4 weeks in a month) is $120 a month times 12 months thats about $1,500 dollars going out once a week for the whole year (imagine going out twice a week, many people do this and expect this) so that is going to double to $3000 a year plus the gifts for 3 holidays total is $4000...but honestly? is this all there is to a relationship? it seems kind of boring dont you think? OMG! i know ..how about traveling and vacation? yes now we're talking going to spend time traveling and vacation to another country 1 ticket = $1000..assuming we are going to spend 1 month there..it is going to cost me about $4000...( or more) to be able to enjoy my vacation....so the total adds up to 10,000...(if i were to go on more expensive dates or more expensive gifts) i think it would cost me about 15,000 a year...ok im 17 years old ...but im completely aware of how much everything costs in the real world..it even costs to have friends...but i truly believe 15,000 a year on a relationship (max by the way) is going to make the relationship survive (now...this 15,000 is what only im spending my partner has to spend her half too ..so total cost is 30,000 since we are both paying) i will go to college and become a teacher and teachers make about 50,000 a year ...so i think i can afford it ill have 35,000 and so will she to worry about mortgage, car payment and stuff like that but 35,000 left (including her self which is a total of 70,000 per year? i dont think i should worry about mortgage and stuff like that....but i was your opinion...is 10,000-15,000 sound like the right amount to spend on a long lasting permanent relationship? *note i will be making 50,000 and so will my partner ...but is it still too much???

• Answer:

  If you do not have a relationship, will you sit home and not spend the money? Maybe some of the time, but you will probably be spending the money on entertainment, going to sports events with your buddies, getting a lot of take out meals, etc. You'll buy a more expensive car because you want to make a good impression when you are out looking for a casual acquaintance, etc. If you and your wife are each making 50k a year, as long as you don't live in NYC or some other pricey location, you'll be fine. Just don't buy a house that costs more than 3 times your gross income. If you can do it for 2 or 2.5 that is even better