Not sure how this was meant to sound but it comes across quite snobby. I don’t have children but I have friends who earn more and will spend a lot of money on birthday and Christmas gifts and I will buy them something I can afford in return. Who benefits from someone over-stretching their finances to buy a £20+ gift just because someone who might earn more did it for them?she may not spend a lot but how awful would you feel if someone bought your child a £20+ gift but you could only afford £5 for theirs?
I think if you can only afford to give a child a £5 gift for their birthday that’s a £5 gift they should be grateful for. :/ its nothing to feel ‘awful’ for at all.