How much do you spend on shalach manos?

Sitting here doing our budget, and wondering what other people spend. Nosy I know! But just wondering if what we spend is typical or not. We spend about $100 total on the shalach manoses for the Rabbonim and teachers (not including the checks we give the Rabbonim). We spend about $45 on 30 small shalach manoses for the neighbors and friends. And we spend about $15 for shalach manoses for our kids to give some of their friends.

We live in the U.S. (OOT), and our income is about $65,000 a year.

We spend about $200 on tzedakah/matanos l'evyonim, $144 on checks to the Rabbonim--$72 each, $80 on the seudah (a shared meal, so we only make a couple of items plus wine), and about $30 on costumes for the kids.

What do you think--is this too much?

I don't think that is too much!

I spend way more and I don't make a sueda. I get probably like two costumes a year (bout $25 each), some chachkas like accesories and make up, 42 regular mm which is about $4-5 a person, rebbes and teachers which is about $60 for the bags/chocolate/sparkling grape juice. And the checks come out to a good few hundred-bus driver,bus teacher,teachers,rebbes.......Then I make a dish for the seuda....
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About $20.

We spend very little on shalach manos. This year we are giving a can of soda and a bag cookies to everyone. I am wrapping it nicely in cellophane paper. Everything was bought on sale so each shalach manos is less then $1. Everyone gets the same thing. The rabonim always get more candy then they know what to do with so I would give a small shalach manos and a nice check. One rebbe said he gets so much food that he just brings everything to the yeshiva dorm and gives it all to the boys. But the check he would keep for himself!

I spend about $4 per MM.

Platinum Member Joined: Mar 24 2008 Posts: 6528

I'm not sure yet. In years past I spent $1 but this year I think its closer to $3 and I'm not sure how to cut it down (basket, home made rolls, chummus, and carrots). So for 40 - its going to be $120. (I better cut down on the price - I've only made the rolls so far).

2 whiskeys for each of DH's boss.
4 wines for rabbis.
2 wines + checks for rebbes.
Checks for morahs.

At least costumes are recycled or borrowed and my food for the purim seudah isn't so expensive ($15).

Kids mm - about 40 at $1 a piece or less - mainly nieces and nephews, and some for our kids friends.

In the end it adds up to a lot.

OP here. Good to know what I'm spending isn't crazy. Is it normal to give checks to the morahs? I haven't in the past.

Diamond Member Joined: Mar 11 2010 Posts: 3058

It's more than I spend, with a similar income, but it really depends on *your* budget whether it's too much. Smile

We make everything to keep the cost down. This year I think it's pretzels, caramels, some kind of pretzel dip, and roasted chick peas. We'll give about 30-40 shaloch manos bags and the total cost should be less than $1/each, including the bag.

We'll spend about $30 for our family to go to the shul's seudah, and I spent about $15 on accessories/fabric (there are lots of no-sew options for non-sewers!) for the kids' costumes. We usually do about $100ish for matanos l'evyonim.

So I guess our total is around $85 + tzedakah.

I would say around 50 - 60 shekels.
I buy the containers and cellophane to close it.
The containers were each 2 shekels and the cellophane was 2 shekels each.
10 containers, 2 cellophane = 24 shekels.
I am sure we will think of a few more people that we want to send to but we never send more than 15 MM.

I bake cookies and we also put a fruit inside. That altogether is maybe 30 shekels.

we are making 50 shalach manos at $4.00 each
which is $200.00 total. It really adds up fast!!

$3-$5 each, and I'm making 12.
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Diamond Member Joined: Dec 28 2005 Posts: 4653

I was trying to figure this out last night!

I am giving grape juice and challah. Making 30. Grape juice was .99 each (of course I later found deals for .89 but that's what I get for shopping too early). So that was nearly $30. Challah = 5 batches, and I think I figured out that each batch costs just over $4. Let's call it $4.50. Then $5 total for packaging - I found a nice cheap method. So all together $57.50 for 30 which is under $2 each. I don't know of a cheaper way (I'm into each min being "chashuv") but it is sort of labor intensive. Batch 3 of 5 is in the oven now, actually.

Costumes - could have gone to gemach but wanted my kids to match so spent $40 on two.

We contribute to a joint seudah, I usually do the chicken. Haven't shopped for that yet because waiting for final head count but in the past about $40 but I always have a lot of extra to bring back home.

So all together about $137.50 not including matanos l'evyonim where my husband has to get back to me on what checks to write. Happy to do so - all for the mitzva (except technically the costumes I guess).