How much is too much?

How much is too much for your kids? Do you buy that new bike they've been asking for on their birthday? Or that new video game they have mentioned? Or do you go for the more practical gifts like new clothes or a savings bond? Do you buy everything that your child asks for?

This is a daily battle for my husband and I. We have one teenager and one preteen and then one still in elementary school. The older ones are all-consumed by clothing and shoe brands, only wanting to wear certain things. It's so hard sometimes for us to find a balance between what they need and what we can afford AND what they want.

I compromise with my older girls. We shop Goodwill and yard sales. We also shop sale racks. Anything else they have to earn themselves. They have to save their birthday and Christmas money and earn the money if they want the high end shoes or jeans from the high end store. We just can't afford to buy the name brands. I think my kids are better off for it. They appreciate that their Father and I work hard for the things that they have and they tend to take care of things better because they have to earn some of it themselves.

So how do you find a balance and decide how much is too much?