Christmas Toys on A Budget - 14 Tips
If you're like me you don't want to wake up on Boxing Day with a sinking feeling about how you're going to pay off all the credit card bills or manage throughout January without any money. But you also want your children to have a great Christmas and not go without. Well you can have your cake and eat it! Read my 25 tips saving money on Christmas toys.
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Write A List
Start with a list of the children you have to buy for and the toys you want to buy for each one. This way you will only buy what you need. It will stop you impulse buying and over buying. Impulse buying and overbuying always leads to spending more money.
Work Out a Budget
Once you know what you're buying work out how much these toys will cost you. Hopefully with the tips below we can come in underbudget. But having a budget and sticking to it will mean you won't overspend
Start Early
It's worth starting early. You will have time to scour online for the best prices. Online retailers and shops often have excellent deals on toys in September and October to attract the early buyers too.
Have a Deadline
Have a deadline for when the buying stops. Again this will stop you overbuying and asking questions like have I bought enough and then going on another shopping spree.
Don't Overbuy
Have I stressed this enough yet? We all tend to overbuy at Christmas and then the kids have so many toys they are overwhelmed. They can't appreciate it all - it's too much for them. I read an article that suggested the more toys kids have the less value they attach to them. They have so many they are seen as disposable. Destroying a toy car is nothing if you have 50 more to play with - but if you only have one toy car - it's precious and something to care for. It may seem strange that I write this when I have a toy website but for me it's about buying less of the best toys not lots of bad ones.
Check Comparison Sites
Online is a good place to start when buying toys and there are comparison sites which will tell you where you can buy the toy you want at the cheapest price. Pricerunner and megashopbot are just two.
Ebay
Ebay is a great place to look for toys. You can get brand new toys for a discounted price. People often have duplicate gifts etc. You can also get some excellent secondhand toys and if you're buying for a young child than they won't even know the difference. The nearer Christmas you are the more bidding wars you are likely to have but it's still worth checking out for a bargain. Beware that ebay aren't always the cheapest for new toys. Go to a comparison website to check before buying off ebay.
Amazon
I love amazon for toy buying. You can get toys at great prices and with free delivery and good customer service it's an excellent website. Again amazon aren't always the cheapest but it's worth checking out. I always look at the amazon toy bestseller list as if they have good reductions on toys, they often show up here as everybody is buying them. They also have a special deals page for toys.
Hot Deals
Another excellent website is http://www.hotukdeals.com. It's constantly updated with hot deals on all kinds of things you may need or want to buy. You can use the search function to look for toy deals on specific toys. Or you can subscribe to receive an daily e-mail with the hottest deals.
Buy Secondhand
As well as ebay there are lots of websites where you can buy toys in excellent condition secondhand.
Here are a couple of my favorites.
http://www.preloved.co.uk/
http://www.gumtree.com/
Also consider checking out the nearly new section for your area on the netmums website
Here are a couple of my favorites.
http://www.preloved.co.uk/
http://www.gumtree.com/
Also consider checking out the nearly new section for your area on the netmums website
Voucher Codes
If you decide to buy a toy from a specific retailer check whether there are any voucher codes to get you further discounts. One of the top websites is http://www.vouchercodes.co.uk/
Cut Out the Cheap Small Gifts
I love Christmas stockings but I have to fight the urge not to fill them with lots of rubbish. Kids don't really notice things like bubble bath, socks and pants. They focus on the big toys they really want. Small things can really add up so consider cutting them out. If you do want to do a stocking (like I do) fill it will a small number of quality items. Perhaps a small lego kit or card game that you know will be played with. Again, make a list and budget and stick to it.
Cut Down Who You Buy For
Are there extended family or friends kids you buy for? Is it worth opening a conversation and seeing if you could do something different this year instead of buying. Maybe you could make those kids some homemade cookies or chocolates. Or start a new tradition where you meet up an have a Christmas movie night or baking afternoon instead of buying more toys.
Toy Swap
Instead of buying could you arrange a toy swap with friends or family. Nearly everybody has a toy that's hardly been used that another child could enjoy. Maybe you could do a toy swap with the extended family and friends that you normally buy for instead of buying more toys. (see above).