We all want the best for our kids, but you shouldn’t have to get into debt to afford that perfect gift. Here are a few ways that you can save money on toys and gadgets for your children.
Know the best time to buy
Black Friday and January Sales are great times to take advantage of deals. December might seem like the worst time to buy must-have toys, but actually, there can be lots of promotions on because the competition is so high. That said, this can be the worst time to take part in online auctions on toys as studies on Hatchimal prices have found. New toys generally drop in value after a year.
Start couponing
Couponing is a great way to get discounts on toys. You can find coupons in magazines and by signing up for various coupon sites. Many of these coupons discounts are only available for a certain amount of time so make sure to use them up before the deal is over.
Focus on specs, not brands
Many toy manufacturers are able to charge more simply because of the brand name. If your kids haven’t got their heart set on a certain brand, you could be better off avoiding the big toy manufacturers and focusing instead on specs or you can simply look for Toys for 10 years old. This is certainly the case with gadgets such as the best gaming headset under 100 dollars. Understanding the specs may involve a bit of research – be careful of asking retail staff for their opinion as some may sway you to try and buy one of the more pricey gadgets.
Buy joint presents
Joint presents can be an ideal way of saving money on big items. This could involve getting a big gift to share between two or more kids, or it could involve splitting costs with other family members to afford a big gift. You could simply ask for a small donation from multiple family members as a way of covering costs for that dream gift.
Opt second-hand
Buying second-hand will often save you a lot of money. There are lots of places online that are great for finding deals on second-hand toys. Facebook buy and sell pages and sites such as Gumtree are great for finding second-hand toys locally for cheap – by being able to pick them up in person, you can save money on delivery costs. There are then sites such as eBay where you may be able to buy certain toys second-hand for cheap. Always ask about the condition if not specified. Jumble stores, flea markets, and car boot sales are also great physical places to buy gifts. If it's a gift too large to carry home yourself, use a site like Shiply to arrange delivery.
It’s worth cleaning some toys after buying them in case they still contain bacteria from a previous user. You should also be careful of very old toys as some may not pass modern health and safety standards – when it comes to painted toys make sure that they don’t use lead paint. Some toys may also have been recalled or may have discouraging health and safety stats as has been found with the iRover - it’s worth being aware of this to avoid buying a potentially dangerous toy.
