Tips on Inexpensive Toy Purchases
Market research firm NPD found that some parents lay out tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars on toy gifts.
The good news is that the average brand-name toy costs $7. But even if your kids don’t have a pricey wish-list, what’s cool today is yesterday’s news, and over time, those small price tags can add up to a small fortune. For parents who have a tough time keeping up with their toy-trendy kids, here are some helpful hints to fill the toy chest without emptying the treasure chest:
1. Go nearly-new. Buying used toys is an especially good cost-cutting solution for younger kids. Ask around with family and friends whose kids are older, and who likely have a closet full of toys they have grown out of. Giving away old toys can also be a great lesson for the giver, who can get a lot of good from seeing their little cousin or neighbor play with their once-favorite toy. Even for older kids: does it really matter if the Xbox 360 comes straight out of the box? There are lots of used toy venues on the net. Check out HalfValue.com.
2. Chores for Toys. Get kids to save up for the toys they want by doing chores; that way they can learn the value of money (and hard work!), while at the same time having a means to get what they want.
3. There’s lots of stuff out there that kids can order (themselves) on the Internet for discounted prices, or even for free. Smartbargains.com offers big discounts on brand name toys and games.
Comments
I've found that amazon also has toys for less than $5 with free super saver shipping and when I buy a product with SSS and it hasn't reached $25 I just add the toys as fillers.