I'm dreaming of a cheap xmas...

markey77

Ah, that makes me feel so much more positive about it all! I know for a fact that the kids won't know and this way, hopefully I'll be able to get them the things that they want instead of buying whatever's on sale (although I will be doing that also lol!). I have a couple of pressies that I got last year that I will be...ahem...recycling this year for a couple of friends and also won a cashmere scarf earlier on in the year that will be a nice gift for someone.

There have been so many replies, so thank you all. I joined Freecycle a couple of years ago but always seem to be too slow to get in for stuff, did get ds1 a 20 something inch tv though, which was on his xmas list but he has that already.

Good idea about wrapping up little things and putting them in a box too, will definitely be doing something along those lines . I even managed to get myself slightly in the xmas spirit last night and it's not even November lol!

raq

You kids are similar age to mine.

The last 2 years I have bought from ebay and doing exactly the same this year. Can't make the money go further this year and we also have told family members we are cutting right back. They where absolutely fine about it. We don't spend that much on our kids. They don't need it for a start. I certainly wouldn't go overboard for one day anyway. Close friends of ours spends about £2k on both their girls and by january cannot pay their bills, even their mortgage. Where is the sense there????

I wouldn't worry about it and just make sure your lot are okay.

loopymadlover

my parents brought me second hand presents all my life it has never bothered me and hopefully it wont bother your children, with ebay you might find some things listed that have only been used for a while and they have simply been grown out of i hope you do get a cheaper christmas good luck !:T

supersavy

I have recently bought my older kiddes second hand DS's off e-bay - they are still boxed and look like new really (one has a slight scratch but I am sure they will not notice) :-) I think of it more from an eco point of view, just think how many resources you are saving buying second hand - and as others have said they are usually more interested in unwrapping the pressie and the excitement of it anyway :-)

paybacktime2008

I bought a second hand Wii for DS birthday from a friend. Half price for me and cash for her. But what did he love the most? The cheapy bubble machine from tescos!!!!

vikki400

When I was a kid we didn't have much money and I remember we used to be given the kind of things we needed anyway, like a new school bag or pencil case; socks (which I still get every year now aged 27!) to make it seem like we had more to open. We also used to get a few little things like a whoopie cushion or wind up toys. These things are pretty cheap, but if you wrap them seperately they will look like lots of things.

We did also get second hand toys, in fact one of the things I remember to this day was a glow worm (you hold them up at the light and they glow) which came from a car boot sale. I also remember getting a handed down bike from my aunty (it was very old) which was very exciting as I had been waiting to grow into it for ages.

Not having kids, I'm not sure if these tips are 'acceptable' to kids these days, but I certainly wouldn't feel guilty about buying second hand or not getting them the things they think they really want. One of the things I am most grateful for is that I was taught as a child that you can't alway have what you want immediately... sometimes you have to wait and save up your pocket money.

God what a ramble! Sorry!

aliasojo

I dont think there's anything wrong with second hand stuff on the whole BUT it depends on how clean it is.

My ex bought one of our kids a second hand PS2 when they came out years ago. Problem was it came from a home of heavy smokers and it stunk. I had to sit and wash the thing down as best I could but as soon as it was turned on, it stunk some more. The inside of it must have been covered in smoke too.

None of us smoked and my kids hated the smell, so when my boy smelt the PS2, he burst into tears and didn't want it in his room. To be fair, I didn't blame him, it wasn't very nice.

Ever since then, if I've bought second hand stuff, I've either examined it well or if it's eBay, I'll make a point of asking about smoke.

Of course if you're a smoker yourself then I suppose that wouldn't bother you as much as it did me.

judi24

I really don't see a problem with buying second hand presents! I have bought from National Chilbirth Trust sales, e-bay etc - I have 4 kids and have bought them far too much in the past - I have recently cleared toys from the younger one's rooms (6 and 4) that have hardly been looked at! My son has had loads of expensive lego and playmobile sets that are assembled once and then fall to pieces and end up with bits missing! Thier favorite lego is a big box of plain bricks etc that was mine when I was a child! I am not buying them loads this year - they are getting the main present they have asked for and a stocking with bits in! One wants a Wii and I expect that will be the only thing played with by everyone all day (i can't wait - i think I'll be good virtul beach volleyball! lol)

piglet6

One of my favourite presents when I was little was a tea trolley with 2 tin trays which had teddy bears on. My parents picked it up from a house about 4 miles away from us on Christmas Eve having seen it in the small ads in the local paper. Because it was Christmas Eve and they had no babysitter for me, I went with them in the car (although I didn't see it until the next morning) - it seemed like a really long journey in the car in the dark because I was so small.:p However, it was explained to me that we were going to collect one of my Christmas presents because Father Christmas had delivered it to the wrong house by mistake.:rolleyes: It was years before I "clicked" as to the true story...but when I did realise what the real story was I certainly didn't care that it had not been "brand new"!! :rotfl:

I don't think it makes any difference, particularly to small kids (as long as you check the cleanliness/smoke issue, like aliasojo says). The time it takes to get the toys out of the boxes always used to irritate me anyway, so I think its a great idea to set things up in advance wherever possible - and everyone is a winner!

I hope you have a great Christmas with your kids (and I'm sure you'll have a great January without crippling credit card bills, due to savvy shopping! :T).

Piglet

lilly81

I don't live close to my family so I have asked if they would send money in advance for my sons xmas present to save on postage, and I will buy and wrap the presents.
I have bought some things new in the sales and will get others second hand from ebay.
I have got enough free things from the freebies board to fill up both our stockings!