Buying my kids chrissie pressies from charity shops?????

Shortie

Tibbie's_mum wrote: »

But I still feel mean and guilty!!!! Is anyone else in the same position as me??? A bit of moral support is needed!!!!

Why feel mean and guilty? Gosh that sounds like a me thing to say as I always feel bad about things

But, the way I'd look at it is this:

You're saving money, giving to charity, and recycling. That's not bad for Chrimbo pressies!

Taffyscot

If you can do find a car boot to go to please go. I am fed up of 75% of the tables this year being full of kiddies toys and clothes. Lots and lots of them are brand new and if your kids are young they will not know the difference. Car boots are much much cheaper than charity shops and you can always bargain with them. They are just glad to get rid of the stuff before Xmas. I am not really fed up with all the kiddie toys lol! I just wish there was more adult stuff around. Never the less I always find smashing Marks and Sparks, Body shop smellies and lovely new perfume sets and aftershaves. If you are on a tight budget you can get the things for under half of what the charity shops charge. Also go at the beginning of the day and look at the bargains but do go and take a flask of tea and some sarnies and then go back at the end of the car boot. Many stalls; where I go; sell things for 50 pence each or even 4 for a pound at the end of the day. If you want really cheap wait until the car booters go and the stuff they leave in the rubbish is sometimes brand new and incredible. I have only had the guts to pick something up from the rubbish once. It was a brand new ceramic heating tray that the bloke wouldn't take 10 pound for. He wanted 15 and lo and behold I was walking out and saw it in the rubbish. Needless to say my OH made a quick getaway out of the place and asked me not to do that again. Taffy

Gettin_me_own_back

DONT FILL GUILTY
Theres nothing wrong with buying second hand etc. When my boys were small, both wanted a little Tykes red and yellow car. At the time they were £40 each. (10 years ago). That would have blown the christmas budget and that would have been all they had received. I searched through small ads and found 2 for sale approx 18 miles away from me. Turned up with hubby in van to collect and low and behold they were like new, seller even threw in matching petrol pump, a garage and a bag of clothes. She was more than gratful to get rid and I was more than gratful to receive. Total cost £20.
Best present my boys ever had, played with for hours and when they grew out, gave them to lady in village for her boys.

ashli_2

I think buying second hand toys for small children is a great idea, even if you ignore the issue of cost, think of the environmental implication of all the new toys that are manufactured and packaged each year, often to be discarded.


A significant proportion of my son's christmas gifts last year were from ebay and this year it is the same. We get more for our money- this year I have bought him a set of Brio railway that I could never afford brand new, it is immaculate and he will be delighted with it. Don't feel guilty...your children will end up with more, not less!!!:j

BigMummaF

I have been a charity shop convert for a few years, especially when a couple of the offspring were in college doing car mechanics----no point paying out for new when they ended up covered in 20/40!

They are all in their 20's now, & just a couple of weeks ago I found 3 designer label shirts for under £15! They know how much these things cost new & wouldn't dream of paying it themselves, so everyone will be happy come 25/12 particularly when it means I can afford a decent lamb joint for the lunch!

My mum found a lovely jacket & some scarves in a local Scope & I was able to pay for them for her birthday last month. How many of us can say they gave their mum a 100% Scottish Mills jacket so close to christmas!

I've never spent much on my three & when they were old enough to understand, I told them that everyone has xmas but only YOU have your birthday. So that way, they had a good pressie when I only had to pay for one at a time!

I'd also like to think that by supporting the charities in this way, we are beginning to bring back the true meaning of christmas & cut out the commercialism that makes mega bucks out of us every year!

Now all I've got to do is lose the weight & take advantage of the clothes in them for meself lol!

Tibbie's_mum

After all this positive feedback I think this is going to be my personal challenge towards Christmas. I did want to join in with Jamtart6's eBay "Sell what you Spend" for Xmas Challenge but to be honest, with a 3 week old and my need for getting the most perfect photos and descriptions when ebaying, I'll never get it done.

Thanks for all your replies,they've really spurred me on.

anonymousie

Jollygiantswife wrote: »

When my now 7 year old son had his first Christmas, he was 5 months old. It really was pointless buying anything much for him. But, because we also had a 4 and a 1/2 year old daughter, who wouldn't understand why Santa came to her but not her brother, we had to do something..... but we were skint!

So...... we wrapped up her baby toys which we'd kept in the loft! We'd put them in the loft when she'd outgrown them, knowing we were going to have another baby at some point, and then wrapped them up for our son!

He was too small to understand anything, and the toys had been our daughters when she was too young to remember them!

Everyone happy, and no guilt at all!

BTDT!!

I love charity shops but I notice that they are getting more expensive over time, which is a big shame. Aldso with little kids there are lovely clothing bargain to be had- they just don't fit long enough to get serious wear, but older kids things are often rag bag fodder:mad:

My real cheapy tip for this Xmas is to hijack the kids library tickets and pick a lovely selection for them- the stuff you wouldn't buy (eg yukky soppy pony/fairy books for my 8yr old- she loves, I hate!) or the stuff they would read once only.
I will add a "mums token" for 1 book to keep of their choice.
THe gift is the stories and fun, rather than the object- yes tight on money, but long on thought and love. 6 books will bulk out the pressie stash well!

My kids are big and will love this, but it will work well for babies who need pressies to open really for the siblings benefit, and for toddlers too- if you hit the "golden book" that has to be read everynight then you can always buy it afterwards!

CAn't ake all the credit as the library did this a year or so ago "give yourself a present". Wrapped books with just a bar code on the outsides o you could take the book out but didn't know what is was (arranged by category eg sci fi etc so you chose an area you'd like!).

Sallys_Savings

Tibbie's_mum wrote: »

After all this positive feedback I think this is going to be my personal challenge towards Christmas. I did want to join in with Jamtart6's eBay "Sell what you Spend" for Xmas Challenge but to be honest, with a 3 week old and my need for getting the most perfect photos and descriptions when ebaying, I'll never get it done.

Thanks for all your replies,they've really spurred me on.

You could always earn what you spent after christmas

Good luck and all the best with your new little one.

CandyB101_2

My 3 1/2 year old daughter loves looking around the toys at the charity shops, her best find yet was a rather large cuddly spiderman for the bargin price of 75p !! After a good wash in the washing machine, it's her favourite toy !!!
I am sure that at that age, they don't understand anyway, and if you don't tell, who knows where they have come from.
More cash to spend on other things.

redballoon_2

I still buy things from charity shops for friends and relatives and they are always pleased with them. for things like necklaces and jewellery i put them in a posh looking box and it looks really lovely to give! i wish i could recieve the gifts I give to others!