Are you tired of spending a fortune on toys for you kids? Do you want to know the best way to save money on toys?
I’m not sure about your kids, but I think mine probably play with less than 50% of their toys. That means we have stuff which is unplayed with, still in the box and just sat there.
These are five strategies that I use to help me save money on toys. They also help me to have less clutter.
1. Observe what your child is interested in
I started to take an interest in Montessori style learning during the first lockdown of 2020. One of the key things that I have learned from Montessori is to ‘follow the child’. That is watch what they are interested in for a few days and take some notes.
By doing this small activity, you could save yourself money. This is a good way of preventing you from buying toys your children are not interested in.
You can learn more about Montessori at This Toddler Life.
2. Try toy rotation
Toy rotation is a great strategy to implement if you are trying to save money on toys. It will also encourage your kids to play more with what they have. This is because when their choice is limited, they will stick at something for longer.
Tidy up time is also easier as there are less toys in circulation.
This is where you limit the amount of toys which are in active circulation. Depending on what other activities your children do you could swap out the toys weekly or monthly.
When I was trying to get my girls through the Summer holidays last year I was rotating the toys on a Sunday. We had about 6-10 different things out on display.
3. Sell your old toys second hand
If you have read any of my other posts you will know that I am a huge fan of selling on unwanted items. Make some money from your toy clutter today!
Any money which you get from selling your outgrown toys can help you save money on the next toys for your children.
If you think that it is not worth doing this, I can tell you it absolutely is! If you are nervous about eBay or dealing with postage, you can always sell on a market place where people can collect safely from you.
4. Buy toys second hand
A bargain second-hand toy has never been easier to find. Charity shops, eBay, Facebook, Gumtree, Car Boots and specialist children’s markets are just some of the best places for bargains.
Children grow so fast and their toys tend to outgrow them. You don’t want to be spending money on new toys if you don’t have to.
Most toys can be safely bought second hand these days. Toys can be cleaned safely with hot soapy water and a spray of antibacterial formula.
5. Shop in discount stores
Since the pandemic, lots of discount stores have now gone online. It is worth looking through these sites to see what toy bargains can be found.
I bought most of our kids Christmas presents from Home Bargains and TK Maxx. I never left the house and I saved a fortune!
If you have budding artists on your hands, Pound Toy regularly has some great bits from Crayola.
