If you have children, you’ve probably wondered how to trim your family’s budget by purchasing discount kids toys. There is little point in paying too much for children’s toys, especially as your children will likely outgrow these toys in short order. With a little bit of legwork you can save significant amounts of money when shopping for toys for your kids all year long.
Buying Discount Kids Toys
The Internet has made it easier than ever to find great bargains on discount toys. For example:
- Family Dollar sells a variety of discount kids toys, including stuffed animals, building blocks, Barbie dolls, Star Wars toys and more.
- Children’s Toy Chest has an impressive selection of educational toys for children, including ant farms, robots, and puzzles.
- eBay is another useful shopping resource for older or hard-to-find toys. However, you’ll need to be patient in order to find the best deals on discount kids toys.
Shopping Tips
Shopping for discount kids toys will be easier if you remember the following tips:
- Put quality first. To get the most bang for your buck when shopping for discount kids toys, put the focus on quality over quantity. Don’t clutter up your home with cheap plastic toys that will fall apart after one or two uses. Look for durable, well-made toys that encourage your child’s creativity. For example, a set of wooden blocks can be used in a variety of ways and also makes a great toy for siblings to share.
- Consider the cost of batteries. While it’s smart to avoid battery-operated toys whenever possible, consider investing in a battery charger and several sets of rechargeable batteries if your kids insist on electronic toys. Another good alternative is to look for cheap batteries at your local dollar or discount store. Certain electronics such as mp3 players require a better battery, but most toys can run fine on an inexpensive brand.
- Ask your kids to help pay for their toys. If you’re not certain your child really wants a particular toy, consider asking him/her to contribute part of the cost of the item. Children often change their priorities when asked to pay for toys out of their own allowances.
Rethinking Your Toy Philosophy
While shopping for discount kids toys is a great way to save money, an increasing number of parents are developing a new toy philosophy. When faced with children who seem greedy and unappreciative despite having a large playroom filled with toys, these parents are opting to simply scale back the clutter.If you are interested in developing a new approach to managing your child’s toys, consider cutting back on the amount of television your child is allowed to watch. Research has shown that children are unable to distinguish between television programs and commercial advertisements. Kids who watch commercials are easily convinced they “need” to have the latest and greatest toys.
Young children are notorious for their short attention spans, so don’t be afraid to take advantage of this fact when managing your child’s toy collection. Divide the toys into several large boxes. Leave one box in your child’s room and place the rest in storage. When your child seems to tire of his/her current toy selection, replace the items with one of the other toy boxes. You’ll be amazed at how well your child responds to these “pseudo” new toys!
A toy co-op is another great way to save money while reducing the amount of clutter in your home. If you live in a neighborhood that has several children about the same age, consider swapping boxes of toys on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. Your child will get to play with several different toys and you’ll get a better idea of his/her preferences without wasting money on unnecessary purchases.
Saving Money
Your kids don’t know how much you spend on their toys. They’re just happy to have something new to play with. When you go shopping for discount toys you are freeing up money in your family budget that can be used for other things. Or perhaps you’re just able to buy your children more toys for less money. Either way, saving money allows you to provide a better quality of life for your family.
