Anonymous 7 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 02, 2019 9:49 pm
Anonymous 1 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 02, 2019 8:48 pm
I was looking more for ideas on stocking stuffers and shopping tips.
KendallsMom wrote: ↑Mon Dec 02, 2019 8:42 pm
We aren't frugal, but it doesn't take a brain surgeon to spend money wisely if you have to.
I'll try to be helpful, even though we usually don't HAVE to be frugal, and
everyone else who answered seems to have a stick up their butt.
Buy throughout the year. Right after Christmas there are often deals on toys or Christmas-themed items. Depending on the age of your children and how "set" they are in their likes/dislikes/hobbies, you might find some good deals. (i.e "Character" items might not be a good idea for younger children who could outgrow their love for it in several months, but if you have an older child you know loves art, then maybe look for discounts on those types of items.) A lot of places do different sales throughout the year (think of things like spring clearance or Christmas in July) that you can take advantage of.
Look for good sales - especially, of course, things like Black Friday. Certain places have kick@ss deals on various things, often with coupons and points/rewards to make it better. Start planning ahead of time and get the best deal possible. One year I used a BF deal to get DS sneakers. I bought two pairs at a good price. One I gave him for Christmas. I bought him the same shoes (they were a bit pricier at the time) in the next size up and gave them to him for his birthday (which is in June.) (This only works if your child isn't picky about fashion. I KNOW mine likes to buy the same design most of the time and his feet grow slow so it worked for me.)
Stocking stuffers - you can use things you know they need anyway. Soap/body wash/toothbrush/etc. Get "fun" items at back-to-school time (cute pens/notebooks/art supplies) that are cheaper in July/August/September.
Remember that things don't always have to be new. Often you can find good deals on sites where people sell things, for things that are in good condition. This works especially well for younger kids with riding toys/play kitchens/etc, but never hurts to look for things older kids like as well. One of the most memorable gifts from my childhood was something my younger brother got. This present was HUGE (to us young kids) and wrapped really weird and we were both wondering what it could be. I remember being kind of jealous that he got this awesome-looking, biggest present there was. Turns out it was a He-Man castle (play-set size, not some life-size "play house" type thing) with tons of little He-Man character action figures. He just LOVED that thing and even I thought it was pretty neat. I thought I heard my mom say later on she got it at the thrift store (which would have been a good deal), but found out when I was much older that she got it for FREE from someone whose boys had outgrown/didn't want it (and He-Man was VERY much all the rage when he got it, it wasn't something 5 years old and "not cool" anymore).
Also avoid the "fad" toys or whatever's new and big that year. I always told my son that I wasn't buying anything he saw on commercials on TV because they were usually junk and overpriced (and us adults know they often quit playing with them quickly when they're not as cool as the ad makes them out to be). And for the "new and big" stuff, those things will often be cheaper in a month or two.