Kids need toys! You may view them as non-essential items, but toys help children develop key skills while playing. They learn how to do lots of different things and it forms their imagination/creativity.
However, lots of parents get carried away. Research shows that the average household spends £300 on toys per year! That’s a crazy amount of money – particularly as it comes year after year. There must be a way to provide toys for your kids without spending a fortune. Well, it turns out there are many ways to do this. We won’t list them all as it would take all day, but here are the top three ways to save money buying toys for your kids:
Buy items that don’t get old quickly
The biggest toy-buying error is buying many toys that get old very quickly. Your child plays with them for a few months before losing interest. Plenty of trendy toys fit this description, so it’s important to avoid buying stuff that will be discarded before the year ends.
You should look for items that will be used for a long time. Stuff like Lego or a game console are fantastic examples. Yes, they’re expensive, but instead of spending £300 every year you’re spending a chunk of money one year and satisfying your kids for many years to come. In the long run, this approach saves a fortune.
Opt for high-quality items
Building on the previous point, it’s better to spend more money on high-quality toys because they’re built to last. You can find so many cheap toys out there like plastic playsets or off-brand action figures. You’re drawn in by the cheapness – it’s an easy way to keep your kids happy – but then the toys break after a few uses.
What does this mean? You’re off buying replacement toys and spending more money! Try to find higher quality items that are built for multiple uses and can, theoretically, last forever. Brands like Little Dutch Toys are excellent as they make great wooden toys that entertain your kids and stand the test of time. Again, you can’t go wrong with things like Lego or Duplo either; both are very well built.
Find toys on sale
The final method we’ll talk about is simple: buy toys when they’re in the sale. Shop at the right time of year – like Black Friday or during the January sales – and you’ll snag some bargains. Look for discount codes whenever you buy toys as well; a lot of online stores give you things like 10% off your first order when you join their mailing list.
If you can’t find sales, look in charity shops or thrift stores. You’ll be amazed how many high-quality toys are sold in these places – just be sure they’re not too heavily used and have lots of years of play left in them!
Armed with these three tips, you’ll know how to buy great toys for your kids without blowing a hole in your budget. There’s no need to spend hundreds every single year; buy quality toys that last and will be played with for many years to come.