3 Ways to Save when Holiday Shopping for Kids
November 09, 2011There are 46 shopping days left until Christmas, and if you’re anything like me, nothing squashes your holiday spirit faster than being at the mall standing in line to purchase overpriced merchandise on Christmas eve with a thousand other people, and I refuse to get up at 3 AM on black Friday to go out and get the best “deals” when I could be home eating Thanksgiving leftovers with the family. That said, the Christmas shopping will eventually have to get done, and in tough economic times such as these, we have to come up with ways to shop smarter. Here are some ideas we at the Ward family have adopted to help make the holidays a time of joy, and not a recipe for financial woe:
1. Buying video games
My wife and I have four children (which you would know if you followed my blog at all) and my kids, like any other children in America, love video games. Now we could go out and buy the latest and greatest video game system such as the Nintendo 3DS (retail price: $169.99) along with a game (retail price: $29.99) and wonder why our children never leave their rooms, or we can let my brother buy all the latest stuff, and wait for his kids to get tired of it and hand it down to my kids.
The reason Susan and I don’t buy the newest stuff is because we know there will be something else around the corner, and when it comes out all of the children that bought the coolest stuff will dump it on craig’s list or eBay and go after the next coolest thing. Not only can we pick up a barely used version of last year’s hottest console, but the games that come with it are also way cheaper.
A Nintendo DS Lite that sold for $150 a year or so ago can get picked up new at around $100, or gently used for $75, and my son just bought a $30 game for $15 online. We saved $90 buying used, and believe me when I tell you my kids could care less about a scratch or two when they unwrap their presents.
2. Musical instruments
As a family, we love to watch The X Factor, Dancing with the Stars, and a few other (sometimes) wholesome shows. I’m sure it’s every parent’s dream to see their child performing on a stage in front of millions of screaming fans—well, maybe not necessarily to that degree—so it can be tempting to run out and buy guitars, keyboards, drum sets, or any number of brass instruments when your son or daughter suddenly expresses an interest in music. Experience has taught us that such glimpses of interest can quickly fade (for Rachel, it only took 6 guitar lessons) and the best advice I can give is to buy used instruments from a pawn shop or online exchange, or to rent an instrument through a music shop or school.
A brand new trumpet could cost as much as $455 or more, but some companies rent trumpets for as little as $14 a month. It makes sense to give your kids a test drive before making that kind of financial commitment (not to mention saving over $400).
3. Sporting goods
You gotta love my son Jake. Last year he played football, and he did GREAT. This year he played soccer, and he did GREAT. What does he like to do for fun? Hit baseballs, and he does GREAT. (OK, I’m a little biased, but the kid is an athlete.) As much as I’d like to see him wearing the most advanced sporting gear each time he steps on the field, the truth is he is only 5. Let’s be honest, I doubt his performance (I can’t believe I just used that word) on the field would be impacted by a $45 pair of cleats, or a $75 bat, but sadly I see so many other kids on his team with brand new equipment. If a parent can afford brand new stuff and wants to relive their glory days through their kids, more power to them, but when trying to get the most out of every dollar, Play It Again Sports and other trade in equipment stores are a money saver. Whether it’s roller blades for David, a baseball bat for Ethan, or shin guards for Jake, we can get what we need at a fraction of the cost, and the best time to shop is at the end of the season when the parents that bought new equipment for a child that didn’t turn out to be the next superstar turn it in.
I could go on and on, but you get the idea. I know some of you are thinking, “Greg, this is Christmas. My child deserves brand new stuff under the tree.” That’s fine, if you feel that way then don’t let me stop you, but our home has adopted a culture of appreciating the usefulness of things over the image of brand new and cutting edge. I could spend a lot of money buying ONE thing that is brand new, and hope my child adores it, or use that same money to get several things for each of them, until THEY figure out what they are really into. In the end, it is not about the money, but rather helping our children develop a love and appreciation for something. Whether it’s music, sports, or video games, the best gifts are the ones that get used the most.