If you have a toddler or a pre-teen, it probably seems like there’s a birthday party every other weekend … and you are probably right. You go out to the toy store, get a gift, come back … and there’s yet another invitation.
I used to find myself spending lots of time scouring shelves looking for just the right gift or for something that I’d bought in the past that seemed like a big hit and was both appropriate and affordable. But I’ve learned some shopping lessons I’d like to share.
First of all, I no longer purchase one gift at a time. I know that my children have many kids in their class, so I often try to purchase two or three gifts (or more) at once. It saves time, gas, and sometimes money. Here are some tips:
• You don’t need to purchase a gift the day you receive an invitation. Wait for a day of a big sale and plan to make that big multiple-gift-shopping day.
• Look for online coupons.
• Don’t purchase gifts that are strictly for a boy or strictly for a girl. For a toddler, those giant puzzles are wonderful, as are books. You can purchase several and parse them out as needed for a boy or a girl.
• For a child who is approaching 7 or 8 years old, you can buy science kits, cooking kits, or educational toys.
• Talk to your local toy store and find out if they will give you a discount if you purchase in quantity. I was able to secure a discount when purchasing several gifts of the same type from a small merchant.
• Avoid no-name toys. If a toy doesn’t have a manufacturer name and model number, don’t bother. If it is later recalled, it may be difficult or impossible to check.
And most important: Remember to keep safety in mind when buying a child’s gift of any type. In tomorrow’s blog, I’ll tell you about some important safety tips you will need while buying a toys for kids.
Rita
02:21:30 AM on Sat Apr 18 2009
Helpful post. My daughter has five-year-old twins and she's always shopping for a birthday present for school mates and friends.
I'll link to your post on my blog for baby boomer consumers.
Rita
philippines gift
02:11:35 AM on Mon May 25 2009
These tips was really good and helpful. I will also show this post to my mom to save more money.
-krisha-
Larry Coupons
12:06:23 PM on Mon Jun 15 2009
I bought a gift for my child last week and he liked it very much!
I used one coupon code which saved me $12 on my order!
Richard Sharpe
12:12:01 PM on Mon Sep 7 2009
I often purchase in advance when the sales are on, the downside is always end up giving these gifts to my daughter and end up having to go out and buy more!
auctions
01:26:30 AM on Tue Oct 13 2009
These tips were really good and helpful. I will also refer this post to my friend to save more money.
Dating
01:27:41 AM on Tue Oct 13 2009
This was liked by my son very much..Thanks for this info
ClubPenguinCheats
02:50:03 AM on Tue Mar 16 2010
My daughter has five-year-old twins and she's always shopping for a birthday present for school mates and friends.