The year my oldest was a baby, we may have gone a bit crazy on Christmas gifts. We decided that since she was our first, it was totally okay. Justification, right? π I don’t remember how much we spent but I do remember she got a lot of toys. I do remember that we were able to save quite a bit of money by following some of the advice I will be sharing in this post. Budget friendly Christmas gifts for baby are quite possible.
Shop used
Like most everything else, shop thrift/consignment shops, craigslist, Facebook groups, etc. We were able to get something very similar to this learning table toy for $10 through a Facebook group. We also started searching children’s consignment stores. It’s amazing how many great toys you can find there for a fraction of the price it would be new. Used is also great if you are getting something bigger for baby like a jumper/bouncer or play station.
Buy classic
Buying classic toys that grow with your child is one of the best ways you keep Christmas budget friendly. This shape sorter box was a favorite of my 4 year daughter until about a year ago. We found it for about $5 at a consignment shop. It was missing one block but she never knew any different. Classic toys will last awhile and are often easy to find used. Other classic toys can be wooden blocks, ring stackers, pop beads, pull behind/push toys, etc.
Shop Black Friday
Now, you don’t necessarily need to go out on Black Friday. If you are anything like me, having to go out at midnight with a bunch of other people just to get a great deal does not sound like a lot of fun. In fact, it sounds like a great way to drive me to drinking! π Instead, keep an eye on the online Black Friday deals. Most of the good deals are available online, not just in store. Then you have the added benefit of using Ebates or Swagbucks to earn some cash back as well. Often you can find coupon codes too to save a certain percentage or get free shipping.
4 easy tips to save money on Christmas gifts for a baby #budgetfriendly Click To TweetBuy online
Start checking places like Amazon, ebay, Zulily, etc. Melissa and Doug toys are great for baby Christmas gifts and often go on sale. Early fall is a the perfect time to start checking some of these places. Zulily isn’t known for super fast shipping so if you are going to purchase one of their deals, early fall is the time to do it to make sure you have your items in time for Christmas.
Baby’s first Christmas can be such an exciting time that it can be easy to go overboard with gifts. If you are on a budget, you might feel like you can’t buy more than one or two things. Be sure to follow these four tips to help save money on Christmas gifts for baby. They can help you whether you only buy a couple gifts or want to go all out.
Kendall says
Great tips and these days, they seem to also get easier to do! π
Leslie says
These are all great tips! We have a big family, so our oldest got a ton of handed down toys, which has saved us hundreds of dollars over the years. Like you said, the classic toys were the ones that got used most. I also have to second shopping at consignment shops. I hardly buy anything new these days!
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Jenny @ Unremarkable Files says
And if you have a second baby, do not feel shy to pull the old baby toys from the attic and re-gift them! Your baby has never seen them before and will be thrilled. And you’ll be thrilled, because do you have any idea how time-consuming freeing new toys from their packaging is?
Julie says
I hadn’t thought about wrapping toys we already have down in the basement. I might have to use that this Christmas…;)
The Geeky Mama says
These are great ideas! I have actually regifted hand me downs to my second son… he never even knew! shhhh. haha. I love Black Friday deals but not being in the stores. I try my best to go online and shop their deals from there. Thrift stores are my favorite! I do love getting my kids things from the named stores but why, when you know that at that age they are the messiest? We have a Goodwill here, and every other Saturday they host a 1/2 off day. So I end up purchasing shirts, pants and shorts from .49-.99 each! I am not ashamed! I love being able to save money and have my boys dresser filled up. Thanks so much for sharing with the #happynowlinkup!
Julie says
I never end up hitting Goodwill on one of those great days. It’s a 40 minute drive for me and I never actually know when the good days are…if we even have them here. I’m a bit jealous. π
Jen says
Brilliant! I used to hit the second hand store for my babies every Christmas. They didn’t know it was used and they got some pretty cool stuff! #happynowlinkup
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