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Skint. Got DS 1 gift only. Ideas with £10?

57 replies

DontDodo · 15/06/2019 21:05

Things are very tight right now. I have got one gift for DS who is 7 which was about £20. I can spend about £10 on something else. What can I get? I’ve worked out a cake I can make for £2. Any cheap cheap ideas?

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Iggly · 15/06/2019 21:07

What does he like? Can you get anything on local Facebook sites?

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WashingATiger · 15/06/2019 21:08

Make a book of 'vouchers'? I did this for my dad when I was skint.. He could exchange them for a roast dinner / haircut / favourite cake / car wash.... Ok, not necessarily right for a child but make them age appropriate? Cinema trip / favourite tea / Build a Bear date... Etc?

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Queenfreak · 15/06/2019 21:08

Charity shops. You can get some amazing buys.
What does he like?

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DontDodo · 15/06/2019 21:10

Had a look on eBay. Will try fb, thanks.
He likes the usual superhero stuff but has plenty of that stuff. Also likes sea creatures.

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Xiaoxiong · 15/06/2019 21:10

What does he love? Could you go to the Works and get him loads of art bits for 50p or £1 and wrap each individually so it looks like a pile of presents? How about giving him the money and letting him choose his own match attax cards or silly stuff from smiggle (which is having a sale now as well)

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NotNowNinja · 15/06/2019 21:10

Definitely book of vouchers could be free things too...trip to favourite park, jumping in puddles competition etc.
Have a scout around charity shop £10 could go far x

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DontDodo · 15/06/2019 21:12

Vouchers great idea. I will think on that.
Yes will try charity shop. Thanks.

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Pixie2015 · 15/06/2019 21:12

Home bargins have lots of £1 annuals / useful kids toiletries / fun sweets 🍬

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DontDodo · 15/06/2019 21:13

Oh yes the works!

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DontDodo · 15/06/2019 21:14

Yes annual could work.

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CantspellWontspell · 15/06/2019 21:15

What sort of thing is he interested in?

Could you do a shoe box with bits and pieces from the pound shop?

You could get a squishy, a book, a soft toy, some craft stuff or a note pad and pen, a pack of uno or a game and some sweets at our local (crappy) one for a tenner. My kids like those kind of presents because it feels like a lot even though it’s relatively cheap to put together.

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Namechangeforthiscancershit · 15/06/2019 21:17

The Works is brilliant, as is (suprisingly) Pound Land especially for little ones.

But time with you is the most precious thing. Vouchers is a great idea.

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DontDodo · 15/06/2019 21:18

Yes a shoe box is great idea!

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NoSquirrels · 15/06/2019 21:20

Temporary skint, or ongoing?

Temporary - defer the gift. Think of something he’d love you can do in the summer holidays like an experience/day out, make a voucher for it and buy some stuff to go with the theme.

Ongoing skint honestly I’d do the same but then you need to be more creative e.g. vouchers for free stuff etc.

How long til the birthday?

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Needcoffeeimmediatley · 15/06/2019 21:20

If he likes sea creatures, how about sea monkeys?

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MadeinBelfast · 15/06/2019 21:21

There are 2 things my boys loved that you could make really cheaply - not traditional presents etc but so what?!

  1. Make him a wormery from an old plastic bottle and some worms from your garden or the park - link here: schoolgardening.rhs.org.uk/Resources/Activity/Mini-wormery

  2. Make an iceberg to explore. Fill the biggest tupperware box that fits in your freezer with water. Buy a handful of really cheap toys (plastic dinosaurs etc). Throw the toys in and let it freeze. Give him a toy chisel or whatever pretend (or real!) tools you have around and let him fig into his iceberg to find his presents! You could even freeze some real pound coins in it and he could then buy his own small gift afterwards.
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NoSquirrels · 15/06/2019 21:22

Also, my DC would love the tenner to spend themselves at a car boot sale/community fair type thing or charity shop trawl... make a day of it but hand over the control of what they buy with the £10.

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TheBrockmans · 15/06/2019 21:25

A shoe box, paints, plasticine etc and help him to create an underwater diorama.

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Puzzlelight · 15/06/2019 21:26

Definitely second checking out your local Facebook marketplace. So many bargains on there!

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AlpacaP1cnic · 15/06/2019 21:27

Is it temporary or permanent? If permanent then I'd suggest you start now with Christmas gifts. I know that's not helpful for now but it'll remove a layer of stress when you're struggling to provide gifts for a 7 year old who'll expect a little pile of presents

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Chimchar · 15/06/2019 21:30

Lots of great ideas already...try Gumtree...people selling toys and things locally to you..many people get rid of things for pennies on there.

Hope you both have a lovely day. Smile

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DontDodo · 15/06/2019 21:31

Ongoing skint but could do small treat in the summer. So yes voucher for that would work.
A week to bday.
I will google sea monkeys!
Not brave enough for the worms but the iceberg sounds amazing!!

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Cruelstepmother · 15/06/2019 21:32

Put a Wanted post on Freecycle - worth a try! Very few kids care if things are secondhand.

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hidinginthenightgarden · 15/06/2019 21:36

Some pencils and a sketch book.
Book, sweets, popcorn.

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Knitwit99 · 15/06/2019 21:39

We did ten pound coins frozen in an iceberg once. It took him ages to get them out and he really enjoyed it.

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