To buy my baby toys from charity shops and vinted for his first Christmas?

[bargainlove]

I love charity shops & vinted & bootsales, always have. I get most of my own clothes and household stuff from there - I love searching for a bargain! My sons first Christmas is coming up and he will be 11 months old, we have got him a couple of new things (miss rachel teddy, vtech tv) but I’m buying the majority of things second hand. I just got a bundle on vinted for a wooden stacking toy, a wooden toy train, 2 wooden puzzles, 2 books and 2 pram toys for … £5!! With delivery that’s a grand total of £8, I seen a stacker toy in a shop today for £10 and it was plastic! I got a vtech driving wheel in a charity shop yesterday for £3. I got a fisher price learning chair for £3 (£35 new!!) in a charity shop and a toy ice cream cart on fb marketplace for £15 (60 new!!!) I will obviously giving everything a wipe down and clean. Is it wrong to wrap these up and give to him for Christmas? A friend of mine thinks it’s terrible and will only buy new for her dc for Christmas/birthdays, but I’ve always done this but now she’s made me feel bad

I didn’t buy my baby anything for their first Christmas or birthday. They don’t understand. Save money while you can!

Do it.also check out your local NCT nearly new sale. There are often bargains to be had on new of practically new toys.

Absolutely - do it while you can and save the money for presents when he’s a teenager!

I hate charity shops (but love vinted) and earn well.

Most or all of our kids toys were 2nd hand and we are on Xmas no 4

Nope, not at all, I certainly will be! The world doesn't need more plastic crap in it, and they only play with it for a short while so a lot of secondhand toys are still in brilliant condition anyway.

I’ve got older ones and younger ones. My eldest wants Ralph Lauren etc I’ve done the same buying brand new with tags for him off Vinted and saved a fortune. The younger ones I just check for grey reviews but doesn’t need to be brand new. I’ve done this for the last few years.

yanbu at all.
Babies don't know, and it's a small way to try to get away from the horrible consumerism that's destroying the planet without upsetting anyone.

Jolly good idea. More sustainable and just as much fun for DC.

By buying second hand you are helping to give your baby a future.

Your friend is an Insta-obsessed loser.

We’ve always done this.

Good on you, supporting charities and reducing waste.

I have teens and have bought them various second hand Xmas presents over the years - bikes, games consoles, micro scooters, roller skates. It’s environmental, financially astute and has meant the kids get something we would not be able to afford.

Of course it’s fine. Better than fine. Saving the planet as well as grabbing a bargain. My son is octonauts obsessed at the moment so I’ve just got him a big octonauts bundle of toys from marketplace for £12. All of it would cost at least £80 new. That with some arts and crafts bits is all we’ll get him. My baby will be 1 month old at xmas so I’ll just wrap up a few of DS’s old toys for baby (more for the sake of toddler having something to give to the baby!).

I do exactly the same thing - most of my DCs clothes and toys are Vinted/second hand. They grow very quickly when they’re little so clothes last two mins and so do their interests! They get loads of new stuff from extended family and some special new bits from us: they are still spoilt/very lucky with how much they end up with! To be honest, it pains me paying so much for plastic cr*p that gets played with for two mins. We never really buy new stuff when we go into toy shops (which has made our lives way easier as it’s not expected now they’re older - no toy shop melt downs) but do order little surprises from Vinted when something pops up - a book or a toy or a character T-shirt they’ll love.

I’d rather buy a few special new things (personalised cardigan/fav Disney character toy at the Disney store) and make up the rest with whatever they’re into at the time - big bag of trucks for £5: yes, please. I think it’s esp important for my younger DC - I don’t want them to just have hand me downs so the money we’ve saved by buying second hand means they can have new things that they like, not just assume they like what our eldest does/did.

So don’t feel bad for doing it - they won’t care, it saves some money for other things and there’s def enough plastic out there already!

Ignore your friend! Think of the items as pre-loved not second hand and that you are giving your child as much pleasure from them as the original owner had.There are such bargains to be found in some, not all, charity shops.

Absolutely fine. It's ridiculous how much people spend on baby equipment, toys and baby clothes, when they are all used for such a short time. I bought an expensive brand pram/pushchair/carrycot/carseat combo for my grandson for £40. All the covers came off for washing, we cleaned and polished the frame, lubricated the wheels and brake mechanism, it was like new when we'd done. Most of hus toys came from charity shops, in fact when he was a bit bigger, it was fun taking him to choose them himself! Also, it's much more eco-friendly.

I would point out to my dd that the only difference between a new game cartridge and a pre-loved cartridge, was a thin cellophane wrapper.
She saved hundreds buying 2nd hand.

Gosh I love Vinted so much, all of my family get presents from there. So much is hardly used as people have bought the wrong size or whatever. The planet is fucked, it’s an excellent idea not to buy all new everything.

You should! I wasted so much money when mine were young, wanting them to have the best of brand new everything. Really, they are babies. They don’t care and won’t even be using whatever it is in six months!

DD is going to be 14 soon. I have got the very thing she wanted on eBay, and another from the local “naice village” charity shop.

DS is into a particular anime series. He wanted a tie-in hoody… could only get it on Vinted.

Mixing it up with new/preloved has always been part of our lives.

He will neither know nor care where you bought them!

My best charity shop buy for the Gdcs was a Disney Princess castle, with all the bits, from the local hospice shop - for £8 - when dd1 was 2. She’s now 10. and it still comes out for Gdc3, 5 - and it still ‘sings’ , and we’ve only had to replace the battery once.

As for 2nd hand generally, I bought a pushalong furry dog on wheels for Gdd1 when she was about to start walking - it’s since been passed around several friends and family, still fine, and will ultimately go to a charity shop.

You do you
Lots lots of Mums do this
I did this. I still do this

DSisinlaw2 Bought everything new. Good for them if they have the cash, I didn’t

You do you and enjoy splashing your cash on lovely wooden toys and the rest

I do the same, and do it now I have an older kid too. We already produce WAY too much stuff. This way theyre getting what they want and you’re saving £££ and the environment- perfect x

She’s not your friend, she’s a stuck up cow.

Have a lovely eco sustainable Christmas with your family.

My youngest son's best Christmas present one year was his very own roll of parcel tape! Children are odd little creatures and won't GAF about things being second hand. Your friend IBU and a snob.