AIBU to buy second-hand toys as birthday presents for my daughter?

[Sadian]

I have purchased a variety of toys for my daughter for her birthday second hand- it was £45 for 5 of them - think Disney etc
She's also got a few new toys too
Main reasoning for buying second hand is environmental rather than financial but still, the toys would have been £150+ new
I was talking to my mother and told her I'd got sets off vinted
She was outraged. Said new toys are 2 for 20 in B&M, no excuse for buying second hand as a present. Also thought I'd vastly overpaid and no second hand toy should go for more than a few pounds
So there you go- am I a total cheapskate?

Personally, I wouldn’t.

I absolutely do the same and also not because of the cost per se, but because kids go through so much so fast. Also makes me feel better about donating so much so often after. Go for it.

I don't see the problem. But depends on the toys etc.

Dgc getting hundreds of ££ of Lego, all with instructions etc sending and . Rather than paying £40 for one small box

I think if they are in good condition, why not? Better than brand new cheap toys (as per your mother’s suggestion) that will end up in landfill. Kids go through toys and different phases so quickly.

Nothing wrong with buying second hand as long as they are things she will like, you are much more likely to get better toys for your money. Can’t understand the obsession for having everything new

I wouldn’t do it. I would be horrified if someone gave me a 2nd hand gift so I wouldn’t dream of giving one to someone else

I always get second hand. I like the smug feeling of thinking that I can give something a second home and then pass it along to the next person. DC never cared because they usually got more for less, like a bundle of sylvanian families for the same price as two figures.

I do the same and for environmental reasons. I think our kids will appreciate it when older and would more upset if we didn't at least try to be environmentally aware. Mine loves the toy whether new or secondhand, and it is normal for them.

I've bought 2nd hand toys for years for mine! I have the funds for more but they only end up wasted. I think you can get away with it up to say 10 but then they want the latest stuff which isnt great 2nd hand.

My siblings would never do this, and earn about half what I earn.

I wouldn’t. Depending if she’s really young you could just buy 2 or 3 new toys cheaply.

See I wouldn't care. Say someone gave me a 2nd hand really good phone. Id far rather that than a £50 cheapie new. Or a 2nd hand Cotopaxi rather than a new £20 rucksack from sports direct

Family income in excess of £250k. So this is not about budget.

Almost always bought second hand toys. Buying from B & M is absolute plastic tat which will be broken within a week and heading straight for landfill. No thanks.

We bought predominantly wooden or educational toys and almost all second hand.

We also buy a lot of clothes on Vinted - environmental impact reasons mainly.

Shein, Temu etc. are absolute junk and scream "new money" to me.

We did buy or were gifted some beautiful toys new too which we will keep and hand down with the other family toys.

Got my son a big hot wheels garage 2nd hand for Christmas last year. It was hardly used. Lady listed it for £30, gave her £50 (half price) every one's a winner. Spoiler - my 4 year old didn't know any difference. Downside - my husband took this to mean we had £50 to spend on more hot wheels and my house is now basically a garage 🤣

@Gertlushthatis same here, I bought a set of Sylvanian families on ebay, possibly about 60 figures and the house 🏠. The lady wrote me a lovely note saying she wanted someone else to have as much pleasure. My kids adore the toys and play with them constantly.

I do this mainly for the environment but also cost. When they are little they could care less, I doubt I'll be able to do it when they are older. The amount of boxed/barely used stuff available second hand is unbelievable.

My oldest kid now spends his pocket money on Lego from vinted as he likes getting loads of random/specific bits and defo sees the value in not buying new.

Nothing wrong with it. I hate to be like that boy on bake off but this really is an old person thing. Valuing yourself on a fake perception off newness being valuable rather than the use of an item is why the environment is in such trouble.

Sounds good to me because I certainly did. Less landfill and easier on the pocket

I would rather second hand good reusable toys like Brio or Lego than new tat.

I did this for most of my kids’ childhood and still check used first for books and such now. A friend had a fabulous castle and knights set someone got her son and he never touched. Gave it (after checking) to mine for his 5th birthday and he played with it for years. Everyone is a winner.

Buying good condition second hand toys is perfect for birthdays and Christmas. It is far more environmentally responsible, which is means you’re thinking of your child’s future. I find my children don’t notice when things are second hand, I feel better about my environmental impact, and also there is no annoying packaging on Christmas Day. Cheap new toys barely last the Christmas holidays and are just landfill waiting to happen.

I do the same for my dds, I buy a lot off Vinted even though we're well off. But I think a lot of toys are overpriced when new and likely to be forgotten about, so in the past I would have been reluctant to buy at full price even though technically we can afford it. At Vinted prices I'm happier to take a gamble on certain toys and I don't weigh up whether it's "worth it". She's delighted as she gets the things she thought she looked really cool in the shop, I've saved the toys from landfill, helped another parent increase their income, and saved us some money so I can put more of our income away into sensible long-term savings for our dcs.

I do buy party gifts for other dcs from Vinted too, but they are always boxed and new with tags, I would never give gifts that were actually used.

We absolutely do this. Mix of second hand and new toys for Christmas and birthday presents, and for clothes too (for all of us). Reasonably healthy household income, but I think we'd be doing this no matter how much money we did or didn't have.

We're trying to do our bit for the environment but also I'd rather put the money saved towards holidays and experiences for DD than more stuff. I sell on Vinted too and put the money towards DD's presents.

One of them is a Sylvanian family house actually! She thinks they're cute and a mate has some but they're a big price commitment if she loses interest once they're through the door

I buy mostly second hand. I'd much rather spend £20 on a really good quality second hand toy my boys would love than cheap toys that will be played with for a week then break and have to go in the bin. I prefer quality over quantity, and if you buy second hand and pass them on when you're finished with them, the toys get a much longer lifespan/ less waste going to landfill. I'd also rather have cash in my savings/ the kids' JISAs than spending £40 on something that's £15 second hand.

No, I did this a lot. You get better items for less money. What's not to like?

I disagree with the point about this being an "old people thing" to insist on buying new. I think it's not an old people thing but a class thing. If you don't have much, it's shameful to have to buy your children second hand toys. If you're middle class it shows that you are being environmentally friendly.