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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to buy kids birthday pressies off Ebay?

61 replies

mustsleep · 19/08/2009 08:30

right it's a bit long so bear with

dh is self employed and just been earning half what we need in a month! the washing machine has just died so I will be doing it in the bath for the forseeable future!!

anyway it's ds (11months) and dd's (4years) bbirthdays next month, dd is now not having a party as we don;t have enough cash

we just don;t have enough cash to get them loads of toys for their birthdays I have got dds an elc garage and lift off rocket for ££30 off ebay and have just bought dd a load of bratz stuff

will just be having a little family party for them both

my sister has just said to me that she thinks it's really scabby that I've got them second hand for their birthdays and that I should have jus got them one thing brand new each
If I had of just done that though ds wouldn't have got either thing and dd would have hardly of had anything

so IABU the stuff looks in good condition and you only throw the boxes away

OP posts:
OhYouBadBadDailyMail · 19/08/2009 08:32

If they like the presents then who cares where it has come from. Doesn't make the blindest bit of difference. so you are being reasonable (can't work out which letters go in the acronym this morning!!)

Lizzylou · 19/08/2009 08:33

YABU at all, I often get things off Ebay for Christmas/Birthdays.

Needs must and it is greener anyway.

BTW we had the ELC Rocket and it was a favourite here, but my Mom paid full price and it wasn't worth that much money. So you got 2 great toys for the same price as one would be.

QOD · 19/08/2009 08:33

Oh bless you
I would do the same in a flash, your sister is being a moo - I can never afford parties for my dd these days, her bday is week before xmas, so I have them at home! Her friends think it's GREAT she is "allowed"
snort

sporadicname · 19/08/2009 08:33

YANBU

It is a very sensible thing to do. You can't afford what they would like new, you get it second hand, they are happy, bank balance is happy and it is better to reuse things for the environment.

Your sister is being a PITA, ignore her.

babyignoramus · 19/08/2009 08:34

No, YANBU. They won't care and why pay for new when you can be resourceful?

NB can you spare a few quid for a second hand spin dryer? They are small and will make hand washing much more bearable!!

Lizzylou · 19/08/2009 08:34

Sorry YANBU at all

twinkletoescare · 19/08/2009 08:37

Nice understanding sister you have there mustslepp
I see nothing wrong with what you have done atall,Theres nothing wrong with second hand.
Your dc's will be happy with their presents and you should be to.
You are definatly NOT BU

Original poster
mustsleep · 19/08/2009 08:37

babyignoramus what's a spin dryer? defo can't afford a new washer at the minute and the annoying thing was the dryer is built into the washer so that's knackered too (bloody hotpoint)

when dh tried to fix it water went everywhere cos it wouldn;t drain and we had to use load of towels to wipe it up so all he towels are filthy now

just going to bath all our clothes and hopefully it's going to be a scorcher today so they should eventually dry

OP posts:
sybilfaulty · 19/08/2009 08:38

Sorry things are so hard.

Not U at all to buy from Ebay. Have you thought about charity shops as well / instead? I have got some lovely things for my 3 from them which are new or barely used. Children don't care so long as they work (or even if they don't!) so perhaps this could save a few quid.

Come to think of it, there are specialist charity shops round here which sell reconditioned electrical items, so you could perhaps use the £££ to get a machine or a spinner. WOuld make your life a bit easier.

All the best.

twinkletoescare · 19/08/2009 08:39

Mustsleep have you tried freecycle for washer?

TessOfTheDullvilles · 19/08/2009 08:43

My mum mentioned recently that some of the toys I remember getting as presents as a child were second hand, including a bike. I didn't even realise! I've bought DD (22 months) loads of 2nd hand clothes and toys (both from ebay and charity shops), and last Christmas we didn't even buy her anything as we figured she'd be getting so many presents from other people we might as well wait until there was something she needed!

Also for her first birthday my parents bought her a second-hand rocking horse. She absolutely loves it, plus it was from a charity shop so the money goes to a children's hospice. (My parents aren't short of money, just hate waste and care about the environment.)

So no, YANBU!

HollyBunda · 19/08/2009 08:46

YANBU at all! We always get presents off ebay!
What is the point of buying new when you can get second hand that are usually in really good nick for half the price AND have it be kinder to the planet!

your kids won't know OR care!

We also do boot sales and NCT sales.
I bought my dd a playmobile mansion house which starts at £100 without furniture. She wanted it so badly and I knew we would never afford it (and couldn't honestly justify the spend). So checked on ebay. The seller had misspelled it and we ended up with the house and loads of furniture & people for £40.
STEAL!
Even better when we go to sell it, it should reach a top price of £70 £80 quid.
What's to feel bad about?

honeybehappy · 19/08/2009 08:47

Your sister is being an idiot.
Does she know how things are for you at the moment? When i was little everything was second hand.
Join freecycle, my local one always has washing machines on.

YANBU

HollyBunda · 19/08/2009 08:47

Oh and put up a wanted on Freecycle.org in your area. Washers do come up frequently.

Umlellala · 19/08/2009 08:49

YA def not BU. Also helps the environment. And IMO is good for children not to expect brand new, expensive things all the time.

Went to car boot sale the other day - people were selling things for pennies. Plenty of children ridiculously excited with a toy they had bought for 10p! We were selling and I had made a vow not to buy ANYTHING. Very hard when the woman opposite was selling pink fairy wings for 25p (didn't have dd with us thankfully)

Happy Birthday to your dc!

sweetnitanitro · 19/08/2009 08:50

YA definitely NBU. Loads of DD's toys are second hand off ebay or from boot sales. Kids outgrow so many things before they get worn out.

Not only is it not scabby to buy second hand things, it's also better for the environment so take a moment to feel smug

My SiL is weird about second hand things too but I would rather get DD something she wants that I can afford instead of maxing out credit cards just so she can have something in a box

moondog · 19/08/2009 08:50

You're very wise.
They don't even notice anyway.
I'm not sure I've ever bought my 5 year old ds a birthday present at all.

ByThePowerOfGreyskull · 19/08/2009 08:52

YANBU at all, we went to a car boot sale recently and the boys found a trainset and associated toys for £5 they have played with it non stop, brilliant. NOT scabby - you are being totally sensible.

MrsBadger · 19/08/2009 08:54

yanbu

rofl at your mad sis

hope she has bought your kids something nice

PM73 · 19/08/2009 08:56

Def NBU,i buy from ebay & car boots,tbh it would really annoy me to pay full price for a toy that he would play with only a short while anyway.

Good for you op.I love bargains

goldrock · 19/08/2009 08:58

So pleased to see that so far no one thinks YABU. I had second hand presents as a child and my DCs do now. Inverted snobbery IMO to think anything negative about it but more fool your sister for wasting money just to have the hassle of boxs and millions of those plastic twisty things to throw away.

piscesmoon · 19/08/2009 08:59

Take no notice of your sister-I think some people are mad!

bigchris · 19/08/2009 09:00

yanbu
and your sister sounds a cow
if she's so bothered let her buy them new stuff

gingernutlover · 19/08/2009 09:00

YANBU

I have bought lots of presents from ebay

Once the wrapping is off and all the stupid packaging is removed, don't they all look the same?

We are getting dd her first bike next month for her 4th birthday and I am scouring the net for a decent second hand one so that she can also have the lovely little pony she wants and also have a party with her friends - doing he presents off ebay will mean she gets what she wants for a price we can afford.

wishingchair · 19/08/2009 09:01

Definitely definitely not unreasonable. I've just bought DD2 a playmobil helicopter and boat from ebay for her birthday for £9. Got DD1 a playmobil castle a couple of years ago also from ebay. All second hand. Got loads of stuff from NCT sales too over the years. Why do kids care if it is "brand new with tags"?? I ready assemble their toys and then wrap them up anyway. I look at it as recycling ... why buy more new plastic rubbish when there's already some out there that people want rid of.