To buy some Christmas presents second hand?

[Deemented]

Money is very tight this year.

I've been buying a little bit every month since about May, and putting it aside. But DS, 5, has been going on and on about getting a DSi. To be honest, i don't feel he's old enough for one yet - it's a lot of money for something that's easily broken, and i thing the only reason he wants one is because his cousin who's a year older then him, has one.

So he knows that he will not be getting one. However, i've been talking to DP, and we've come up with the idea of perhaps getting him a gameboy and a few games, and if he's shows me that he's responsible with it, and can look after it, then i'd be inclined to think about getting him a DSi next Christmas.

We went to a car boot sale yesterday, and found a gameboy colour with five games, a battery pack an a few other bits for just a tenner, so we bought it and put it up for him. I was telling my sister about it, and she was horrified that i'd even consider giving him second hand presents. It's in good condition, and works perfectly, so i can't see what the issue is.

DD will be 20 months at Christmas, and she really likes books, yunno the thick card ones, and i've picked a few up for her from car booters that have been in good clean condition. Again sister is horrified and wants assurances that whatever we get her son will not be second hand!!!

AIBU in buying second hand, or is she BU in turning her nose up at it?

[TheLadyEvenstar]

On the subject of second hand, for ds1's 10th birthday he got a BMX worth £300 it cost me the price of petrol to collect it as I got it off of freecycle. It was brand new, well ridden only 3 times...

Last christmas he had been badgering me for a tv for his bedroom....He got an excellent tv/dvd combi off of freecycle.

I also bought him a huge collection of Pirates of the Caribbean figures, playsets, etc off of another chat forum. What would have cost me over £150 cost me £40 for the lot.

DS2 got a wooden trike last year bought of the same chat forum and a load of other things again what would have cost over £150 actually cost me £30.

Did the same with nephews and friends children as well...and I plan to do the same this year.

YADNBU
but sis is DBU

[Firawla]

yanbu to buy 2nd hand for your children if you are happy with it, even presents & there is nothing wrong with it when they are clean, and you will get more for your money
but i wouldnt buy it for a present for someone else , unless you already know they really like to have 2nd hand things, and you couldnt afford new for them. otherwise buying it for gifts for others is U i think, but for your own kids is okay

[ChilloHippi]

YANBU to buy your own children second hand. It's better for the environment as well as your bank balance

[cantmummyhaveabreak]

I would be happy to buy 2nd hand for my own children, and have done in the past... however i'd never give second hand as a present for someone elses child unless they've specifically asked for it.

[cantmummyhaveabreak]

cat64- what sort of gameboy? i think DS has a redundant gameboy colour- the retro ones... He plays with DH's old DSlite now...

sorry thread hijack!!

[cantmummyhaveabreak]

well it is unused now- but DH has put it somewhere so dont know where it is... but i've just had a quick peek on ebay and they are going for much less than that price!! However something tells me you might be after a DS advanced? they have a screen that flips up like the DS lite, but they are a square shape- the one DS has is just all one thing... they were out well over 10 years ago.

The reson the price would have been so high is that it's uncool for kids etc, but collectors and games fanatics will want them for nostalgia reasons.... thats the reason DH bought it for DS, so he could play it!!

[bilblio]

YANBU
My daughter very rarely gets anything new, (unless other people buy it.) In fact most of her stuff is 30+ years old because my parents never threw away our stuff. I love the fact she has my cot, highchair, loads of toys. My Mum was a childminder too so we counted that at least 6 kids had used the cot before her, if not more.

Her favourite toys are my old Playpeople, Duplo, Fisher Price house and big yellow teapot, and books galore from charity shops. I agree with giving them a quick wipe over. They'll never be as dirty as her hands get when she's been to the park, or helping me garden.

Her first Christmas I bought her a load of muppets toys 2nd hand off ebay for £5. These get played with daily. The new dancing La-La someone bought (£30) lost her interest after about 3 weeks.

Save your pennies for things like school trips they'll won't to go on.

I agree with talking to your SIL to find out why she's so against 2nd hand. MAybe she's never been in a charity shop and realised how good the stuff is from there sometimes.

[TheLadyEvenstar]

Cat you are looking for a Game Boy Advance.

Have found you one here

here

and here

[cantmummyhaveabreak]

no worries- we're not too bothered about coole either- though DH does love to have the most up-to-date consoles We've had alsorts- from atari's and mega drives from when i was a kid, to his current PS3- we mostly buy a few months after they've come out though and get them loads cheaper. Honestly though ebay is possibly your best bet for a bargain... maybe even one you can collect in person so you can make sure its all working etc before you hand your money over? or even ask on your local freecycle? someone may have an old one lying about like i have!!

[cantmummyhaveabreak]

there you go- TLES has come to your rescue- and thy all look prett good!!

[TheLadyEvenstar]

can you tell i do this often? search ebay for bargains i mean lol

Now if only I could find a petite star zia buggy on there for me to feed my buggy addiction ds2

[cantmummyhaveabreak]

TLES- thats what i normally search for!! baby bits!! Loving ebay atm- lots of bargains to be had!! but i luckily just sold lots of bits for about 3x what i'd expected to get!!

[TheLadyEvenstar]

Cantmummy, its great isn't it?

I so want a zia or a zapp that i am spending too much time looking a lot

[TheLadyEvenstar]

Cat you should put a wanted ad on freegle....you never know what people have. I could ask on my one if you want and then could send you it?

[cantmummyhaveabreak]

I've had a zapp with DD1, wouldn't have one again.... but a zia looks good as it has the lie back option- thats what i didn't like about the zapp- and the fact i couldn't get much shopping on the handles!! So now with DD2, i've got a luna which i can't get anything onto the handles... doesn't make sence- anyway- i'm going on about prams- better stop or DH will kill me if he gets home to find i've bought yet another pram!!

[cantmummyhaveabreak]

cat- i'd also be happy to put the feelers out in blackpool for you if you wanted?

[nickelbabe]

my eldest nephew's birthday is three weeks after christmas, so one year I bought him a proper presie for his christmas pressie and gave him a written-off book for his birthday (at work, damamged or faulty books are written off because you can't sell them and we can take the not-so-bad ones home: this one had been drawn on by a child customer on the front cover.... it wasn't too bad)
I do it all the time: i have a friend with 4 kids and she gets a bag of written off books once a year (in lieu of birthday pressies and christmas pressies cos i can never remember the dates of all their birthdays) and she loves it.

it's wasteful otherwise. care of the environment an' all [polishes halo]

[TheLadyEvenstar]

lmao I have had too many a few prams/pushchairs with ds2...this will be my 18th 3rd...

[TheLadyEvenstar]

Nickel what kind of books i would buy some off you if suitable for ds's

[cantmummyhaveabreak]

TLES- how strange, i'm also on my 18th 3rd DH has said i'm not allowed any more prams so i bought 2 brand new ones for DD2 which might should last till she's walking!!