Is anyone else planning on buying second hand toys for their kids presents?

[SmokedMackerel]

My DC are both really into playmobil, so I have been lurking on eBay trying to find a good bargain, starting now to try and avoid Christmas rush :-) .

As far as i'm concerned, it's a great idea - get more for my money, ability to personalise the set a bit to my DC interests (planning on getting figures that look like the members of our family) won't have to fill the recycling bin with loads of packaging on Xmas day etc etc.

But most people I have told about it have been a bit negative, so I have had to go online to try and find people to share my enthusiasm.

So, who else is buying second hand stuff, and can anyone recommend other good places besides eBay to look?

I am!
DS had his heart set on a Lego football set but they stopped making them about 10 years ago. So, I kept an eye on ebay and found one as part of a bundle. Total bargain and DS is getting a lot of second hand Lego for Christmas. It's exactly what he wanted though.

I got him a few second hand games last year too. He's not fussed at all.

My eighteen month old is getting a toy kitchen I picked up from a charity shop for £20 completely unused as her main present.

My DS's main present will be second-hand. Why wouldn't you, of you can get something decent quality for less? I always try to check eBay before I buy any big toys.

I got my oldest a second hand netbook a couple of years ago. It was in excellent condition (purchased from a colleague so I had some 'comeback') and he was none the wiser! Just meant there was more to spare for nice stuff throughout the year.

Why would people have a problem with anybody giving second hand stuff to their own kids?? Bizarre!

I do this, I keep an eye out on ebay for wooden train sets (cost a fortune new and even if a bit bashed is still good for playing with) and I look at Nearly New Sales, have had quite a few unopened games, plastic toys from there.

Yes. Why on earth not, they don't know. Have got my ds's main pressie on eBay, it popped up on local site and that's his Christmas sorted!

The best Christmas present I ever bought my brother was a second hand Ken doll from Ebay, which I then 'made' into his own personal action figure. He was an amateur wrestler at the time and I made it look like him right down to his costume. It cost about £8 to make and he still has it on his shelf 10 years later. Sod what others think. I will be selling dds old stuff at a carboot in the next few weeks and using the money I raise towards Christmas. One of the presents being wrapped up for DD this year is my husbands 'Big Yellow Teapot'! It might be 20 years old but she will love it!

I often buy bits from car boot sales, I get a real kick out of it and the don't know any different.

We bought dd some brio from eBay, no way were we paying shop prices.

It lasts nd lasts, we'll probably be able to sell it on when our dc have finished with it!

This will be DD's fifth Xmas and her first of receiving a brand new present. And that will be taken out of the packaging and made before Xmas. She has no idea that her other things have been second hand and nor would she care. A bit of Dettol, a big bow on the top &, hey presto, a wonderful new toy. As with one of the previous posters, DC2's presents will just be DC1's stuff down from the loft.
Also, DD's presents from us have often not cost more than £20. We could spend more but, by the time she's been spoiled by the grandparents and had presents from odd friends, she's got more than enough and I'd rather "save" the money and use it to pick up the odd toy during the year when she's got a new interest or I see something I know she'll love. She's got a winter birthday so, otherwise, it can be a long gap between gift giving opportunities!

Probably not this year but that's because we got a good deal on the playmobil pyramid from toys r us. We will be building it and setting it up by the tree, though, so if it had been a used one, they wouldn't even know anyway!

We did for DS' birthday (4 last month) though. He is really into the old Gerry Anderson shows - thunderbirds etc - and DH found an awesome old captain scarlet outfit and a stingray outfit for a few quid each (had a thunderbirds one earlier in the year). He absolutely loved them and there's no way we could've found a new one like that.

Absolutely no hesitation buying 2nd hand toys for our dc. As long as its in decent condition and something the dc will enjoy, then no reason not to.

eBay in particular is brilliant when trying to expand a collection. Dc2 & 3 got bags of random Lego minifigures last year - total and utter joy from them! You should see the worlds they create and the adventure stories that have continued for weeks and weeks. And the fact that they came with lots of random limbs and accessories made the gift even richer. In fact, once I'd checked that the bits could be made up into a good number of complete figures, I dismembered the lot before wrapping up the bags.

Probably a bit different but my dd who will be 14 at Xmas has requested a Gameboy colour and a Pokemon game - they stopped making them years ago sp they're coming from eBay and amazon and she knows they won't be new ones but she will be delighted with them.

I'm looking at vintage my little ponies for dd2 as well on eBay but tbh they are more expensive mostly than buying new!

i remembered i had £50 on an argos card from trading in an old mobile phone, so have just bought 6 presents (on their 3 for 2) for the 2 ds', technically not costing anything!! thats all theyre getting in the way of new, other than that, its ebay and local facebook pages and charity shops.

Ive just bought a tomy colour paint pot for £5 from facebook selling page and a shopping trolley for ds2 from a local charity shop for £1.50 that donates all profits to orphans around the world, ie romania, syria etc - they have some lovely things!

Definitely. I use eBay, NCT sales and Jack & Jill markets. DD is only 1 so she doesn't have a clue. Why spend money when you don't need to. We try to buy as much as possible for DD second hand as it seems more environmentally responsible.

Definitely. Last year we got DD a huge collection of dressing up clothes - they were all sourced on ebay (couple of £ each) so she got lots more than if I'd bought them all new.

This year I'm on the lookout for some moshi monsters stuff - HINT - if anyone wants to sell me any?

DD is none the wiser at 4 1/2 if it's new or 2nd hand tbh! I don't care what anyone thinks either.

I love finding second hand bargains for dd, already have a few tucked away for the big jolly man to deliver

Got top trumps for both my DCs' stockings on eBay as the ones I know they'll love (Pixar Incredibles and Roald Dahl) are out of print. They won't notice and wouldn't care if they did!

Yes - I pick things up throughout the year - mostly in charity shops.
Crazy prices - unopened box of a sylvanian family set £2, unopened mlp balloon play set £3, happyland garage with cars £5 etc. I think as long as it looks in good condition its fine . People can be so snobby about things like this.

DS has some Raa Raa figures from us and a load of Happyland and postman pat stuff from grandparents for Christmas courtesy of eBay and FB sites. I have no problem with it, as long as it's in good condition. The Happyland was grubby but a good clean and new batteries and it's mostly good as new.

Absolutely! The next nct sale is the end of November so hoping to get some bargains then!

For the last few years at least half of the dc's presents have been second hand (charity shops, eBay, hand me downs). Leaves me money to spend on beautiful boxes, so they are excited and brand new "extras". So a second hand garage wrapped beautifully with brand new cars as an example.

This year, rather than Lego advent calendar, I am hoping to get 24 cool Lego characters from eBay via bundles like this: m.ebay.co.uk/itm/261644001441

They get want they want and I can afford the mortgage and wine, works out for everyone.

We get second hand for our's. Last year ds2 even got ds1's toys, which had been in the loft, wrapped up. He was only just 2 and basically did not care.

DH and I have totally different views on this! I think it's a great idea to buy secondhand/from charity shops etc. Why on earth not, if the item is in good condition?
My family are all into Oxfam and the like - in fact, one year my mum bought my Christmas present from Oxfam (a coat from Next). DH's eyes nearly popped out of his head in horror!