Present ideas for Children -very tight budget.

[itscockyfoxagain]

Hi,
I have a 4 year old DD and 7 year old DS, I have a budget of about £75 to get everything for both of them.
DS has asked for a Hexbug Fish so that is about £9 and DD a dolly so I can get one for again £9 or £10 so I am looking at £50 left we don't do stockings so I want to get 2 or 3 more presents each.
They don't watch TV other than CBBC and Cbeebies so haven't seen any adverts.

Oops meant to put is anyone in a similar boat or have any suggestions?

The Aquabots are £6 at The Entertainer at the moment. Tesco have a great Zhu zhu hamster or puppy set for £7.50 on their website.

Do you have to buy stuff new?

Just asking as our local FB group has loads of toys, etc for sale at the minute as people have a pre Xmas clear out. Some stuff looks brand new, or very good condition and goes for next to nothing. Might be an idea if they don't have any specific requests?

I know it depends on your view point but I have found some absolute bargains in charity shops and the school fair. Sometimes still in the plastic wrapper. Go to a naice area as the donations tend to be better. I would try to do that for the 4yr old, might be harder for the 7yr old - although I still find stuff for my nearly 9yr old. If you can get some cheap things for the 4yr old you can spend a little more on thr 7yr old - and the 4yr old will benefit in a year or two. Morrisons had a substantial doll set for about £10 which ds has his eye on.

Have you tried tk maxx ? They have fantastic cut price toys, books an clothes. That's where I get all my presents.

I've bought my dd a wooden train set and I saw some very inexpensive ones when I was buying hers - ASDA have got one for £13 which is compatible with Brio etc so you can add to it over the years.

And actually, I've just looked again to make sure I wasn't suggesting something out of stock,and they're doing 2 for £20 on a big range of toys, including the trainset - dolls house, Peppa toys etc

Thanks for replys, I will look for theaquabot in the enterainer. Sadly charity shops aren't great around here (not many people have much to donate )but I do always pop in.
Wooden train set sounds nice idea, DD would like that and I think DS would play with it too.
I am going to TKmaxx today so will have a look.
I agree about spending less on DD as long as their pile looks equal.

What about asdas 20 for 20 they also do 2 for 10 x

Home bargains & B&M bargains have some great deals x

The works ship is great for cheap crafty bits as is wilkinsons.

Get an old shoe box, cover it in sparkly paper, then scrunch up some tissue and lay in some small cheap craft bits, you could fill a box for £5/each child and the presentation will look really special.

The works also do small blank canvases if you have budding artists which I think is a lovely present.

Have you been on the bargain threads, there are loads of things on amazon with free shipping.

The book people alwYs have great deals, like a pack of 10 books for £10 quid which I buy then split up.

Argo has 25%off meccano at the moment for your ds! my ds would like that.

I would do-
Ds-
hex bug £9
Meccano £10
New jumper- £8
New pjs-£8
Crafty bits £5
Chocolate £5
Canvases £2
Books £5
Joke stuff from a joke shop, like a whoopee cushion, or a ring that squirts water, or weirdy glasses £2

Dd
Play doh £2
Crafty bits £5
Doll £9
Doll clothes £5
Drs set £5
Chocolate. £2
Pjs £5
New dress £5
Book £5
Hair clips etc £2

I think that would be heaps and a really nice bundle and of you look on fb selling sites you will get lots for very little. Tesco, primark are cheap and have nice clothing, accessories.

Where are you OP? I'm about to order form book people (v cheap sets) and would order extra to save you delivery. Long shot...

Have a look on the bargain thread, the first post has tons of stuff for literally a few pounds.

yesterday I posted a pick and mix sweet shop for £4.99 that included sweets and just posted that monopoly party game suitable for age 5 is £6.49 (both on amazon). And that's just what I posted, there's loads of bargains to be had in there!

Have you looked on (shhh!) Netmums' nearly new pages? They are local to you and I got all my DD's Christmas presents from there last year.

The Book People have 2 annuals for £6. (If u check often enough, they do free delivery offers)

Also the Works have a huge box of mr men jigsaws - a mix of 48 and 100 pieces so may suit both. And the entertainer has nice magic sets for £5-£10 - also in big boxes so looks like there is more under the tree

Don't pay £9 for the Hexbug fish, I bought a couple on Amazon last month for 4.99 each with free delivery. Have just checked on camelcamelcamel and they dropped to 3.99 about 10 days ago so they may drop again. I have bought DD some lovely dressing up dresses on EBay this year for a fraction of what you would pay in a shop, brand new with tags still on, etc. It's still only November so there is plenty of time to hunt around for cheaper deals. I would second going over to Reastie's bargain threads if you haven't already looked.

How about local Facebook selling sites? I got a huge load of used Sylvanian Families in mint condition for half original price for my DD for Christmas. I often buy used toys in good condition for Christmas, and I tell my kids that they used to belong to older children, and they seem to like that, that the toys have a history ;)

I think most kids don't have the huge expectations for Christmas that we think they do - it's parents who feel the need to buy loads of stuff because that is what commercial culture has taught us we need to do.

Some of the best toys I have bought are family games. A deck of cards had endless possibilities, and both kids still love the £1 deck of cards they got one year, and I think it's because we play together as a family.

Last weekend I got the sewing machine out and made some dolls clothes out of scrap fabric (from DDs old clothes, for example trousers with a tear, a t-shirt with stains) for my DDs doll which has been discontinued so there is no clothes available in the shops. I did a really bad job but DD was so happy - I guess because I had made it for her. I now have several sewing projects for Christmas presents on the go, all from scrap fabric!

There's a great thread on 'credit crunch' called 'credit crunch craft box'.

zhu zhu animal packs are popular (with MN) and supposed to be huge. You could split into a couple of different presents to keep the excitement going. I know you said you don't do stockings but for ds could you put small things into a bigger box so his pile still looks big.

What do they need ?

I just bought this rabbit light for a friends daughter, would your DD like it?

Thanks everyone, that rabbit light looks good mught order that,and I got DD a puzzle from 99p stores today, if I get her a book and do a craft box she will have enough (I shall get a doll from one of the supermarkets). Hopefully that would leave me a bit more money for DS, I shall do a craft box for him too and a book.
I shall have a good look on ebay see if I can get get something a bit bigger second hand.

Www.offeroftheday.co.uk is a really useful site. You can order by price low-high per shop and should catch some bargains that way.

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9054284.htm?cmpid=COJUN&catalogId=10001&_$ja=tsid:11674|prd:3086088&storeId=10151&referredURL=www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9054284.htm&referrer=COJUN" rel="nofollow" target="blank">www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9054284.htm?cmpid=COJUN&catalogId=10001&$ja=tsid:11674|prd:3086088&storeId=10151&referredURL=www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9054284.htm&referrer=COJUN

I was in poundstretcher today and got a carousel thing with little animals on it for £5, which I am going to give to the 3yo, but I think my 5yo would love it too.

Also I would make playdough, and give your children free access to your biscuit cutters.