Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Shopping

From everyday essentials to big purchases, swap tips and recommendations. For the best deals without the hassle, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

Does a Nintendo DS really cost £100?

44 replies

DumbledoresGirl · 29/10/2007 14:38

I had a conversation with ds2 today. His birthday falls just before Christmas. He has asked for a Nintendo DS along with several other lesser presents. I told him he would not be getting one as we can't afford one and he became quite upset. He is not normally a spoilt child, in fact, as the second of three boys and a girl, and with his birthday so close to Christmas, he actually misses out on some things his siblings get. I suggested he might like a CD player as both the other boys have one each and I want to get one each for him and his sister too, but he became even more upset at the suggestion. It is clear to me he has his heart set on a Nintendo DS and I want to be able to give him one.

So I googled prices. GULP. Do they really cost £100? I wouldn't want a second hand one, but is it possible to buy them any more cheaply?

OP posts:
scorpio1 · 29/10/2007 14:39

My local GAME shop does them second hand. I bought dp one- £140 for console and one game.

RubyRioja · 29/10/2007 14:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

charliecat · 29/10/2007 14:40

I havent saw them any cheaper tbh Do you collect nectar points? Each 500 is £2.50 off in argos...

frogs · 29/10/2007 14:41

Ah yes, I'm in the exact same place, DG. A games shop near us sells 'reconditioned' ones for £69, which is perhaps not quite the same as 2nd hand? But I did notice that they were not DS lite, which is different, or have I got that wrong?

And then there's the various different DS + game bundles...

OrmIrian · 29/10/2007 14:41

DS#1 wants one for Christmas. Yes, new they do cost about that. And you need other bits as well apparently (memory card I beleive??). We are getting a second-hand package for about 109 with all the neccessary and 2 games.

sKerryMum · 29/10/2007 14:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
DumbledoresGirl · 29/10/2007 14:42

Eeek! Scorpio, your post raises another point: how much are the games? He couldn't have a console without a couple of games.....

RR, really? I do shop at Sainsburys but it would take a couple of years to rack up £25 worth of Nectar points, surely?

OP posts:
sKerryMum · 29/10/2007 14:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DoctorFrankenSquonk · 29/10/2007 14:42

ebay has some that are cheaper.

They seem to go for about £75 - £80 on there when you factor in postage, so cheaper than 100 but not that much cheaper

I was going to get dd2 one of these, but I bought her one of these instead.

Original poster
DumbledoresGirl · 29/10/2007 14:43

Ah, so you dont have to have the full amount of Nectar points, just some to put towards the overall cost?

OP posts:
DoctorFrankenSquonk · 29/10/2007 14:44

I posted a question about these this morning, DG and here's the responses I got

charliecat · 29/10/2007 14:45

I do surveys on Yougov and get points that way. I dont shop in Sainsbos...if you shop in a cheaper shop from now till xmas you will be able to get him a new one and some games lol Sainsbos is expensive!

Polgara2 · 29/10/2007 14:46

If you shop around you can get a ds bundle (so with one or two games) for just over a £100. So bearing in mind the games can cost upto £30 they are actually not a bad deal. Look at Game or Gamestation or Toysrus.

Polgara2 · 29/10/2007 14:47

Oh and always get the games online they are much cheaper - look at a website like Gamestracker who do a price comparison of latest price cuts.

Original poster
DumbledoresGirl · 29/10/2007 14:48

Oh no, I had no idea there were different sorts of Nintendos. I could ask family to contribute money although generally speaking dh's family is useless for that as they are in Australia and MIL buys all their Christmas presents when she is over in the summer and gives us them then (ie she has already bought for ds2). I wouldn't want to combine ds2's birthday and Christmas present from us as he already suffers in that way.

I am a bit nervous of buying something electronic on ebay.

OP posts:
charliecat · 29/10/2007 14:49

theres some 29.99 games on BOGOF in game and online at the moment...and if you go through quidco.com you get 11% back.
Also you would get 3% back if you brought the ds online from game.

sKerryMum · 29/10/2007 14:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
DumbledoresGirl · 29/10/2007 14:53

LOL Squonk! Great minds think alike!

OK, this is our scenario: ds1 and ds2 already have gameboys each (got them on their 8th birthdays) and ds1 has (unfortunately) got a PSP. I say unfortunately because my brother gave it to him when he was 10 as he was given it as a free gift and did not want it. I knew it would cause trouble though: the children see their uncle give ds1 a fancy toy and they think favourite uncle will do the same for all of them, or us parents will!

DD is coming up to 8 and due her gameboy as her brothers had. However, things have moved on and she is now wanting a DS (they cost about what the gameboys cost us a few years back so I suppose it is only fair she wants the more up to date toy).

Ds2 sees ds1 with his gameboy and PSP, and knows dd is probably going to get a DS next Spring, so obviously, he wants a DS himself.

I wish I had had children in the days of skipping ropes and hula hoops!

OP posts:
cluelessnchaos · 29/10/2007 14:54

i think tesco direct do them a bit cheaper, i bought one from empiredirect when googlecheckout were doing a ten pound off offer, for about £90, and then asked family to buy games

Original poster
DumbledoresGirl · 29/10/2007 14:57

Thanks for all the suggestions and for the thread link (more suggestions there). I will look through them all although I still don't think this is going to be a likely option. Poor ds2. And poor me. It is awful not having enough money to get your child what every other child seems to have.

OP posts:
jezzemx · 29/10/2007 14:58

They seem to be slightly cheaper than last year (bought dd1 for christmas and last week she dropped it down stairs and smashed it!!!I need to start a new thread about replacing outer shell.)
I'm sure I saw one advertised for about £69 (they were £120 last year)
I can't remember where though. Will get my thinking cap on and get back to you.

jezzemx · 29/10/2007 15:07

Yohoo. me again. There is one for sale on ebay for £69 (I knew i'd seen it somewhere) BUT the seller is sending it from Hong Kong (wouldn't bother if I was you)
I checked Game and you can buy a pre owned one for about £79

Original poster
DumbledoresGirl · 29/10/2007 15:13

Jezzemx, yes I saw that one on ebay - wouldnt want to risk it. I have been looking at buying one from Argos with Nectar points but I cannot make head nor tail of the Nectar website!

OP posts:
Original poster
DumbledoresGirl · 29/10/2007 15:13

What sort of guarantee comes with a pre-owned one?

OP posts:
charliecat · 29/10/2007 15:18

Just go into argos with your nectar card!

Swipe left for the next trending thread