ALT-1 Christmas Gifts for Children when the Budget is Tight
Here it is, the holiday season is once again upon us and you find yourself wondering how in the world you are going to be able to afford to make it through another Christmas without breaking the bank. It seems like this year, especially, people are finding it hard to celebrate Christmas as usual when the economy is so bleak. However, most stores understand hard times and know that if they do not give a little on their prices, their bottom line is going to suffer, which is good news for the parent shopping for Christmas gifts for their children when the budget is tight.
With a little planning and strategy, you can provide a nice Christmas for your children on less money than last year. One key thing to remember about kids is that they don't necessarily have a clue what things cost and therefore, if you shop wisely, you may just find a close enough copy of the toy they want without them going ballistic on Christmas morning. It is up to you to decide whether you want to blow your whole budget on one large item your child can't live without, or if you want to spread the budget out over several lesser gifts so that there are more gifts under the tree. Here are some tips to save money regarding both options:
Buying One Large Big-Ticket Item
Big-ticket items such as a Playstation 2, Game Boy, Netbook, iPod or other computer-driven toys for teens, as well as Talking Elmos, large plastic playsets, bicycles, and battery-driven cars for the little tykes can take a big bite out of the budget. However, there are several ways you can get these items without running the credit cards up to the limit or robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Use Layaway
Stores such as K-Mart, Sears, and Toys-R-Us are offering layaway programs this holiday season to help you purchase your holiday gifts over a longer period of time. The benefits to using a layaway plan to purchase your gifts is two-fold: you can pick out the items when they are on sale, but also have the ease of extending the payment of these more expensive items over a longer period of time. Everyone wins.
Shop on Black Friday
Black Friday sales at your area stores offer amazing value if you are brave enough to face the crowds. Go online to view the offerings early and compare the prices between the stores. You are sure to come up with the best price at that time and all you need to do then is get up at the crack of dawn and be one of the first people in line to pick up the item your child has been "Jonesing" for.
Buying Several Smaller Gifts
If your child hasn't shown a particular interest in any one special toy for Christmas, consider yourself lucky to not have to make a choice. Nevertheless, it still can be costly to buy something as simple as a race set or a special doll for your child and you need to know where to shop to get the best bargains.
Toys for $10 or Less
Wal-Mart has upped its offering of toys for under $10 to 100 choices, hoping to beat out its stiffest competition this season, but look for Target to follow suit with its offering of $10 toys as well. These aren't cheap toys either. You can find great bargains in the Lego series of toys, pet shop online pets, and certain Play-Doh play sets. Other popular toys such as Transformers and Barbie are expected to be on sale in this category as well. At prices like this, you'll be able to stay away from the "iffy" toy offerings at local Dollar stores that sometimes stock their shelves with sub-quality toys that may push the safety factor for your children.
Buy Time-Tested Oldies but Goodies
Don't pass up the opportunity to choose some items that wouldn't normally make the gift list in fatter years, such as a container of Silly Putty, jump ropes, hula hoops, board games or a set of coloring books and crayons. While these items may seem like ordinary, everyday toys, they are the toys that have lasted generations, and if they didn't continue to be fun to play with, they would not still be as popular as they are today.
So this year, don't fret too much about the budget. It appears that many stores know the score and are prepared to lower their prices to bring in as much business as they can in these economically challenging times. Due to some of the great deals being offered, this holiday season may actually be one that allows you to buy the items you normally could not have afforded in previous years.
