I buy all my children’s Christmas persies from charity shops. My budget is £75
A SAVVY mother shared her budget-friendly Christmas gift for her three children.
The woman told her followers about all the affordable purchases she made while saving.
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In her viral videoTikTok user Sarah (@sarah_falls_) revealed her Christmas toy collection.
The Australian mother explained that she had set herself a budget of €150 (£75) for all three of her children’s gifts.
She told her audience that she had previously picked up some pieces and had a $40 (£20) item on hold on Facebook Marketplace.
“My goal is to get everything I know they like, enjoy, want and need at local thrift stores for Christmas,” says Sarah.
She explained that she picked up most of the toys with her older children Arlo and Ellie in mind.
These purchases included a plastic food set, which set her back just 50 cents, and a 50 cent plastic digger for use in their sandbox.
She also bought a Peppa Pig hat for her son and two masks for 50 cents each.
She found a plastic toy for her seven-month-old child that she could fill with fabric so he could pull it out.
Sarah also picked out a sucking toy to keep her baby occupied while she gave him a bath.
Both baby-friendly purchases earned her 50 cents each.
She also picked up a “flat ball” designed to be thrown like a frisbee and caught like a ball, also for 50 cents.
For £5 she found a wooden train set, which she said would be enjoyed by both her sons for years to come.
“I love it when I find nice quality wooden toys,” Sarah told her audience.
Similarly, she found a small wooden trolley with building blocks for just £3.50.
The woman revealed that she spent a total of £24 on the entire toy collection, taking her total to £70.
The best charity shopping tips to score a bargain
Ross Dutton has been manager for Crisis’ charity stores for four years and currently runs the charity’s Finsbury Park store in London.
Choose your area – As a rule of thumb, the fancier the area, the better the quality of the clothing donated.
Don’t hang around – If you see something you like, buy it, because it will probably be gone when you get back
Be aware of cut labels – Some of your favorite high street stores have made deals with local charity shops to donate stock not sold in their own sales. Often part of the deal is that they have to cut the labels off the clothes.
Stay home – Although some charities have their own site, such as Oxfam and Crisis. many also sell through dedicated eBay stores such as British Heart Foundation and Scope. You won’t get the range of bargains you would in a physical store, but if you’re looking for something specific it might be worth looking online too.
TikTok users shared their thoughts on the trek in the comments section.
“It’s so smart, not only financially but also for the environment!!” wrote one viewer.
“Brilliant idea. Kids don’t need expensive toys. As long as it makes noise, is colorful and keeps them busy, I don’t see why not,” said another follower.
“This is a great idea and you are a great mom,” a third person commented.
“So brilliant!!! What an achievement,” another commenter wrote.
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