Christmas Budget and Hot Toys for 2011

[MAGICX2]

Since our "extra paycheck" comes in Sept. this year, I have already been thinking about our Christmas budget. What do you think some of the "hot toys" will be this year? I have DS 10 and DD almost 8. Here are a few things I will take a stab at...
Ka-Choos (this years Squinkie)
Fijit
Lego's (NinjaGo, HP and Cars)
iPad (waaayyy out of my budget)

Any thing I am overlooking?

 

[jacksmomma]

I just got a brand new, in the box Fijit at a local thrift store and DS loves it! I am not sure that I would pay $50 for it, but for the price we paid, it is great!

 

[crusoe2]

I agree that the Fijit is going to be a biggie - DD is already asking for one. Also the Nintendo 3DS of course. And DD is also asking for the new Littlest Pet Shop toys that walk.

 

[DisneyDebbie]

My DS's love Moshi Monsters. We are getting them a few monthly membership cards for their stockings...

 

[clintswifeymomof4]

I'll never fall into the squinkie or 'like squinkie' trap again... I've been throwing those things away for months as I find them scattered all about the house. I learned my lesson big time on those.

My kids are getting rolling 22 inch duffel bags (5 different prints) for our Feb Disney trip, a $50 Disney World gift card for their souveniers, some clothes & sunglasses (summer clearance), and 1 toy each.

We did iPod touches & play kitchen this past year, a netbook the year before, etc and if I continue on that track, they'll be getting cars by age 13. I'm reeling it back this year since we'll be going to Disney mid Feb.

 

[gretchenohar@hotmail]

I'll never fall into the squinkie or 'like squinkie' trap again... I've been throwing those things away for months as I find them scattered all about the house. I learned my lesson big time on those.

My kids are getting rolling 22 inch duffel bags (5 different prints) for our Feb Disney trip, a $50 Disney World gift card for their souveniers, some clothes & sunglasses (summer clearance), and 1 toy each.

We did iPod touches & play kitchen this past year, a netbook the year before, etc and if I continue on that track, they'll be getting cars by age 13. I'm reeling it back this year since we'll be going to Disney mid Feb.

Lovin that rolling duffle idea.

Anyone have any suggestions as to deals?

TIA

 

[pigletto]

Our vacation has just ended (just got home today!) and I am already in budget mode and planning for Christmas. I am scaling back this year. Nothing huge, and I want to find deals on the things I buy. One thing I know I will be looking for deals on is Lego! My 7 year old has just discovered he loves them so I will be on the hunt for Star Wars and the Ninjago sets at a good price if I can find one

 

[clintswifeymomof4]

I was able to get mine on overstock today for 15% off the listed price (which many of them were on a deeper sale than earlier this week when I viewed them). Shipping was $1. I got the 15% off code in my email by signing up for "O Mail" and I got the Rockland 22 inch rolling duffels.

I had viewed the Rockland 2 piece sets but they were more expensive and the bigger bag was only 19 inches vs the duffel's 22. I got the camoflauge print (but ordered it on Walmart.com for $27 and free shipping to store b/c it was cheaper than overstock's price, even with the 15% off), the kensington houndstooth, the peace sign, the giraffe, and the zebra with yellow trim. With my overstock discount and shipping- they averaged about $22.17 each!!!

I also bought some lightweight backpacks (Embark brand and very very lightweight) in the school supply section at Target for 50% off. These I will embroider with each of the kids' names and load them up with books, coloring books, etc. for our trip driving to Disney.

I figure they will love their own "travel bags" and it will also serve as another gift from Santa. They were like $3.98 each.

I am thinking of going back and getting the large plastic school supply boxes when they hit 75% off. These will be perfect for holding toothbrushes, travel toiletries, and/or serve as snack boxes for the car!!!

I also bought Disney sunglasses at my local CVS for 50% off... which made them like $3.50 a pair. While I was there I found a 3 piece full size set of hair brushes in a little clear zip bag for $2.49!!! They are hot pink and my 9 year old will love them... also bought 2 vera bradley's tonight at 60% off... I need to stop shopping but the deals and so great and I have so much to buy that I have to pop on the deals when I find them.

 

[TyTysMommy]

During the first and second weeks of August, WalMart and Target have clearances on many of their toys. I started the kids' Christmas shopping and got a cart full at Target for less than $100. And there were some real good finds in that cart. As I was checking out I got into a conversation about Christmas shopping with the cashier, who happened to be a manager. She said the next week we'd see a lot of price increases on toys as the stores mark up their prices for the shopping season. Boy was she right. Toy prices have been climbing over the past few weeks. I bought my daughter a Leap Frog Violet for $16 and Target now wants $24 for it. I told the manager I never really noticed the price increase for the shopping season in past years. She said "everyone" has been doing it for several years. Then she said, "How do you think we can afford to offer all of those cheap specials? You have to make up for it somewhere." Then a few days later I heard on the news they were saying you better go get your Christmas toys now, the new Christmas prices will go into effect next week. I never knew about this before. So from now on I will always do my shopping the first 2 weeks of August when they are clearancing out the toy aisles to make way for the toys with the "Christmas pricing."

 

[clintswifeymomof4]

Thanks for that tip TyTysMommy!

 

[luvmy3]

This is the first year I will not be chasing around a "hot" item. My dses are happy with Legos, Nerf and video games. I did get my oldest ds a Nintendo 3DS so I guess for us that is the hot gift this year.
Last year I ran around trying to get my dd those stupid squinkies, thank goodness all she wants is a new ipod touch.

 

[worm761]

I am not sure what to get DD. She will turn 2 in December about two weeks before Christmas so a double whammy in December. Plus DS is 15. I know three of his gifts. There were some helicopter remote control things on Onesaleaday the other day for $6 so I ordered those. Will be using my commission checks from our grand gathering in October to buy him a new TV for his room. He really needs one. And I will be using my MyPoints points for a $50 gift card to Game Stop for his stocking. Beyond that, I am at a loss for both.

 

[rszdtrvl]

My son has a birthday and Christmas in December. He will be 15 though, and I am done doing heavy duty shopping for him. He is older and does not need legos or toys. I am going to keep it simple when holiday shopping for him.

Between the 2 "holidays" he will probably get :

Cash (for his trip to NY in June)
GC to the local music store (he plays guitar, drums, and is learning piano)
Playstation Gift Card
Walmart Gift Card (for a game for the 3DS)
3DS
USB mouse for his laptop
and a few other odds and ends

The only other person I have started shopping for is MIL, and that is by accident. I ordered a smoothie maker at Walmart because our local WM never had them in stock. I went in yesterday and they had one in stock. So she will get the one I ordered online with a book on smoothie recipes.

 

[delmar411]

Our vacation has just ended (just got home today!) and I am already in budget mode and planning for Christmas. I am scaling back this year. Nothing huge, and I want to find deals on the things I buy. One thing I know I will be looking for deals on is Lego! My 7 year old has just discovered he loves them so I will be on the hunt for Star Wars and the Ninjago sets at a good price if I can find one

Keep an eye out at TRU. In the past 2-3weeks they've had 10% off all SW's lego plus 25% off a few certain sets plus when you spend x amount you got extra things free (ninjago helicopter was one of the free things). And this last week they had $25 off $100 in legos and it didn't exclude any types so that's a great deal.

 

[beansmom]

i won't be caught in the 'must have' trap again. I jumped all over that dancing mickey mouse last year and they hardly even played with it...ever.

I try to buy more classic, simple toys. IMO, kids play way too many video games, movies, etc. I think they need toys to spark their imaginations, not do the work for them.

Books, clothes, classic toys like hotwheels, tinkertoys. That's the ticket here.

 

[BSil]

I got the kids a Wii a couple years back, iPads last year, but this year I think I am going to get Kinect and the xbox. I never thought most of those games really make you move, but I watched them play it at OKW this summer on a rainy day, and they were exhausted from it. I guess for the winter here it will be good to have them running and jumping around and being more active than just sitting and pressing buttons. Legos will be big here this year, as they both loved the Lego store, and built everything we bought on the August Disney trip. I'm done with those little handheld game systems. They both have DS, and they forgot they even had them until Mom cleaned out their game cabinet, and found them in the bottom of one of the drawers. I think I might get them a membership to one of our local gyms that has a huge pool and water slide. They love swimming, and now that the pool is closing in the backyard later today, they can have a spot to swim all winter. We buy them way too much, so I need to scale it back this year as well like several of you have mentioned.

 

[mrudman]

Like a few of you mentioned, I think I'm done buying the "hot" toys.. we did the zhu zhu's, and the sqinkies in the past, and they've sat there since then.

And I'm done buying all the little stuff, that never gets used and is just clutter around here.

This year, I decided to go with a few major items, so that's what dd's are getting as well as the accessories to go along with them.

I also have the problem that both dd's have their birthdays within 3 weeks of Christmas, so have to buy for 4 "events".

I'm excited about what I've decided on though, because I know they're going to love what they get, it's not gonna clutter up the house, and it's stuff I know they'll be using constantly, Although I did go a bit over budget,

Older dd is getting an I-Touch for her birthday, then for Christmas, she's getting the 3-D viewer for it, a case for it, and a junior set of golf clubs (loves playing golf in our backyard, and always has to use dh's set which is way too big for her).

Younger dd is getting the American Girl doll Marie-Grace for her birthday.. then for Christmas, she's getting the 6-book set, and 3 outfits (gymnastics, ice skating, and horseback riding), and a couple matching clothing outfits for girl/doll (she's my girly-girl, loves to dress up, she'll love this).

Then both of them are getting ice skates (been begging for these for couple yrs now), new camp chairs (have junior-sized one now, too little), odometers and lights for their bikes, clothes for their webkinz, a new trampoline mat and pad (ours is deteriorating), and an air hockey table (found one in great condition alongside road, so took it.. just needed new fan, which I got off of ebay for $15).

Very excited for this year,

 

[TheRatPack]

The only things I have on my list of must haves this year are:
IPad for oldest teen
Nintendo DS for my youngest DD

Other than that we haven't had any request...of course I've purchased all sorts of stuff when it's went on sale so I have quite a bit of stuff in the gift bin to wrap up.

The fact that we don't have cable has helped a lot....and we homeschool LOL So my kids avoid all the fads and commercials that usually make them want all these new toys.

 

[pigletto]

Keep an eye out at TRU. In the past 2-3weeks they've had 10% off all SW's lego plus 25% off a few certain sets plus when you spend x amount you got extra things free (ninjago helicopter was one of the free things). And this last week they had $25 off $100 in legos and it didn't exclude any types so that's a great deal.

Wonderful! Thank you for the tip! Those are exactly the kinds of deals I am looking for

 

[arthur06]

I was looking at geting DS5 a Roku for his room, but with the current prices of a Wii, i think that might be a better choice.

He loves to watch many of the streaming Netflix shows, and to have that option in his room would be nice.

DS10, is wanting a computer, but not sure if he is going to get one of those. we would just go with the Netbook.