Help Santa has a very small budget.

[disney_dreaming_mom]

I'm a big fan of local thrift stores. I have found brand new clothing with tags still attached (ex. winter coat for our son for $3), toys, and movies for next to nothing. I think the Disney VHS movies were $0.50 and we were able to find brand new board games in the box for only a dollar to name a few. Best of luck to you!

 

[shortbun]

Seriously head to Goodwill or the Salvation Army onith a daily basis. I shopped there for lots of my son's Christmas until he was 8 or 9. I found all kinds of big things I could clean up and leave under the tree unwrapped. Once, I bleached and polished a whole kids kitchen with dishes and all. I added to it with old kitchen utensils I found -also at goodwill. that kitchen got a lot of play. I also always went for the visual suprise as opposed to the material suprise. I'd use lighting and staging, posters and shiny stuff with lights always make a big impression. As long as there is one toy they really wanted, they will probably be happy. Unwrapped little finds can be put in stockings too. You would be amazed at what you can find for a quarter. Go daily so you see the new stuff right away and find out what time they put stuff out.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My kids believe in santa. How we handled Christmas request was we said that mommy and daddy still have to pay for it. That helped them. They are also not opposed to used gifts. My girls were 9 and 7 while my son was 2. Cheaper Christmas was okay with them.

We used a free trade event to Christmas shop last year. My son still wears his cars crocs that we picked up for FREE!

Thrift shops of all kinds must be on your shopping list!

One year my kids did thrift Christmas. $10'budget each and they found a huge amount of stuff to five each other. They were kids in candy store.

You can make it the best Christmas, yet for so little!

We homeschool and one of my online groups, lots of folks are listing stuff cheap for resale. If you know anyone who homeschools, you can seemif they are in a group where this is happening! I have, in the past, gotten great catalogue games and puzzles for much less!!! We even got a whole set of knex for a fraction of retail.

Seek and ye shall find! You can even get holiday stuffed animals. I look for ones that do not have the year on them.

 

[gracie1]

I went to the dollar store tonight and they had a ton of disney stuff!! Since I am trying to help out some other kids this year, I was able to get them each a disney coloring thing that has markers with it, I got Cinderella, Tinkerbell, Winnie the Pooh and Toy Story 3. They also had a ton of puzzles, Toy Story 3, Cinderella, all of them for $1!! I also got them each a coloring book, Strawberry Shortcake, Mickey & Minnie, Carebears. And a huge box of crayons. So that will go with the barbies and the car, and I got a christmas container where I will bake chocolate chip cookies and put in the bag.

 

[RangerPooh]

This is what I picked up at Michael's 2 weeks ago for $1 each.
Disney markers
Disney necklaces and bracelets
Wind up toys
They also had nail polish like you get at BBB

At the Dollar Tree I usually pick up coloring books and other art supplies. Crayons, scissors, tape, and paint go a long way in our house. Plus they have hair supplies that girls always like.

I too picked up the $5 Barbie's and $12 car at Walmart this weekend. Plus you can find individual dresses/outfits for under $3.00. They also have plenty of kids movies for $5.

Our best find last month was a doll house for $4 at a thrift store. While the furniture added up our girls would have been happy with only a few pieces and people.

I agree with the Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars. They can be found for under $1 each and you can purchase a number of them.

Do you have a used bookstore where you live? I always check for inexpensive finds at ours, often in great condition for under $3 Or does your child's teacher send home scholastic book orders? Each month there is always a book for $1 and plenty under $3. You can then send a note asking the teacher to send them home double bagged or you'll pick them up. I had plenty of parents do this in my class.

Browse the clearance isles! Yesterday I found a 2 pack of big bugs perfect for stockings on clearance for .29$!! And hair bands and mittens (from Halloween but my girls didn't care) for under $1.

 

[TnTWalter]

Great ideas. I wanted to also add. Balloons. One year we decided to limit the gifts budget and because it was getting out of hand. The tree looked sad. So I bought balloons and filled them up xmas eve. The kids had so much fun playing with the balloons and it gave a great wow factor. 8 and 4 are still great ages for inexpensive stocking stuffers, etc. Books, crafts, movies, board games. All have been great gits. Glow sticks, nail polish, bouncy balls, small legos, pez, slingshot animals.

www.slickdeals.net
www.gottadeal.com

Good luck.

Trish

 

[4HppyCamprs]

I have to agree that playing with balloons is still a big hit here ( DS6 reallly like to play toss with balloons...keeps him entertained just as long as the PSP LOL) Also I agree with big boxes having big wow factor. Also try outlet shopping (online maybe??) The JCpenny outlet had one of those toy kitchens for like 29.00 (as did Menards, the store) I got Dont break the Ice for 4.00 but I know they had a bunch of games on sale for 3,4 and 5. Also I agree with others not to rule out second hand..little kids dont know and like I was telling DH the other night I would rather get three refurbished presents rather than one new present!
I also like the idea of taking the kids to the store and letting them make a list. I remember my moms best friend took me to a toy store for my birthday and said I could pick anything I wanted..well all I wanted was a Easy Bake Oven...DS6 had a choice one time and he picked a way way cheaper toy than we had planned to buy for his birthday...(that worked once LOL the second time he picked a SUPER expensive toy so we retained veto power LOL) Shop shop shop for deals...alot of times the best deals are not advertised you have to search them out....

 

[brymolmom]

What do you consider a 'small' budget? For some that might be $25 per kid, for others it might be $250 per kid - so it would depend what you have for your budget. Assuming it's much closer to the first option, these would be my suggestions:

4 year old boy:
1)Some sort of ball (soccer, basketball, baseball) - if you can find it used on craigslit - maybe $3 - $5, if not, maybe $10 (try the classifieds too)
2)Some sort of truck or cars (maybe remote control) - if you can find it used on craigslist - maybe $3 - $5 - if not, CVS or Bon Ton has some in the $7 - $10 range (add in extra $4 or so for the batteries)
3) A stuffed animal - likely someone in your family has a bunch they want to get rid of - ask around and offer $1 and I'm sure you'll find a bunch of takers who want to offload some stuffed animals.
4) Some play doh or crayons and paper or coloring book - Think DOLLAR STORE for these. Likely can do all this for $5 total
5) One other item that he needs (and you would like end up getting anyway) - does he need new sneakers? New pair of PJ's? a new jacket - let's put this one at $12 (but you would be spending anyway)
6) - STOCKING STUFF - think lots of stuff that is very cheap. Again - if you have craigslist or a family or friend that is wanting to offload stuff you could get a ton for cheap - little army men, marbles, animal figurines, chalk, candy, socks - if you come up short on used - try dollar store - total maybe $8

So - that's 5 - 6 gifts plus a stuffed stocking for the range of $32 total if you find a lot used...maybe $45 if you can't find used.

For the dd8 how about these:
Here again, I would try now to find some used things - ask a friend who has a dd a bit older than yours and see if she's wanting to get rid of some stuff - offer to save her the trouble of a garage sale.

1) Littlest Pet Shop - if you can find used set $3 otherwise $12
2) 'pretty' stuff - a couple of nail polishes, brush and/or headband - Dollar store would be good here - $4
3) A CD or DVD - tough to find a deal here, but if it is something she'll really like - might be worth it - $15
4) Make her something personalized and special just from you - take a dollar store bag or journal book or other similar item and using glue and glitter - write her name in fancy letters on it - $2 (assuming you already have some glue around the house)
5) A book or two - try finding a used book store OR a library book sale in your area (or if you find that friend who wants to unload stuff - ask for any books they've outgrown too and offer a couple bucks). $4
6) SOmething that she needs anyway - shoes, jacket, jeans, etc - you would be spending this anyway. Again, try for used maybe $2 otherwise $15
7) Stocking stuff - candy, cute pens/pencils, memo pad, toothbrush, bracelet, socks - dollar store - $10

OK, so low end budget for dd using what I suggest would be $40 high end would be $55.

Not sure if that matches what you're thinking for low budget - but this would work.

Good luck Santa!!!

 

[familydisney]

I'm not sure where you live, but the best Santa year my kids have had was the one where he brought them sleds. They are cheap but big and seem really cool and adventurous, especially if have a nearby sledding hill. We gave them boots, hats, gloves and snow pants, but you may already have those. They sledded the rest of Christmas Day, and I had hot cocoa waiting to warm their rosy cheeks. Now that was Christmas the way it should be...

 

[crazelion]

I know what mean by limited Christmas budget. I son and two girls as foster kids things have been a little tight. I just recently went back to work.


Here is some things I getting. Some thrift store, flea market and just plain dirt cheap. I was at the flea market and found box of free toys that no one want. Talk about score.

Football for my son for free. I went to free festival and they was giving them away.

Nokia 2330 cell phones. They was 5.00 a piece. That is only reason they get real ones. All three kids. I have seen the price of play cell phones

Dollar tree has awesome things. I did all my toy shop there. Because I let the kids go wild and pick out what toys that they like.

Okay everyone is laugh me. I wrapping up a card board box as present because the kids like to in card boards. That present is be free.

Then after that usually things like cloths and shoes.

 

[RangerPooh]

If you haven't checked out the thread on Avon stocking stuffers for cheap consider doing so. I just picked up 4 chapsticks for DDs stockings for $2.15 with free shipping. I thought that it was a great deal for a product that I trust.

 

[tinkerbellandeyor]

I love all the ideas that are posted

 

[SplashMo]

Santa brings one present to our house. We explain that there are some things Santa wont bring. If something is over budget we suggest they ask for something else. We become their Santa Advisor. Helping them navigate the ways of Santa...