Where to find inexpensive Thomas the Train & Percy Engine?

[sas_mk]

I know I can always count on the budget board to point me in the right direction.

My youngest son has become incredibly attached to Thomas and Percy. We have two little trains that belonged to my oldest son. They are metal and they run on 1 AA battery. They are the size that work on the normal wooden train tracks -- like Brio.

He takes them everywhere. He always has at least one in his hand and has for the last couple of months. It is cute, but today I was a bad Mom -- I left them in the cart when we went to Target.

He reminded me as soon as I was buckling him into his carseat, and we turned around and went right back into the store. However, the cart was not where I left it and the trains were gone.

My sweet little 2 year old is so sad about his lost trains. I would love to replace them for him, but it wasn't exactly in the budget this month!

I haven't looked for or purchased any train stuff in 5 years. I don't even know where to look for the best deals.

Does anybody have any suggestions on where to replace these without spending a bundle??

Thanks!

 

[*pixie*dust*]

Target, Walmart, Barnes & Noble and ToysR Us all sell Thomas. There are small die cast ones that run about $6 each (Target, Walmart). There are also larger plastic ones that take batteries that are between $6-15 dollars each (Target, Walmart). The wooden ones are most expensive and cost between $12-25 dollars depending on the train(Target,B & N, Toys R Us).

My son has been a Thomas fiend for the last two years. We know where to find them all!

 

[Earstou]

Did you check with the store to see if anyone turned them in to Lost and Found?

 

[sas_mk]

Target, Walmart, Barnes & Noble and ToysR Us all sell Thomas. There are small die cast ones that run about $6 each (Target, Walmart). There are also larger plastic ones that take batteries that are between $6-15 dollars each (Target, Walmart). The wooden ones are most expensive and cost between $12-25 dollars depending on the train(Target,B & N, Toys R Us).

My son has been a Thomas fiend for the last two years. We know where to find them all!

Thank you for the list of stores. Maybe I am not in such bad shape. I was just looking at Amazon, and it looked like they might run $20 each. I can probably handle $10ish each.

I have just never spent too much time on train stuff. The trains my oldest son received were all gifts, and he barely played with them.

 

[sas_mk]

Did you check with the store to see if anyone turned them in to Lost and Found?

I did check with the store. I left my name and phone number -- so maybe there is still a chance that they will find them.

I called and checked a few hours ago -- and will probably call and check again tonight. I really hope they turn up!

 

[LisaNJ25]

AC Moore with their 40% off coupon

 

[GraysMom]

AC Moore with their 40% off coupon

I second using the AC Moore 40% off coupon. Our AC Moore only carries the wooden trains and accessories, none of the take along smaller metal trains (no batteries, more like matchbox car quality) or the motorized Trackmaster plastic trains that run on plastic track (and do okay on the wooden track as well).

You might want to consider buying the take along cheaper trains to take places with you and leave the more expensive ones at home when you find them. That's what we've done with DS and it makes things much easier when trying to get out of the house (he knows he can only choose his two take alongs and therefore doesn't spend 10 min perusing his ton of wooden or Trackmaster trains.

I hope they turn up!

 

[aceys_h0ney]

Also if you have Big Lots or ROSS we see them there sometimes, at really cheap prices.

 

[thebeesknees]

Check back with the store in a few days, too. I left my coupon box in a cart and when I called they said it had not been turned in. I checked the next day, and they still didn't have it. A week later, on a whim, I stopped by the service desk to check one more time, and sure enough, there it was. I hope they turn up. My kids have a couple of toys they are attached to, as well, and it would be disastrous to lose them!

 

[sas_mk]

Check back with the store in a few days, too. I left my coupon box in a cart and when I called they said it had not been turned in. I checked the next day, and they still didn't have it. A week later, on a whim, I stopped by the service desk to check one more time, and sure enough, there it was. I hope they turn up. My kids have a couple of toys they are attached to, as well, and it would be disastrous to lose them!

Thanks. I will keep checking back. This may just be a tough lesson for me and my 2 year old.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

AC Moore the other day had 40% off all their Thomas stuff. I can't remember if I was there Saturday or Sunday though (eg whether it was this week's sale).

 

[kathyell]

If you have Michaels craft stores near you, most of them carry Thomas the Tank Engine toys in their stores. We get 40% and 50% coupons for non-sale items in the sale flyers we get in the mail all the time, and if you want to be sure to get them, you can sign up for their email club and you'll get coupons for them every couple of weeks. Their regular prices on the toys are about what you see in other stores, but the 50% off coupons really give you a good bargain.

 

[stacie_d]

Sams Club carries the wooden trains paired with a DVD for around 12 dollars if I recall.

 

[PrincessMom98]

We have the same trains. They are the same size as the wood ones. I bought them from LB Toys when they were a regular store. The webpage shows them as backordered but you can try calling to see when they will be available.
Good Luck! If you do order from them here is a code for them -

Use coupon code EASTER10 through Thursday, March 18th for 10% off your full order and free shipping on orders over $35.

 

[jacksmomma]

If you have a TJ Maxx or Marshall's they have metal ones for around $4 each! The stores in my area carry them all the time. Good Luck!

 

[moongirl]

Ebay has a bazillion choices. You can probably find exactly what you had there and get it for a reasonable price.

 

[Frye7127]

I second ebay!!!! We bought tons of Thomas stuff on ebay for a fraction of the cost and most of it was brand new. And, a lot of times they will address it to the child, so they get mail too! Which is one of my child's highlights!

 

[sas_mk]

Thank you. Everybody has been so helpful. I went back to Target today and checked to see if they found anything -- unfortunately, they haven't turned up yet.

I also looked at the Thomas stuff at Target. The trains that I lost were the $19.99 ones. I really don't want to spend that, and ebay doesn't have any better prices that I can see. I am headed to Michael's later tonight (with coupons) to see if they have what I need.

Now, I just have to decide if my son will get over it, or if I can replace them with some of the less expensive choices - like the smaller die-cast trains.

Hmmmm... decisions, decisions.

Thanks again!

 

[Rosiekins]

AC Moore Had all the the Thomas stuff on sale for 30% or 40% off, may still be on sale?

 

[a1tinkfans]

I know I can always count on the budget board to point me in the right direction.

My youngest son has become incredibly attached to Thomas and Percy. We have two little trains that belonged to my oldest son. They are metal and they run on 1 AA battery. They are the size that work on the normal wooden train tracks -- like Brio.

He takes them everywhere. He always has at least one in his hand and has for the last couple of months. It is cute, but today I was a bad Mom -- I left them in the cart when we went to Target.

He reminded me as soon as I was buckling him into his carseat, and we turned around and went right back into the store. However, the cart was not where I left it and the trains were gone.

My sweet little 2 year old is so sad about his lost trains. I would love to replace them for him, but it wasn't exactly in the budget this month!

I haven't looked for or purchased any train stuff in 5 years. I don't even know where to look for the best deals.

Does anybody have any suggestions on where to replace these without spending a bundle??

Thanks!

AC Moore craft store with Coupons...they are CHEAPER there than anywhere else I have seen AND they take competitor coupons as well........