9 Genius Tips For Saving Money on Toys

Saving money on toys can happen if you know the tips that I am about tor reveal.  Let’s face it, kids toys are expensive AF. I am always on the hunt for great deals when it comes to buying Milan’s toys, and I’ve figured out some great tips on how to save money on them.

Is it just me or are you finding yourself having to buy new toys quite often? With the cost of toys and everything else that comes with having a child, things really do add up.

I love a good sale as much as the next person.  I almost rarely buy items that aren’t on sale. When I find a great sale I always feel so accomplished, I love saving money whenever I can.

So if you’re looking to save a few bucks (or more) on your kid’s toys, I have some genius tips below.

**By the way, this post contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. I only list products that I love and feel that my readers will benefit from. Thank you!**

1. Use Rakuten or Another Cash Back App to Save Money on Toys

Rakuten is a cashback app, and I LOVE it. I’ve been using it for over a year now and so far I’ve received over $400 back in cash. The reason I love Rakuten more than any other cashback app is that their cashback rates are always way higher than their competitors.

How does it work? Basically, you shop through the app. They have hundreds of stores ranging from Hudson’s Bay, Indigo, Amazon, Buy Buy Baby, and more! Every three months they will send you the money either by mail, PayPal or they’ll email you an Amazon gift card (you can choose).

Before I make a purchase, I always check Rakuten to see if they feature that store on their app. It’s such an easy way to save money on not only toys but all products.

Click this link to sign up for free with Rakuten. If you end up making a purchase through the app or online, they’ll send you an extra $5 for signing up with my link!

It’s the perfect way to save money on toys all year round.

2. Ask the Store to Price Match to Save Money on Toys

So this tip is more for when you are shopping at the store. Some stores advertise that they price match, but some stores don’t.

Just because they don’t advertise it, doesn’t mean that they won’t price match. Think about it like that, would they rather lose out on an entire purchase or a fraction of that purchase? Most stores want your business, so they would rather price match than have you go to another store.

What I like to do is find that same item online at a cheaper price and let the person know working at the till that I found the item for cheaper. They almost always say yes.

I’ve saved so much money on toys this way.

Keep in mind though when using this tip, make sure the item that you found is from the same country where you are shopping. I live in Canada so I need to find that item on the Canadian website.

3. Check Facebook Marketplace for New or Gently-Used Toys

Another great way on how to save money on toys is Facebook Marketplace.  I highly recommend using this not only for finding toys but for selling yours as well.  I’ve seen so many toys on Facebook Marketplace that are brand new and still in the packaging for a fraction of the price. Or they’ve only been used once or twice and in amazing condition.

I’ve seen very high-end kitchens that sell for very cheap, Melissa and Doug toys that are brand new and still in the box. I love scanning through Facebook Marketplace whenever I have the chance to see what types of goodies I can find for Milan.

And if you’re not sure what the quality is really like, the good thing is you can always meet up with the person selling it and inspect the toy before you purchase it.

Also if there are any toys that your kids have outgrown, try selling them on Facebook Marketplace. You can then use that money to buy new toys (or put it away and add to your savings, I like this idea more).

4. Add to Cart, and Walk Away to Save Money on Toys

This is my favorite trick for saving money on toys. This is a little secret of mine that not only works with toys but any item for that matter (I guess it’s not a secret anymore haha).

So whenever I’m shopping online, I don’t purchase the items right away. What I do is leave it in the cart for a day or so. A lot of times companies will notice that you left something in your carts and they’ll send you an email to let you know you forgot something in your cart and they’ll send you a coupon code.

This has worked numerous times for me.  I always use this trick when I really love something but I’m not really loving the price.

So if you’re not in a rush, try out this trick.

5. Sign up for Newsletters to Save Money on Toys

Many stores share exclusive deals with customers who sign up for newsletters, so I would definitely recommend you to take advantage of that.

Signing up for newsletters to your favorite kid’s toy stores. I know sometimes newsletters can get annoying, but oftentimes I have gotten amazing information on upcoming deals and even coupon codes sent directly to my email. You can program newsletter emails to be sent into a different folder so that it doesn’t mix in with your regular emails.

I like to go through my promotion emails at least every other day to see if there are any deals that I can take advantage of.

6. Swap with Friends to Save Money on Toys

I think this is a great idea because it’s a win-win situation for all. You could even borrow instead of swapping, which will allow your child to get a taste of different toys without having to spend a dime on them.

I love to rotate Milan’s toys, so I think of this as somewhat of a rotation without having to spend the money.

Do you ever go to your friend’s houses who have kids and fall in love with some of their toys? Ask them if they’re interested in a toy swap.

7. Shop at Ikea to Save Money on Toys

Ikea literally has the best and most inexpensive toys for kids. I have been recently trying to switch Milan’s toys to more open-ended, wooden, and less plastic toys.

I love the idea of open-ended because it gives the child more ideas on how they can play with that certain toy. However, I do find that wooden toys are extremely expensive.

My husband and I love to shop for Milan’s toys at Ikea. We’ve bought so many toys that he adores and for way cheaper than other stores or companies that sell wooden toys online.

8. Shop During Major Holidays to Save Money on Toys

Always check your favorite stores during major holidays. You’ll notice stores doing Boxing Week Sale, Black Friday Sale, Easter Long Weekend Blow Out, and even Canada day long weekend sales.

I love to wait for these holidays because I know that there will be heavily discounted items that we’ve been waiting for.

Mark your calendars and don’t forget to shop during these holidays.

9. DIY Tips For Saving Money on Toys

DIY is a great way for saving money on toys.  There are so many DIY activities that you can make yourself with the help of Pinterest and the Dollar Store. I have seen a ton of Montessori inspired activities that you can make with just a few small items that you can find at home or at your local Dollar Store.

I love scanning Pinterest for some DIY activities that we can make at home. The Dollar Store always has inexpensive material that you can use for your DIY projects. I always love to make open-ended activities for Milan so that they can be used for more than just one thing.

Or find some items that you already have at home.

One thing I like to do is take 4 different pieces of colored paper such as blue, green, purple, and yellow. I then try to find little objects of his that match those colors. I then get Milan to match each object to the piece of paper.

He loves this activity and it keeps him occupied for hours.

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There you go folk 9 ways on saving money on toys.

If you need some more money-saving tips, make sure to read my blog post 9 Guaranteed Money-Saving Tips to try in 2021.

The great thing about this is you can combine these tips and save even more money. Also, my next child is definitely not only having hand-me-down clothes but toys as well.

Happy savings friends!

Are there any other ways you like to save money on toys? Drop a comment below