There are many ways to buy toys that are both used and new (to you) for the kids in your life. Looking around your community can be a great place to start.
One parent took to r/Anticonsumption to showcase the incredible "'brand new' car" they bought for their toddler.
They bought it at a "swap meet," which is similar to a flea market. Both are semi-informal events where you can buy, sell, or trade items with members of your community.
The original poster said they spent $15 on the refurbished Little Tikes Cozy Truck, which retails online for about $100. Even after spending another $10 on replacement stickers, the OP saved $75.
Buying refurbished and doing minor cleanup can help you save money while making a kid happy with a "new" toy. If their favorite toy breaks, you may be able to find a replacement through a local "Buy Nothing" group.
These groups can help you and your community minimize waste as well. Instead of throwing out neglected toys, you can guarantee them a new life with another kid.
The environment will also give you a high-five for reusing what you have instead of putting more waste in landfills.
Other Reddit users received the OP's actions well.
One user commented: "Just ordered replacement parts for a broken wheel on a wagon. … Shipping was a flat $10 so ordered a replacement seat as well as I could tell ours was cracking and about to break. Great reminder!"
"I got my daughter the pink/purple version of this when she was a toddler," another Redditor remarked. "We gave it to some extended family and I think it's on its 3rd kid now."
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Giving me money back 💰 "That looks fantastic, good job cleaning it all up," another wrote.
This isn't an isolated idea or a new practice. Per PBS, people have been trading items for thousands of years. It's human nature to want to share what we have, and we should embrace that.
We don't have to leave bartering in the past. Trading and buying refurbished are great ways to keep costs down while bringing joy to kids and valuing the environment.
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